I MUST BE DREAMING (Joseph’s story)
Genesis 37:1-36 (NKJV)
Joseph Dreams of Greatness
1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2 This is the history of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
Joseph Sold by His Brothers
12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.”
So he said to him, “Here I am.”
14 Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.
15 Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”
16 So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.”
17 And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.
18 Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!”
21 But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.
23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then 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 a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt.
26 So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
29 Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30 And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?”
31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 32 Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?”
33 And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.
36 Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
Intro:
As a Christian, I’m often amazed at just how good to me God is. When I consider all that He has done for me, is doing and has promised to do, I am sometimes overwhelmed!
In fact, when I consider how low I was when God saved me, when I look at the changes He has made in my life, and when I consider what the end of it all will be, well, I feel that I must be dreaming!
I want to look at the life of a dreamer today. A man named Joseph who
had a reputation for dreaming. Joseph’s life is one of the most blessed studies in the Bible.
He is a picture of Jesus Christ and a portrait of the amazing grace of God. But, today, I want to look at the parallels between Joseph’s life and that of the average Christian.
When we look at what he endured, it is almost impossible not to see yourself in the life of Joseph. There is hope for the hurting, help for the struggling and a hand for the falling in these verses about the life of this man Joseph.
I want to speak to you today on the subject I must be dreaming!
I. Gen 37:3 JOSEPH IN THE PLACE OF HONOR
A. Ill. Jacob’s love for Joseph. Ill. The coat of many colors.
B. Ill. God’s love for His children – Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:35-39
C. We stand in the place of honor and blessing today – 1 John 3:2; John 1:12;
Luke 12:32.
(Ill. Where we came from and where we are now – I must be dreaming!)
II. Gen 37:8-28 JOSEPH IN THE PIT
A. Ill. The context. Joseph was cast into the pit by his own brothers because he was in the will of the Father, v.13-14
B. Sometimes God’s people get into the pit also! (Ill. 3 Hebrews, Daniel!)
Don’t allow it to steal your dreams! (2 Tim. 3:12; Rom. 8:28)
C. Even when in the pit, Joseph still had the promises of God! (Ill. Verse 20 –
Dreams don’t change just because circumstances do! Amen! )
III. Gen 39:1-20 JOSEPH IN POTIPHAR’S HOUSE
A. Ill. The context in Genesis chapter 39 – Blessings – v.1-6; Temptations – v.7-13; Trials – v.14-20
B. Life contains all three of these circumstances (refer above), but they can all be precious when you are in the will of God!
C. In every area of his life, Joseph was an OVERCOMER! (Ill. Rom. 8:37; 1 Cor. 15:57; 1 John 5:4-5)
(Ill. I must be dreaming! Jesus Christ has made me a VICTOR regardless of my situation!)
IV. Gen 39:21-41:13 JOSEPH IN PRISON
A. Ill. The context! Surrounded by hatred, sin and in bondage, Joseph never
lost his dreams! Best of all, God never left him – Gen 39:21!
B. Regardless of how bad life becomes, always remember:
1. God will always love you – (Ill. How you know? – See Rom. 5:8)
2. He is always seeking your best interests – Rom. 8:28
3. He will always be with you – Heb. 13:5; Matt. 28:20
4. He will still use you – 40:8; (Ill. 3 Hebrews; Daniel) (1 Cor. 1:27-28)
5. He will ultimately deliver you – 41:14 (Ill. In His time!)
C. You may feel that your are in prison today. If so, just keep dreaming!
God hasn’t forgotten you – 2 Cor. 1:10
V. Gen 41:14-43 JOSEPH IN THE PALACE
A. Ill. The Context! A slave becomes a ruler!!
B. Ill. Where we come from, what we are and where we are headed!
1 Cor. 2:9!
C. Sometimes I still think, “I must be dreaming!” Mine has been a journey
from the pit to a palace! What a joy when it all ends up at my Father’s
throne in Heaven !!!
Conc:
Regardless of where you are today every child of God, the Father knows, cares and is working on your behalf! Just don’t lose the dream, we’re not home as yet!
Friends, what you need is salvation! The Father has that in HIS Heart too for us all! All He asks is that you come to Him and receive His Son as your Savior. He loves you! Won’t you love Him too?
Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name!
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Flaming the Revival Fire In Christ 
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