The Palace Test

Today were continuing past Robert series from dream to get. He describes the 10 character building test from the story of Joseph that we must pass before God allows us to realize her dreams and step into her desk while in today's message were going to look at the keys to Joseph's success in the palace and what we can learn from them while they're such incredible insight in this message. So let's get to it now artwork continuing our series from dream to destiny.

I want you to turn the two passages of Scripture Genesis 39, open your Bibles and then a marker at Hebrews chapter 3, and later in the message will turn over to Hebrews chapter 3 so Genesis 39 Hebrews 3, so this way is the palace test pride test pit task palace test. By the way, the next week is the purity test in the present fast.

Yes they all begin with P because I am gifted, so this is the palace staff.

Genesis 39 verse one. Now Joseph. Joseph had been taken down to Egypt and parted for an officer of Pharaoh by both begin with the Broadway Of the card and Egyptian bought him from the Ishmaelites. Now we know they were Midianite traders. Midian was the reason there from Ishmael was the descendent they were from from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. I want first to carefully the Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man. I hope you see the connection between those two phrases. The Lord was with him and he was a successful man and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian and his master Saul, that the Lord was with him. Remember his master was an unbeliever, Saul, that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his side and served him.

Then he made him overseer of his house and all that he had. He put under his authority. So it was from the time that he made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand and he did not know what he had.

Except for the bread which he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. I like it myself to Joseph in the Bible. I think the reason says that last phrase is because it's about going to the purity test help Potter for wife pursue Joseph's outselling Susan handsome person and so next week.

By the way is the purity test.

You don't want to miss that I is what this talks about. It's an amazing statement by the way he's in and part of herself and part of her makes them second in command and he got he just gives them a reason just run the whole thing and then he winds up in prison. The keeper of the prison does the same thing by the way that he winds up back in the palace with Pharaoh and Pharaoh does think Butler got the end of that chapter.

Chapter 39 verse 23. This is when he was in prison. It says the keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority because the Lord was with him and what ever he did the Lord made it prosper. I have a very simple question for you. Would that be okay with you what ever you do the Lord makes it prosper.

Well I do I feel like the Lord is given me for simple keys to being successful. To be prospers to be promoted in everything that we do our job, our health, our finances, our family, our marriage to be successful in whatever the dots call the state. What ever we put our hand to so here the 40s like here's number one.

I want you to write these down number one. The key to prospering is the president's of the Lord. The key to prospering is the president's of the Lord. Write that down. It's very import and notice how how many times it said the Lord was with him so he prospered. The first thing we need to talk about here is that the word prosperity is not a bad word. I know that there is a hyper prosperity teaching. I do not agree with it.

I know that it's wrong. I know you cannot supported by Scripture. I understand that but the problem is that the rest of us now have heard the hyper teaching and we've even pulled back from the biblical understanding of the word prospering. God wants to prosper you to make you successful in your life and your marriage in your family in your help in your job in your career in your finances.

He wants to prosper you so you can prosper others. He wants to bless you so you can be a blessing to other people and prosperity is not a bad word. It's all through Scripture as a matter fact, the word prosperity in the Hebrew means to push forward. It literally means to push forward.

You choose one time 63 tons Old Testament. One of the times. It's when Sampson when the spirit of the Lord came on Sampson and he defeated his enemies. In other words, God came on Sampson and pushed him for now. Again, I want ask you, would that be all right with you. Would it be all right if in your job in your career and your family.

God was always Lord God God just pushing you forward or the key to prospering is the presence of the Lord and let me tell you one because God never fails. Dots never felt anything so if we walk with the presence of the Lord.

If we walk with God and prosper because Gottesman prosper. Find out what God's doing and getting whatever God's going and here's the problem people go out from the presence of the Lord, you know it's not the God removes his presence is that we walk away from the Lord it says. The Bible says that Cain went out from the presence of the Lord God came to Adam gave him a chance for panicking to Eve gave her cancer. He came to KK and gave him a chance to repent and Kang would not repent and so Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, because God was walking one when Kate decided to walk another way, when you walk with God your successful when you don't walk with God.

Not successful. So let me show you a few scriptures use director. Genesis 39 Genesis 26 verses 12 and 13. Then Isaac sowed in that land and Marie in the same year 100 fold. And the Lord blessed him. Now watch and see if God shies away from using the word prosperity just because of the hyper prosperity teachers verse 13.

The man began to prosper and continued prospering until he became very prosperous and looks like it's in the Bible.

Deuteronomy 29 verse nine.

Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.

Second, keys 18 seven the Lord was with him. He prospered were ever he went and third John verse two says, beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. I want you to know that God would like to push you forward in your career push you forward in your family push you forward in all that you put your hand to.

But the key to prospering is the presence of the Lord. Even an unbeliever party for recognized that the Lord was with Joseph and that his house part of herself was blessed because Lord with. Here's a good question. Does your employer.

Whether he's a believer or nonbeliever that your employer believe that he's being blessed because you work for his company. That's what happened with Joseph.

So the key prospering is the presence of the Lord. So you might say what's the key to the presence of the Lord, if that. That's it.

I want prosper. So what's the key to the presence of the Lord while I'm ahead of you have got it all figured out right.

The key to the presence here's number two.

The key to the presence of the Lord is obedience. The key to the presence of the Lord is obedience limit Regis in Scriptures second Chronicles 17 verse three now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because here's why he was with him because he walked in the former ways of his father David. He did not see the balance in other words, because he will bite. He walked in obedience first Samuel 18 verse 14 and David behaved. We could stop right there and David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him that we know that David and do everything right. We know that it's in the Bible, but when he did mess up.

He repented he came back to the Lord, he humbled himself when his when you and the prophet came to him, he humbled himself anything back for same.

Like in verse 12.

Now Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul is a very very simple couple questions. Why was the Lord with David because he liked and why had the Lord departed from Saul because he disobeyed let me show you know the Scripture Deuteronomy chapter 11 versus 26 through 28 behold I said before you today a blessing and a curse that here's God saying, let you choose a blessing and a curse.

The blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God. Listen to me carefully.

This is not a works doctrine. We are saved by grace through faith we go to heaven by grace. But if you want to succeed on this earth. You're going to have to obey. If you obey, and walk with God. You will walk in success doesn't mean everything will go right for it doesn't mean you'll never go through a storm, but it needs God will take you through those storms successfully unoriginal to Scripture, Job 36 verses 1112 if they obey and serve him. God Relate they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures, but if they do not obey. They shall perish by the sword and I shall die without knowledge, Proverbs 2813 he who covers his sins of boardwalks and disobedience will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them turn from them will have mercy, you know that I believe in grace, I believe so strongly in grace that were saved by grace. If it but if it's based on works. You've already lost your already in trouble. Let me just assure you that Grace is a gift. If it's if it's a gift to Be erred by believing grace, but also believe in obedience and I've seen that when I walk with God in obedience. I'm blessed everything up, but my hand was blessed when I walk away from God. There's a curse. Melissa make… Personally.

It's like we live in a curse.

Not like we live in a cursed world we live in a cursed world. It's like this level site. There's a hailstorm going on around the with huge chunks of hail about that big falling all in place and there is this steel umbrella over God and who ever walks with him so we walk with God in this thing protects us.

We are protected and blessed and covered, but when we choose to walk away from God, we choose to walk out there in this hailstorm and hope we can indulge in.

But when I really don't.

So the key to prospering is the presence of the Lord.

The key to the presence of the Lord is obedience. Now here's what some of your thinking well I just don't obey. I'd like to obey, but I just don't obey and I just know I just so pass Robert. I will need the key to obedience.

I got that covered the key to obedience is point number three. The key to obedience is faith. The key to obedience is faith. You know why a farmer plants because he believes that he's going to receive a reward. Listen many of us have more faith in the hot water heater than we do and God because what happens when you turn the hot water faucet on. It's not hot it's cold and we just stand there waiting right. I live in one house. The house I live in for a living out, they located the hot water three houses down the hot water heater I could turn the hot water only go write a sermon come back still not be on.

But what we just sent you know what we know we know we turn the faucet on. It may feel cold to get hot estimate. You turn the faucet of obedience own. It may feel cold it's going to get hot. It's going to because you just give me got a believe and here's the problem with we don't believe that there are rewards if we obey and their consequences if we disobey if we believe that we would obey many times we feel like we can disobey and get away with it.

You don't get away with it. The reason children obey is because what they believe will be rewarded if they obey and they believe will be will suffer consequences that they don't. Ephesians 6 verses one through three children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, or with the reward that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. I've asked people before and somehow they forget part of it all safe. What's the what's the promise if you obey or honor your mother and father. Let's say that you may live long. That's only part of it. The promise is that things may go well with you and I don't know if you will live longer. Things are going well that these may go well, there's a reward, and the children believe that they'll be rewarded if they obey and if they believe their consequences, and Proverbs tells us of consequences are spankings if they believe that if they disobey.

There's a consequence, they will obey. We had these people are home 110 and there they have two-year-old son and he was terror in our house. These is running all over the place doing stuff in there just set there talking only of government run parents like that than the body. I'm there acting like it is there just oblivious this sound were watching this child care of our house and so I said excuse me, just moment. Do you know that your son is tearing up our house and they said well boys will be boys and I said not my house. I said to them, I didn't think they respond with it but I said to them, if you don't spank him I will and they said we are against so in a moment, brother. They said that this kid comes over Sunday we had when these plants there. I think it is called the banana plant leaves, big leaves, you know, he starts dripping the leaves off of our plan and he is right beside me and I said to make some wickedly son said you pull one more leaf off of that plane. I'm going to spank this like that. They look to me from and then went like this now. The great thing was to get the leaf all the way off.

He had to bend down.

It was a perfect target so I popped and just like that and he was sure he that and he just walked out of the room was less than about a week later they came back over her home. The first thing he did. We open the front door, he walked right past everybody. He walked over that plant and he said Robert spank Pete he obeyed in our house, you will know why this he believed I helped him believe I built faith in that young man's life. I also said to because I believe not only conferences I believe in rewards God is a reward. I did this with our children. I said to him, if you will obey when you're here. I'll give you a dollar and every time we come and you will lay give them a dollar and I believe the gods are not only consequence I believe the rewards listening.

If you believe that if you work hard for your employer. Even though he was an unbeliever that God would reward you be a good worker, you know there are a lot of people that say you know when I get a better job and I work for a better person.

All work hard to get a better job because if you're not faithful where you are.

Why would God give you more limiting rage. Another scriptural mist.

Colossians 3 verses 23 through 25 bond servants, obey, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God and what ever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not the man no way that from the Lord, you will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ, but he who does wrong will be repaid for what he is done and there is no partiality now turn to Hebrews 3. I'm taken little more time on this point because I think it's so important because all of us want to obey. We want to do the right thing. But how do you obey when you obey.

If you have faith. So in Hebrews chapter 3 when I saw the Scripture LOL that's it that's it right there traffic. I thought of this Scripture. When God gave me this point. Hebrews 3 verse verses 18 and 19, and to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest. This is the reward of the promise land would not receive the reward of the promised land, but to those who did not obey.

Now watch this carefully. Verse 19 says so we see that they could not enter EN because of watch unbelief.

What is where that were come from Palmetto Bay. You would think you would say those who did not obey could not receive the reward. So we see that could not receive it because I did not obey know it says because they did not believe because of unbelief. Listen to me faith produces obedience.

If they had believed that God would reward them. Then I would've obey. They disobey because they didn't believe some of the key to prospering is the presence of the Lord, because if you're walking with God.always six. The key to the presence of the Lord is obedience. The keyed obedience is faith. So some of your thinking what's the key to faith. This is the most practical one of all Emmett simple I'm assuming all you can do it.

Everyone here can you choose what you want, you'll choose whether you want to prosper while they may well be anyone else will be your boss only anyone you have no excuse for not prospering. You'll choose what you want. Prosper what you want. The presence of God.

Walker present God with you on obey what you going to faith because this right here. Something you can do.

I promise everyone. The key therefore number four.

The key to faith is hearing the word. The key to faith is hearing the word. Listen to me. You might think outside doing the work.

I believe in obedience have Artie talked about that, but that's not what produces faith according to the Bible. Romans 1017 says so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord. Faith comes by hearing the word. Listen to me you want to have faith hear the word listen to as many sermons as you can download them get the iPod listen the CDs of sermons of sermons that preach the word that teach the war not just the guys give you five points for better health and all that stuff but the ones that really preach and teach the word get in the word of God read the word yourself.

Memorize the word of God put it on your iPhone when you have a few minutes read it but I don't know cards on your mirror, you know, obviously still see what's behind you come to the side, but memorize it. Meditate on it, study it, get the word you hear is why the Bible says hearing the word built faith in you listen very carefully because the word is the power to change your life. The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us that his name is the word of God and the word of God's prerogative, not a prophecy but incorruptible say which lives and abides forever in heaven and earth will pass away, but his work never will and his word will never return board love can't see what he said and it's a big learn the word of God know the word of God. I'm telling you I don't know.

I don't know how to impress upon to spend time with the word to get to know Lord only think about these last three points. I talked about prospering the pledge of the Lord, but obey having faith or believing and and hearing the word.

That's what I'm telling you it's very simple. You can prosper defroster because you're walking with God, you're going to walk with God because you obey, you obey because you believe what you believe and have faith that you hear God's word is a symbol of what you take a moment to think about with Pastor Richard today and listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you if you want to connect with us or check out some past reference other messages visit Pastor Robert.com if you haven't already, go follow us on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter so we can be a part of your community.

Thank you so much again for listening and we hope you've enjoyed this series next time. Pastor Robert is going to share about the test.

Until then, we hope you have a blessed