The TEN Tests: From Promise to Purpose - The Perseverance Test

SERIES: THE 10 TESTS

THE PERSEVERANCE TEST – SERMON

GENESIS 39:13-23

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

_________________________________

#1. WE ALL GET THROWN INTO PRISON

Hebrews 12:2b-4  "Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin."

#2. LOOK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY

Genesis 39:20-23 ^20"So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. ²¹But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²²Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed."

James 1:2 "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy."

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is LIBERTY”

Psalm 16:11 "You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. And in HIM there is fullness of Joy."

Romans 5:3-5 ^3"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

#3. TRIALS HELP US DEVELOP ENDURANCE.

#4. ENDURANCE DEVELOPS STRENGTH of CHARACTER

Romans 5:4 ^4"And endurance develops strength of character,"

James 1:3-4 ^3"because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Genesis 40:12-15 ¹²“This is what the dream means,” Joseph said. “The three branches represent three days. ¹³Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer.  ¹⁴And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place. ¹⁵For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.”

#5. CHARACTER STRENGTHENS HOPE.

Romans 5:4b "and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

1 Peter 5:10 "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."

Genesis 41:15-16 "Then Pharoah said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.” ¹⁶ “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”

HEBREWS 12:15 "See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;"

James 1:19-20 "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Genesis 40:6-7 "And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. ⁷So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody of his lord’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”