From The Pit To Prosperity

From the pit TO PROSPERITY Donale Stewart

Chapter 1 FROM THE PIT TO PROSPERITY “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” As we continue to offer up our worship to God, let’s be mindful of what Jesus said in John 4:23-24, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Turn with me if you will to Genesis 37:23-28, 39:1-3, and 41:38-40 Genesis 37:23-28, “23And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 24And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

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And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes

and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26

And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and

conceal his blood?

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Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our

hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

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Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and

lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.” Genesis 39:1-3, “1And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the

LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. Genesis 41:38-40, “38And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

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And Pharaoh said unto

Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

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Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy

word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. I want to talk to you this morning on the subject, “FROM THE PIT TO PROSPERITY” Joseph was a young man, 17 years of age, highly favored by his father, among his brethren. He was envied by his brothers, which led them, one day to seek to destroy him. Joseph brothers hated him so much; they sought to get rid of him by putting him in a pit and to be eventually sold into slavery. But, God delivered Joseph from the pit and placed in the Palace. He went from the pit to prosperity. Now someone might say, “What does Joseph has to do with me today? I have to face a contrite boss tomorrow. What does this has to do with me today? I have to fight and resist the devil in an evil tempting society. What does this story of Joseph has to do with me? Well, I am glad that you asked. Just like Joseph was put in a pit, and went from that pit to prosperity. I am here to tell you that you too can go from your pit to prosperity. This word pit simply means, a hole, a cavity, or a miserable, and depressing situation. And I am here to tell you that some of us are dealing with some holes in our lives. Some of us are dealing with some cavities, some depressing, and miserable moments in our lives. And I am telling you, that through God, you can be moved from your pit to prosperity. Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not

slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, …..” God wants people to prosper. He do not want people to perish. He want them to prosper spiritually. He wants people to prosper financially, and physically. Acts 20:32, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” Isaiah 40:29, “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” Psalms 115:12-14, “The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.” The term prosperity is defined as happiness, good fortune, or a state of wellbeing, financial security, or comfort ability

1.

TO COME FROM THE PIT TO PROSPERITY, ONE MUST BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

Joseph had a relationship with God. How do I know that? Because our text reminds us that God was with him. In Genesis 39:2, the bible says, “the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man…..,” and in verse 3, it says his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.” Even in chapter 41, verse 28, “Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?” If we are going to prosper, come from our pits to prosperity, we have to come into a relationship with the one that can deliver us. This word relationship simply

means to be connected. Paul says in Ephesians 2:12-19, “12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the

blood of Christ.

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For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken

down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

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And

came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 19

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For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with

the saints, and of the household of God;” 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” How do I come into a relationship with God? You must be born again. John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Again, in John 3:5, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

2.

NOT ONLY, SHOULD ONE BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, ONE MUST TRUST GOD.

This word trust is a sense of confidence. It is the ability have faith in something. Joseph trusted God.

Proverbs 3:1-10, “1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

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So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out

with new wine.” 3.

Finally, to come from the pit to prosperity, one must move when God moves.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” When God moves, you have to move. Deuteronomy 30:15-16, “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.”

As I CONCLUDE, to move from the pit to prosperity, one must be in a relationship with God, you must trust him, and move when he moves.

I guarantee you that when you get into a relationship with God, trust him, and move when he moves; you will be like Joseph, delivered from your pit to prosperity. Now you can say to yourself, I am coming from my pit to prosperity. I am coming from my pit of destruction. I am coming from my pit of heartaches. I am coming from my pit of drug abuse. I am coming from my pit of alcoholism. I am coming from my pit of despair. I am coming from my pit defeat, and doubt. I am coming from my pit to prosperity.

Plan of Salvation. Hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized www.donalestewart.org 2008