3 – How To Stage A Comeback When It Seems Everyone Is Against You

AS YOU STUDY THE BIBLE ASK, “__________________________________?”

SETBACK #1:  BAD ________________ & ______________ ______________.

Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. 4 But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him. 5 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. Genesis 37:3-5 (NLT)

SETBACK #2: ________________ & ____________ BY HIS OWN FAMILY. 

When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!” 21 But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. 22 “Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father. 23 So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24 Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. Genesis 37:21-24 (NLT)

SETBACK #3: _____________, _______________, & _____________ STOLEN.

“Look there,” Judah said to the others. “Here come some Ishmaelites. Let’s sell Joseph to them! Why kill him and have a guilty conscience? Let’s not be responsible for his death, for, after all, he is our brother!” And his brothers agreed. 28 So when the traders came by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the well and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver, and they took him along to Egypt. Genesis 37:26-28 (TLB)

Then the brothers killed a young goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in its blood. 32 They sent the beautiful robe to their father with this message: “Look at what we found. Doesn’t this robe belong to your son?”  Genesis 37:31-32 (NLT)

Meanwhile, in Egypt, the traders sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh—the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard, the chief executioner. Genesis 37:36 (TLB)

SETBACK #4: ______________ ______________ & ________________.

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. 8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household…10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. Genesis 39:6c-8, 10-12 (NLT)

SETBACK #5: ________________ BY THOSE HE’D BEEN ______________TO.

But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison… 23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. Genesis 40:14, 23 (VOICE)

HOW CAN I MAKE AN AMAZING COMEBACK LIKE JOSEPH DID?

• By _________________ to be _____________ to God in every situation.

But he refused…9 “No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Genesis 39:8a, 9 (NIV)

• By ____________________ God’s __________ in every challenge.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can explain it for me. I heard that you can explain dreams when someone tells you about them.” 16 Joseph answered, “I cannot! But God can explain the dream for you, Pharaoh.” Genesis 41:15-16 (ERV)

So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. 43 Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.” Genesis 41:38-44 (NLT)

• By _________________ on God’s _______________ in every circumstance.

• God was with Joe in ______ ______.

Jacob’s sons became jealous of their brother Joseph and sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10 and brought him safely through all his troubles. Acts 7:9-10a (GNT)

• God was with Joe in ____________________ __________.

Now the Ishmaelites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar… 2 The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful. Genesis 39:1-2a (GNT)

Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. Genesis 39:3-5 (NLT)

• God was with Joe in ______ ____________.

So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison…21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love…22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed. Genesis 39:20-23 (NLT)

• By __________________________ __________ ____________ in faith.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Genesis 50:20 (NLT)