Daily Devotion | New Rocky Creek Baptist Church

How To Get Promoted

Posted on Jan 7, 2021 in Devotions |

Text: Genesis 37-52

Introduction: Do you know how God’s Promotion System works? Have you ever taken a “BIG TEST”? Did you need to prepare? Was it easy? Probably not. But admit it. The more you prepared, the more confident you were taking the TEST! The hard work paid off….didn’t it? It seems like when the Lord intends to use you for His glory, the more you will be TESTED. Have you noticed? Do you know why? So that you will be ready and able to accomplish the task (calling). This can be seen in the life of Joseph.

1. Before the “BIG TEST”! (Gen 37)
Preparation

“2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. 4And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.”

Personal Application: The old saying is true.

God has a PLAN.
God finds a MAN.
God begins to SAND.

At times, do you feel the sandpaper? It’s rough, if you are wondering! But it has a useful purpose. You say, what do you mean? Sandpaper in the MASTER’S hand smooths off the rough places. We all have them.

2. Taking the “BIG TEST”! (Gen 37:12f)
Persecution

“12And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. 14And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 19And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. 21And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 22And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. 23And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 24And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. 28Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.”

Personal Application: Have you ever failed a BIG TEST? I have. Once, I took a test in order to get a license for Class 1 Electrical Contracting (studied at home – never went to tech school). Scored 68….. needed 70 to pass…. if you need some wiring done… don’t call me! Needless to say, I was greatly disappointed. However, looking back in retrospect, it becomes very clear that our Lord Jesus had different plans for my life, even though at the time it wasn’t clear. Praise the Lord!

If we are going to pass the “BIG TEST” like Joseph, we must…..

**Overcome Rejection
**Overcome False Accusation
**Overcome Condemnation
**Overcome Self-Justification
**Overcome Humiliation
**Overcome Depression
**Overcome Frustration
**Overcome Vindication
**Overcome Sensation
**Overcome Emotion
**Overcome Deception

“31And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 32And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. 33And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.”

**Overcome Temptation (Gen 39)

“1And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. 7And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.”

3. Passing the “BIG TEST”! (Gen 39-52)
Promotion“19And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 20And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”

Personal Application: Just like Joseph had to pay a BIG PRICE in order to to get PROMOTED, it is God’s prescription for the virus called self-sufficiency and self-dependency. When the price is right, there will be “payday someday”! Through interpreting the dreams of the butler and baker and ultimately Pharaoh, Joseph was elevated to Prime Minister of Egypt. Why? All because he humbled himself under God’s mighty hand even though he was mistreated. But instead of being “bitten with bitterness” he both experienced God’s amazing grace as well as extended His grace to his hateful brothers. He passed the “Let it Go” test!

(Gen 45:1-8)

“1Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

4And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”

Conclusion: Are you on the potter’s wheel like Joseph?….maybe you don’t understand why you are having to go through what you are going through. Perhaps it doesn’t make sense. However, the “BIGGER Picture” shows the Lord’s PURPOSE and PLAN. Step back and look. Can you see it? Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes.

It’s PROMOTION TIME!
Get ready.

Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese