Sunday School 070424 - Joseph Interpret Pharoah's Dreams - Sister Roseline Peterson-abu

Joseph's story teaches us that despite the challenges we face, God is always with us. Joseph's faith was tested through suffering, but he remained faithful. The dreams and their interpretations were part of God's plan for Joseph. Challenges are meant to strengthen and reshape us. Joseph's humility and recognition of God's power led to his promotion. Dreams from God should be interpreted by spiritual people. Joseph advised Pharaoh to prepare for seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh chose Joseph to oversee this plan. Na, from the first time we started treating the story of Joseph, we were being made to understand that despite the sufferings that Joseph was passing through or was experiencing, we were being made to understand that God was with him. When he had the dream and told his brothers and they became jealous, having bitterness and later sold him out, we were being told that God was with him. When he was being sold as a slave into the house of Potiphar and when the wife lied against him, against Joseph, we were being told that God was with him. They put him in prison and we were being told that God was with him. So while in the prison, God was with Joseph. He gave him the interpretations of the dreams. So the dreams that we talked about last week, it was God that gave him interpretations. The dreams of the butler and the baker were fulfilled exactly. At the end of the dream, when they released them, the baker was being sentenced to death while the butler was released and his position was being restored. Joseph suffered many things by which his faith was tested and his life chastened. That is why, whether you are a Christian or not, but since we are in the church, let's talk about we being a Christian. As a Christian, you give your life to Christ doesn't mean you will not face different challenges. So to us as a Christian, every challenge that comes to us, we see it as a test of our faith. So Joseph suffered many things. Despite the fact that he was a Christian, despite the fact that he heeded to every instruction of God, he was being tested. The outcome of God's plan for Joseph is not yet apparent, but all these happenings are shaping to bring it to pass. So no matter the circumstances, no matter the challenges we are facing, everything is coming out as God's plan. And those challenges are coming to us to strengthen us, to reshape us, whether there is a character in us. Every challenge we pass through, we do it. We reshape us. If we make us to become like Christ, if only we do it, we heed to God's correction, leading and warnings. The dreams and Joseph's interpretation of them are necessary to God's purpose. I want to use our smallest baby here as an example. Now maybe, probably God has proposed that our baby girl will become a doctor. Now for her to become a doctor, she will not just become a doctor one day. She will have to pass through what? Different process. Meaning that she will have to start with probably nursery, from nursery to primary, primary to secondary school, write exams and she must do what? Pass all those exams. Then after the exams, the junior Y.E.C., senior Y.E.C., she will write exams and then, you know, to the university. So it is a process. Praise the Lord. So also, human beings. Humility. In Genesis chapter 41, verses 1 to 16, three years after the butler returned to Pharaoh's service, Pharaoh was at a dream. Now during, when, in the prison, after Joseph interpreted the dreams and received the butler is to be restored, he told the butler to do what? To remember him. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. But it is being recorded here that it was after two years that he was able to remember that there is someone called Joseph who exists in the prison. So it troubled him greatly. Meaning that the dream that Pharaoh had troubled him greatly. It required of all the magicians and wise men of Egypt, but none could interpret the dream. Why? Because worldly minds cannot yet interpret God's dream. That is why as a Christian, if you are passing through challenges and you need a counsel, don't just go to anybody for counsel. Praise the Lord. Because what you are passing through is what? God's intention. And you needed who? You needed a Christian, a spiritual person, a godly person to be able to interpret what you are passing through. It could be a dream, it could be a vision, it could be a challenge. So as a Christian, we should seek counsel from godly and spiritual persons. Because a man that is in flesh cannot interpret the things of God. Cannot even understand the things of God. Then the butler remembered. Joseph had asked him to intercede with Pharaoh for him. He had neglected to do so. Now he told Pharaoh of Joseph and his interpretations. Since Pharaoh had dreams and the butler himself had experience of dreams and how Joseph interpreted the dreams, he was able to relate it to Pharaoh that there is a man he knows. There is a man, a very spiritual man that can interpret all dreams. He explained how they came to pass. Pharaoh was interested in no small way. He sent for Joseph and they brought him easily. Joseph made himself as presentable as possible and came. Pharaoh said, I have heard that thou can understand a dream. Now let's listen to what Joseph said. They brought Joseph to Pharaoh and he told Pharaoh that I have heard that thou can understand and interpret dreams. But Joseph said something. Joseph answered, it is not in me. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. What is that showing? It is showing humility. We can say that Joseph did not exhaust himself despite the gifts he had. He knew that yes, I can interpret dreams. But he understood that he is not the owner of that interpretation. There is someone behind it. So he was able to tell Joseph, in that way, I am very sure that he is also preaching the gospel to Pharaoh. So he said, it is not in me, but God shall give you an answer of peace. The same humble Joseph, even after years spent wrongly in prison, he showed no bitterness because he had none. Despite the fact that he suffered in the prison, despite the fact that he had experienced what we call suffering, he did not forget that bitterness is a sin. We can remember that he was able to show us that fornication and adultery is a sin and here he is showing us that bitterness is a big sin. And thereby he does not even have none in him. So humility is the non-exhortation of self. It is not thinking lowly of oneself, but rather not thinking of oneself at all. So Joseph recognized the truth that the power is all God's. So every power he has, within and without, belongs to God. So also, as a business person, maybe you have prayed for one of your customers, maybe the children or a child to the customer and he or she got healed. And another customer comes to you to tell you that, I heard that you healed someone. What should be your response? It is not me that did it, but God did it. Praise the Lord. That should be our response. No special credit is due Joseph for this attitude. It is the only right one to hold. Praise the Lord. We would have lost the opportunity of being a channel through which God's power would flow. Now, some might even have advertised, praise the Lord, because of the gifts that we might have as a Christian. Many people would have advertised themselves instead of advertising God. Probably you know how to sing very well. Whenever you pray, the earphone will always come down. Or, whenever you pray for the sick, they will get healed. Every of this glory should not belong to you, but to God. Don't call yourself, I'm a healer. It is God that heals, not you. Praise the Lord. So desire for honor in that our faith. The next section is Joseph Reviews God's Plan. Pharaoh recounted, now in this very place, Joseph explained or reviewed his dreams, because he had two different dreams that are similar and had the same meaning. So he explained the dream or reviewed the dreams to Joseph and Joseph, by the grace of God, was able to interpret the dreams. Praise the Lord. Joseph told Pharaoh that the dreams came from God to show Pharaoh what he was going to do. Now, if dreams come from God, and you as the dreamer, you don't understand the dream, who are you supposed to go to, who are you supposed to seek answer from? Is it an unbeliever? Yeah, you had a dream and you are so confused of it, and you know yourself that you are a Christian, who are you supposed to meet? A Christian like you, that hears God and understands the voice of God. Praise the Lord. So Joseph proved that he was God's man by truthfully revealing God's plan. In one of our lessons, I can't remember the topic, but we were told that we are made to understand dreams that come from God and dreams that come from the devil. We were told that dreams that come from God will surely come to pass. So, Joseph proved that he was God's man by truthfully revealing God's plan. There was only one interpretation of the dream. Only God had it. It's only God that can interpret dreams for us. Pharaoh believed fully in God's plan for Egypt that Joseph gave. A glorious promotion. Now, for every good thing you do, for every good thing you do in the sight of God, there is always a reward for it. We were told that Joseph did not exhort himself. For that alone, there is a reward for that. After the interpretation, Joseph gave advice. He proposed that Pharaoh should choose a decree, having discernment, able to avoid error or evil, careful, prudent, and wise man to gather and store food during the seven plenteous years, to be used in the seven years of famine. In the interpretation of Pharaoh's dream, he had two dreams. And one of the dreams said that there will be plenteous, meaning that for the first seven years, there will be abundance of sustenance of food. Now, for the second dream, it was being interpreted that in the next seven years, after the good years, that there will be lack of food, there will be scarcity, that there will be famine. And it was being interpreted, or Joseph advised, that Pharaoh should choose one person that will be in charge of the first seven years of abundance. So that while there is abundance of food and sustenance, such person will be able to store more food. There will be enough for everybody in the community, in the country, as at the end, for that seven years of lack. Praise the Lord! And since Pharaoh saw God in Joseph, he decided to do what? To choose the same man, Joseph. And that was how Joseph was being promoted. The plan won Pharaoh's favor. He felt Joseph was the man best fitted for the position of food administrator. He recognized the large place that God held in Pharaoh's life, a man in whom the Spirit of God is. God has shown thee all this. So Pharaoh appointed Joseph as ruler of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Praise the Lord! From being a slave to a prisoner, and now what? A second in command. Let me relate it to us here, that Pharaoh is like the president. Why Joseph is like what? The vice president. Praise the Lord! So without Joseph, you cannot see Pharaoh. That's how important Joseph was. He dressed Pharaoh in fine linen and jewelry. Praise the Lord! Joseph was advanced in one day from prison to the second in command in the land. He was a foreigner and he had not sought or worked for or even known of the promotion until it was done. There are many people that will have to sell their body just for promotion. But Joseph did not do that. Even while he was in prison, he did not search for position. He waited for the plans of God for the right time to be worked. He does not even know what God's purpose is. But he knows that God has a plan for him and he was able to do it. So what are we facing this very season? What challenges are we facing? What is our children passing through? What are we passing through in our marriage? That could be a test for us for a better level. Praise the Lord! I pray God will give us the grace to wait upon him in Jesus' name. Joseph began his work at 30 years old. Christ also began his ministry when 30 years old. Can we see the similarities? We have been talking about the similarities of Joseph and Jesus. So here we are being told that Joseph began his work at 30. So also Christ did what? He also began his ministry at 30 years old. During the first 7 years, Joseph travelled about Egypt, gathering corn into the city. It grew so abundantly that it ceased to keep account of it. So thank God for Pharaoh. Thank God for God who opened Pharaoh's eyes. Because there are many people that no matter what others will do for them, they will never recognize that. But thank God for God's plan for Joseph. So Pharaoh was able to see God in Joseph and he handed over everything concerning food to him. And Joseph himself was able to make use of the Spirit and the leading of God to do what? To make everything okay for himself and also for the people. 7 years of drought began to come. Just as Joseph said, all lands felt the famine. Egypt alone had bread. Now, it's just like in this nation, it should just be that it's only Nigeria that has food. And every other country does come to Nigeria. That's how it looks like. Praise the Lord! So when the stores of the people gave out, they applied to Pharaoh who sent them to Joseph. Do we remember the person that put Joseph in prison? Now here, at this very moment, Joseph was even greater than that person. Which means Joseph can do and undo to that person and to everybody. And thank God for the Spirit of God in his life. Joseph sold to them and to people of other countries from the storehouses of grain he had gathered. Christ set up a storehouse to feed his people 7 years or 7 ages. It was not Joseph. Only God could have done this. So Joseph was just a tool. And thank God he yielded. Joseph was only the yielded tool. But without Joseph yielding, God's plan would have failed. Imagine the plans of God in your life. And because of just smarting, you failed God's plan. Praise the Lord! So this very topic is making us to think back. What is that thing you've done that you feel it would have affected the plans of God for your life? This is a rethink to retrace and to shaping us to God's plan. Had Joseph allowed bitterness into his life or had he become discouraged and given up or sought his own honor or in any way falling into sin, this blessing would never have come to him or his people. Now assuming Joseph after he was being brought out from the prison, it was not like, I think this woman that lied against me and she said I slept or I tried to sleep with her, this and that. No, assuming Joseph owed bitterness against them, the plans of God would not have come to pass in his life. Praise the Lord! So he owed no bitterness and despite the suffering, despite the challenges, despite the false accusations, he was able to do it. He was able to trust in God and hold on to God. He was never discouraged because he knew the God he was serving. Let us watch that we do not frustrate the grace of God. Praise the Lord! There are many ways we can frustrate the grace of God in our life. God has a beautiful plan for us. The Bible says the thoughts he has for us, the plans he has for us is of God. It's of good and not of evil. So if you know that God's plan for you is not of good, then you should do what? You should always be obedient and be heeded to his leading. His leading can come through the preaching in the church. It can come through maybe someone just came to evangelize to you. It can come through that. It can come in any way. So we should always be alert never to frustrate the grace of God. Praise the Lord! Before I hand over to the next person, I want to ask just a question. We have been learning about Joseph and especially in this very topic. I want to ask what have you learnt from Joseph's life? Sincerely, I have read and I have heard about Joseph's story, but I have not understood this story in this manner. Praise the Lord! Sometimes I just read it, let me read. But in fact, I have signed up for this Sunday discipleship class. It has really been wonderful. So my question still goes, what have you learnt from Joseph's story? What is the lesson you want to hold on to this morning? This morning we need to hold on to something. So what is that lesson you have learnt that is missing in your life and right now you want to repent, you want to make adjustments, you want to make amendments. Brother Matthew, what have you learnt from Joseph's life?