03/29/15 When the Going Gets Tough Text: Genesis 39:2

Transcription

1 03/29/15 When the Going Gets Tough Text: Genesis 39:2 Opening: Without warning, Soviet Union planes came roaring over the city of Helsinki, Finland on November 30, Finland was about to receive a violent shove into World War II. The Soviets dropped more than 350 bombs during the raid. Three hours before the air strike, more than 450,000 Soviet soldiers began marching across the Finnish border. The Soviet soldiers outnumbered the Finnish army almost 3-to-1. That wasn t the worst of it. The Soviets also commanded more than 6,000 armored tanks and almost 4,000 aircraft. Finland, meanwhile, had just 32 tanks and 114 aircraft. It was the beginning of what became known as the Winter War. For the Finns, there was no question whether some of them would die. The question was whether any of them would survive. The winter was brutal that year. In January, temperatures dropped to 40 degrees below zero. Furthermore, at that time of the year and with Finland being located so far north, the soldiers were surrounded by darkness for almost 18 hours per day. Vastly outnumbered, fighting in a brutally cold darkness, and facing near certain death, the Finnish soldiers relied on a concept that has been part of Finnish culture for hundreds of years: Sisu. Sisu is a word that has no direct translation, but it refers to the idea of continuing to act even in the face of repeated failures and extreme odds. It is a way of living life by displaying perseverance even when you have reached the end of your mental and physical capacities. During the Winter War, the extreme mental toughness of Sisu was all the Finnish soldiers could rely on. Probably the closest translation in the English language would be the phrase, When the going gets tough; the tough get going! The Finns would suffer more than 70,000 casualties during the Winter War. But that number would pale in comparison to the 323,000 Soviet casualties during that same time. By the end of winter, the Soviets had seen enough. The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed in March In total, the Soviets had attacked with over 900,000 soldiers during the Winter War. By the end, 300,000 Finns had managed to fight them to a standstill. The Finns had a choice, Are we going to roll over and allow the Soviets to defeat us or are we going to fight? As we saw last week, the circumstances in which Joseph here finds himself in do not seem to bear out the truth that the Lord was with him. However, Joseph chose to believe that truth rather than live according to his circumstances. Instead, Joseph s motto could well have

2 become, When the going gets tough; the tough get going! Joseph understood, I believe, that he was not in a physical battle. He was in a spiritual battle. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12 1. The statement. a. In vs. 2, the second statement that is made about Joseph is this, He was a prosperous man b. Really? It kind of depends upon how you look at it. i. Some, given the circumstances that Joseph was in, would probably not readily support the idea he was prosperous. ii. Others, by looking at his circumstances, could easily say, It could be worse. 1. Joseph was made overseer in Potiphar s house. 2. Joseph was put in control of all that Potiphar had. 3. Good things were happening to Joseph within Potiphar s house. c. However, that is an external view of prosperity. Unfortunately that is how we Christians included generally measure prosperity. We tend to think that those who have the nicest house, the best car, the most money, the fewest problems, etc. are the ones who are the most prosperous. But that is not always the case. d. I could give you example after example of Christian men and women who, by the world s standards were not prosperous but by God s standards were extremely prosperous. e. Application: Could it be said of you this morning that you are a prosperous individual? Before you answer that consider the definition of the word, prosperous. f. Definition: The word prosperous literally means to push forward. i. In other words, Joseph didn t allow adversity to stop him. He didn t allow difficulties to hold him back. He didn t stand like a deer in headlights as he faced the spiritual battles God allowed him to experience. ii. We could say, about Joseph, When the going gets tough; the tough get going! Joseph was prosperous! iii. Joseph understood that God wasn t finished with him yet. iv. The first time, in God s Word, we find this word used is in Genesis chapter 24 when Abraham gives his chief steward a task: Find a wife for my son, Isaac. And he [Abraham] said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house: Genesis 24:40

3 v. The Apostle Paul said it this way: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2 Timothy 4:7 vi. The Apostle Paul, throughout his ministry, suffered much for the cause of Christ yet he kept going he kept pushing forward. He, like Joseph, was a prosperous individual. vii. Application: In your Christian walk, are you ready to give up? Has it become difficult? Have things gone from bad to worse? Keep pressing on! And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 2. The How To a. Biblical prosperity is dependent upon having the presence of the Lord. i. Let s remind ourselves that the first thing that is said about Joseph in vs. 2 is that the Lord was with him. ii. Turn to and read Numbers 14: After the evil report of the Promised Land by the 10 spies, the Israelites decided that they could not take possession of the Promised Land. 2. After the Lord s judgement, the people had a change of heart and decided that they would go and take possession. 3. However Moses told them, Don t go the Lord is not among you (He s not with you.) you will not prosper! (vs ) iii. While I cannot preach last week s message all over again, let me just remind you of James 4:8: Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:8 iv. Are you and I living daily in the confidence that the Lord is with us? b. Biblical prosperity is dependent upon the Lord and our confidence/trust in Him. i. Vs. 3 tells us, the Lord made all that he did to prosper ii. Vs. 23 tells us, that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper iii. Joseph had to trust God, even when the circumstances didn t seem to be going in his favor. Joseph knew that it wasn t in him. It was all about God!

4 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 iv. We cannot put our confidence in man. We cannot put our confidence in our ability. We cannot put our confidence in our riches or our wealth. v. Joseph, in a sense, had none of those things. He had been brought to a point where all he had was the Lord. When no one cared about me if I should live or die, And no one bothered asking why I'd go alone and cry. When burdens got so heavy that I could not face the day, Then I'd feel Christ s arms around me and I'd hear Him gently say, "Lean on Me when you have no strength to stand. When you feel you're goin' under, hold tighter to my hand. Lean on me when your heart begins to bleed When you come to the place that I'm all you have, Then you'll find I'm all you need. vi. Is Christ all you have? I can tell you that He s all you need! c. Biblical prosperity is dependent upon what we do with God s Word. i. Do you find it interesting how often God s Word figures prominently into our lives? ii. You cannot experience the Lord with you without God s Word. iii. You cannot put full confidence in the Lord until you have come to truly know Him through His Word. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8 iv. Joshua was given three tasks in relation to God s Word: 1. It should not depart out of his mouth. (Colossian 3:16) 2. He should meditate in it. 3. He should obey it. v. The result? God would prosper Joshua in the task He had called him to do to lead the nation of Israel in taking possession of the Promised Land. vi. We should endeavor to follow Joshua 1:8 in our lives as well. Are we? Closing: Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. 2 Kings 18:17-22

5 2 Kings 19:6 2 Kings 19:35-37 Where did it all start for King Hezekiah? God very definitely gave the victory; what was King Hezekiah s part? 2 Kings 18:1-7