José // Joseph

What we're doing with this series is we're imagining this stadium filled with those great legends of faith and that race that God has called us to run. We can hear the roaring of the multitude that encourages us, but we can't hear just one voice. But what if we could hear it? What would we hear? This is why each week we are taking a legend of faith from the stadium. And we imagine what they would say to us, how they would say it, what they would teach us. And let's read the key verse for this series. And it says, therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. I ask you, have you ever tripped? For example, you may trip when your shoelaces are untied. Or you may trip when you don't see a step. Or you may trip when you're carrying a lot of things. For example, when we go to the grocery store, I remember that Nito and Gagi, when they were younger, for them it was torture to go back and forth from the car to the house and carrying all those bags. And what they did many times was to try to carry all the bags in just one trip. And do you know what would end up happening? Is they would trip and fall. And many of you still do this, right? But what happens is that when you're carrying so many things, it's difficult to move. You can't open the door because you're carrying so much. In other words, what you are carrying won't allow you to move on. And I love what the key verse for the series says. It says that we need to throw off everything that hinders. I ask myself today, what are the things in your life that you feel won't let you move on?

I believe that one of the things that stops many of us is pain. And we know that for every physical pain or problem, we know that there is a medical remedy. We can take medication for certain physical pains. You may take something when your head hurts. Or you may take something when your back hurts or your stomach hurts. But I ask myself, what can we take when our heart aches? There is no natural remedies for that heartache. This is why this message is for all of those that have been betrayed, that have felt rejection, and that somehow have been hurt. This message is for all of those that feel like they're about to give up in this race that God has called you to run because you feel so much pain because of that wound that is so deep. And this is taking your life in a way that you never imagined. You say, it's enough. Spiritually you say, I'm so tired, I'm so exhausted. I can't take it anymore, I'm about to give up. And then here you hear us talking, and saying that God has called us to run a race. And you may be thinking, if this is a race, then I'm slowing down way too much. Because I feel like I can't keep going. But today we're going to look at the life of someone, a great legend of faith. Someone whose story takes up half the book of Genesis. And it is a man named Joseph. Listen, Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob. And Jacob makes a beautiful robe of colors, and he gives it to Joseph. And God gives Joseph a dream. But his life was so much more different than what he had imagined.

Let's look at the story. Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons. Because he had been born to him in his old age. And he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. One day Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. Joseph shares the dream with his brothers, which in fact was very unwise on his part. Because he saw that everyone was bowing down before him. And his brothers hated him so much that they conspired against Joseph. And one day when his father sent him to go to his brothers, look at what his brothers, his own family, planned to do to him. Here comes that dreamer, they said to each other. Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. That was a very deep pit. And say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams. I believe Joseph today, from amongst the multitude, he would tell us the following. Don't give up, even if you didn't start off well. There was an article titled, The Secrets of Resistance. And in 1962, a psychologist, together with his wife, published a book about the childhood of more than 400 famous men and women. Published a book of the childhood of famous men and women who had a positive contribution to society. Look at what they discovered. They discovered that 75% of them,

so that's to say 300 of these famous people, had grown up in families overwhelmed by severe problems. Families with abuse. Families with absent parents. Families with extreme poverty and alcoholism. alcoholism, or some other misfortune, and this couple mentioned and said the following, that the normal man or woman are not candidates for the Hall of Fame. What I'm trying to say with all of this is the following, that maybe what you thought disqualified you is what God can use to make you grow, and take you to the place where God is calling you, because you will never know how strong you are until you go through certain challenges, and many of us have stories that didn't start off very well, and what happens is that we are not focused on God's potential for us, but many of us are focused on the past that we've gone through, and that past is defining your potential. Your potential is not being defined by what you have ahead, but instead by what you are seeing in your rearview mirror, and we forget that God comes, He forgives us, we forget that God comes, He cleanses us, He makes us new, but we also forget that we have a spiritual enemy, that the scripture calls the accuser of the brothers, so that enemy comes with that subtle voice into our minds, and he says to us, you know who you are, you know what you've done, and he tries to stop us by reminding us of our yesterday, a man went into a pet store, and there they had a parrot that spoke perfectly, when he saw the man, the parrot spoke to him, and he said, hey you, come here, and the man turned around and said, are you talking to me, the parrot said, yes you, come here, that's how the parrot would speak, so then the man came near and he says, what do you want, and the parrot said, you are the ugliest thing that I've seen in my life, he was a bad parrot, and the man obviously he got offended, and he goes and he tells the owner, your parrot just insulted me, so the owner said to the parrot, I don't want you to say these things to my customers, and the man left and a month later he came back, and once again the parrot speaks to him, and he says, hey you, come here, and the man upset, he comes to him, he says, what do you want, and the parrot said, you know what, and that is exactly what the enemy does with us, that is the role that the enemy plays in our lives, he looks at you and he says, you know what, you know what you did in your past, you know what you walked through, God cannot use you,

so the enemy tries to remind us that we didn't start off very well, but regardless of your yesterday, God still continues with that plan that he has for you, I love what Paul said, he is one of my favorites, but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. head. In other words, Paul is telling you today, don't give up. No matter if you didn't start off well. Listen, Joseph was so hated by his brothers that they threw him into a dark, deep pit. And then they sold him as a slave. I can imagine Joseph with his hands bound, being dragged by those merchants. Joseph, his sandals sinking in the sand. He feels the heat of the sun as they're taking him to Egypt. And there, where they're dragging him, he looks back and he looks at your face. And this is what Joseph would say to you. Don't give up, even if rejection comes your way. Has anyone here ever been rejected? I've been through it many times and it feels horrible. Rejection cuts deep. It leaves you breathless. It's a pain that lasts. It even makes you doubt your own value. And the enemy will always try to use rejection to make you feel that you are the most flawed person. And that no one will ever love you. So once we feel that ugly sensation of rejection, we work twice as hard because we don't ever want to feel that rejection in our lives. But what this does is that we isolate ourselves and we push people out of our lives. And we build walls around us, thinking that they are to protect us. Because the people that told you, I will never hurt you, they are the ones that hurt you. They betrayed you and they hurt you. And even God himself, we push him out of our lives. And we allow for that seed of rejection to become bitterness. We allow it to become isolation. And we allow it to grow as fear. And many times without even realizing it, your life begins to be controlled by the rejection that one day you felt. But listen to me today. What happened to you does not have to define you. Do you know that the greatest need of the human being is to be loved? This is why our greatest fear is to be rejected. Look at what the apostle said in Romans. The spirit you receive does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again. Rather, the spirit you receive brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, father. That is the word that a child would learn to speak. And it was like saying, daddy, my dad. There was a story of a little boy who was adopted. And this little boy was being bullied by a group of other kids. And when they would see him, they would shout at him and tell him, oh, you're adopted, you're adopted. And the little boy felt rejection for months. But one day he stood firm. And he said, tomorrow these bullies will

see what I'm going to say to them. He was anxious for the next day to come so that he could go to school. And just as he said, as soon as class was over, he runs into the group of bullies that were always bullying him. And quickly they shouted at him, oh you're adopted, you're adopted. And the little boy very calmly, he says, listen to me, I want to tell you something. My parents flew to the other side of the world and they spent thousands of dollars. And out of all the kids in the orphanage, they chose me. However, your parents didn't choose you. They took you home because they had no other option and the little boy left. But he put them in their place. I believe that is the confidence we should have when we are rejected. And we should say, my Jesus chose me. We are adopted. We are sons and daughters of a loving father. I am adopted, I am chosen, I am wanted, I am redeemed, I am loved. I am a child of God. And what I love about the story of Joseph is that in every bad thing that would happen to him, when you read Genesis, it always ends by saying, but the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord was with Joseph. I don't know who has rejected you. I don't know who abandoned you. I don't know who hurt your heart. I don't know if it was your own family. But we can hear Joseph saying amongst the multitude. We can hear his voice clearly that says the following. When rejection hits you, make sure it doesn't get in you. You don't need to allow for rejection to define who you are. Because we have Jesus and he knows exactly what it feels like to be rejected. He knows what it feels like to be betrayed. Jesus, the first rejection he suffered was by his adoptive father. He was a child that was not wanted. His brothers and sisters rejected him. Judas betrayed him. And his people crucified him. Look at what the scripture says. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from. He was despised and we didn't value him. Yet he himself bore our sicknesses and he carried our pains. But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was on him and by his wounds we are healed. You know he was rejected so that you and I could be accepted. This is why rejection doesn't have to be a life sentence for you. Because through Jesus we have power to overcome. And God has a way to choose all of those that society rejects. But the Lord was with Joseph. And listen, he ends up in Egypt, and there a rich, powerful man named Potiphar buys him. And God gives grace to Joseph before this man. And Joseph, as a slave, he raises in rank.

He's raised in ranks, and he becomes second in charge of Potiphar's household. But Potiphar's wife places her sight on Joseph. And she tries to seduce him to take him to bed with her. But Joseph was a man of honor and character. And he said no to her. And the woman, once she grabbed him by his robe. And Joseph runs, he flees, and the woman is left there with his clothes in her hands. And this woman, very angry, he lies to her husband, Potiphar, about this. It's obvious that Potiphar became angry, and he threw Joseph into prison. Another rejection, another horrible thing that is happening to him. And there in that dark, cold prison, maybe with a bad smell and rats, there the Lord continued to be with Joseph. I believe that Joseph from prison, he looks at you, and he would say the following. Listen very well, Vision Church. Don't give up, even if you end up in the wrong place, by doing the right thing. Isn't it true that life sometimes is so unfair? And you look around, and you think to yourself, life is just crazy. You decided to do the right thing, but someone still hurt you. You decided to be honest, but even then, they lied to you. You decided to be upright at your job, and even then, they fired you. But you know what happened? That in prison, Joseph meets two very important people. He meets the baker and the cupbearer of the king. And they both have a dream. And God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams. And he says to the baker, in three days, you will die. And to the cupbearer, he says, in three days, you will be restored to your position. But when you get to the palace, please remember me. Don't forget about me. But the cupbearer forgot about Joseph.

And two more years go by, and Joseph continues to be in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph, until Pharaoh has a dream that no one could interpret. That is when the cupbearer finally remembers. And he says, in prison, there is a man named Joseph. He can interpret that dream. They take Joseph out of prison. They bring him before Pharaoh, and he interprets his dream. And Joseph says to him, there is a great famine coming upon the land. We need to be prepared for it. Listen, Pharaoh was so pleased with him that he placed Joseph as second in command in all of Egypt. Because the Lord was with Joseph. So much rejection, so much pain that he went through. I don't know who left you or who rejected you. I don't know who betrayed you, who hurt your heart. I believe Joseph would tell us this, and I believe this is the most important. Joseph would tell you this morning, face to face. They don't need to say sorry in order for you to move on. And you say, well, if the person that offended me, if they tell me they're sorry, then that will help me. You know what I've learned? That sometimes you want for those people that offended you to tell you they're sorry and you think that that's going to help you. And we wait and we wait to see if one day maybe those people will understand. But what happens if those people never understand? What happens if those people that hurt you never mature enough to finally tell you, I'm sorry, I apologize? What happens if that person never sends you that text message where they finally accept that they did something horrible to you? Listen, I am here to tell you, you can be healed without anyone's apology.

And I believe that many times we hold our healing hostage because we're waiting for that person to finally tell us, okay, I'm sorry, forgive me. But they don't need to say they're sorry in order for you to move on. Because Jesus said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing. They don't need to ask for forgiveness so that I can forgive them. We can hear the voice of Joseph telling us amongst the multitude, number one, forgiveness is not a gift you give to those who hurt you. It's a gift you give yourself in order to be free. It's a firm decision to not allow what happened to me to destroy my future. This is why forgiveness is not a feeling. No one feels like forgiving. Forgiveness is a decision that you and I need to make. Me personally, I will not allow for what happened to me to control me emotionally. Because sometimes mistakenly we think, well, if I don't forgive, then I still have control. But do you know what Joseph would tell us today? Number two, unforgiveness doesn't prove you are in control. It only proves that pain is still controlling you. Please listen to me this morning. Forgive those that have rejected you. Those that have betrayed you, those that have hurt you, forgive them. I love what Nelson Mandela said as he was coming out of prison. As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison. This is why there are so many people that are physically free, but emotionally they are still in prison. I believe that many of us need to learn to walk in forgiveness and make forgiveness a lifestyle. Because if we don't do it, that will destroy our spiritual race with Jesus. Because that is a great weight that will slow you down in your race. And your response to offense will determine your future.

And you know what? Thirteen years have gone by. Famine hits the land. And all of a sudden, Joseph's brothers appear in Egypt. There go these men. Because they know that there is grain in Egypt. I would think, Joseph, this is your opportunity with all that power that you have. Give them a good one, Joseph. He recognized them, but they could not recognize Joseph. Because in thirteen years, a person changes a lot. But I love what Joseph said to them. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. Joseph is saying, it's okay, I forgive you. Because I'm not going to allow what was done to me to ruin what God is doing. And this is what I tell you, God is with you. God still has that plan for you if you've been hurt, rejected, or betrayed. Because your God is greater than the pit that you've been thrown in. Your God is greater than the prison that you've been put in. No matter who has hurt you so much, the plan of God for your life has not changed. It is the same. And look at what Joseph continues to say to them. To accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. Look at Joseph's heart. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Instead of Joseph using his power to take revenge and kill them, he lets his brothers know who he is. He throws himself upon them. And he cries on the shoulders of his brothers. And he says to them, I forgive you. I forgive all of you.

And what the beauty of this story is, is that Joseph would have never gotten to the palace if his brothers didn't reject him. So I can imagine Joseph telling us this last thing before his voice disappears amongst the great legends of faith in the stadium. And he would say to you, when you have been hurt, when you have been rejected, he would tell you this. Your rejection may have just served as a redirection. I know it's hard. God didn't cause it, but God can use it. I know it's hard. God didn't cause it, but God can use it. He can change the direction of your life through this. And I love what Paul says in Romans. And we know that in all things, God works for the good. All things, the good, the bad. The prison, the palace, the rejection, the betrayal, the pain. He works all things for the good. Of those who love him and who have been caught according to his purpose. Listen to me today. God is working in your life. And many times what we think when it's going wrong in our lives and when people come against us unjustly. We think and we say, maybe I'm going down the wrong path, but instead it's God who finally wants to take you to the right place. Because it is Jesus who is making way for you. Jesus is the better and true Joseph. While Joseph was sold by his brothers for 20 silver coins. Jesus was sold and betrayed by Judas for 30 silver coins. And that was the price of a slave. While Joseph sat at the right hand of Pharaoh and forgave those that hurt him so much. The scripture says that the Lord Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father. And instead of condemning us, because that is what we deserve. He forgave us, he gave us his grace, he gave us his mercy. While Joseph provided for his family in all of hungry Egypt.

Jesus is the bread of life, the bread that feeds a hungry world. I know that many times it's hard because you grow tired, you feel exhausted. But the message is don't give up even if you didn't start off well. Even when they reject you, when they betray you, when they hurt you, when they turn their backs on you. They don't need to tell you they're sorry in order for you to move on. They don't need to tell you they're sorry for your heart to be healed. Because you can forgive those people. Because forgiveness is not a gift that you give to those that hurt you. It is a gift for yourself so that you can be free. God can heal your life today so that you can walk in that freedom. Thank you so much for watching the message. Subscribe to this channel so you won't miss a video and share it with a friend. Also, we want to encourage you to partner with us through your giving. We can take this message further and faster and make a difference in the lives of so many people. You can give using the link below or by visiting our website at myvisionchurch.org. We love you so much and we're looking forward to seeing you back here next time. We love you so much and we're looking forward to seeing you back here next time.