Overcoming Adversity to Make God’s Dream for You Come True
Overcoming Adversity to Make God’s Dream for You Come True
When adversity strikes, we cry out, “God, save me. God, take this away.” All we see is the pain, the adversity. God sees more than your pain and your problems. Like Joseph, God may use your pain, your struggle for a purpose greater than yourself.
Joseph’s story is a love story. It is how God was faithful and was with Joseph, even in prison. It is a story of Joseph learning to love through one hardship after another in his life. It is Joseph learning to forgive and to love even his brothers who had sold him into slavery. Joseph became a great man because his character grew greater than his circumstances. You can too.
We begin with the story of a spoiled, arrogant 17-year-old, the favorite son of his father. Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers.
After eleven years of faithful service, Joseph was wrongly imprisoned for rape. At that point in his life, it would have been easy for Joseph to believe God didn’t care about him at all. It seemed that no matter what he did, life just kept getting worse for him.
You may think that is your life right now. Wait! Joseph’s story isn’t over. Neither is yours.
Joseph was in prison for over two years. I’m sure Joseph had some hard days in that prison.
But Genesis 39:20-21 says: “But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” Joseph became the head of all the prisoners.
After God gives us a dream for our lives, we can expect opposition. And we can expect God to be there with us, in the prison of our adversity. No matter what you are going through right now, God is with you. By your side. He will show you kindness and give you favor.
Pharaoh had a dream no one could interpret. He was told about Joseph. Joseph explained Pharaoh’s dream then gave Pharaoh a plan to prepare for the famine. Pharaoh made Joseph second in command of all of Egypt.
During the famine, Joseph’s older brothers came to Egypt to buy grain. Finally, Joseph’s family joined him in Egypt – over twenty-three years after his brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery.
Joseph’s dreams came true, but only after his character grew.
Psalm 105:19 (NLT)
Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.
Psalm 105:19 (AMP)
Until the time that his word [of prophecy regarding his brothers] came true, the word of the Lord tested and refined him.
Joseph was God’s provision for Israel. Joseph would save his people. But Joseph, the spoiled, favorite son of an overindulgent father wasn’t much use to God. He didn’t have the character yet to become the man God needed him to be.
God was teaching Joseph hard lessons of love:
“Love is patient....” 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NLT).
Twenty-three years after Joseph’s dreams of his family bowing to him, they did. And he saved them from starvation.
Love Forgives
1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)
“…[love] keeps no record of being wronged.”
Before God could use Joseph to save his family, Joseph had to love them enough to forgive them. The most stunning accomplishment of Joseph’s extraordinary life was when he forgave his brothers.
Love Never Gives Up
1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT).
“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is
always hopeful, and endures through every
circumstance.”
Joseph never gave up, he never lost hope. He never stopped loving God. God’s love compelled Joseph to never give up, never lose faith, always be hopeful, and endure every circumstance.
Joseph overcame by outgrowing his circumstances.
Do the Activation