PIT TEST.. part 2 of From Dream to Destiny series

Every person has a dream.. and has a destiny FROM GOD.. Most people though lived with the dream instead of the DESTINY, and there is one MAJOR REASON that stops people from fulfilling that DESTINY.. that is CHARACTER.

Because their CHARACTER is not able to handle their DESTINY.. and GOD does not allow them to reach that destiny because they are not ready to carry the responsibility of that Destiny.

We looked at the life of JOSEPH. It was when he was 17 when GOD has showed him a DREAM that leads to his destiny. However Joseph bragged about his dream, he has (failed) to take another test of the PRIDE TEST..

Now we are going to look into the PIT TEST

GENESIS 37:13-36

Robert Morris talked about getting out of the PIT and there are 3 things we need to notice about the PIT test:

1. POSITION OF THE PIT.. what brought you to that position? It is a wise thing while we are in the PIT to SEE how did you get to that PIT (condition).. to see if we did something to attribute to our circusmtances.. its reflecting on its about SOUL SEARCHING.. its not about "seach me O LORD and know my thought".. the problem when we are in a sad condition, WE BLAME OTHERS.. we live in a blame society.. (joseph could have blame his brothers why he was in that condition)

it is not the ACTION that put us into the PIT, its the reaction to the ACTion..

for instance, a FINANCIAL PIT. People tends to go deeper and deeper to a financial pit, and they blame other circumstances like the recessions, economic downfall, not tithing, undergiving..

Joseph SOULSEARCHING: Joseph if he was into soulsearching at that time while on the pit, could have tried flocking with his brothers but in the first place, he was not FLOCKING with his brother. Joseph seems to have separated himself from his brother as well.> Joseph should have reflected on WHY HIS BROTHERS HATED HIM? Jacob has felt this and considering Joseph's age as 17 and his brothers are around 40s, Jacob tried to encourage a good relationship amongst the brother in a mature way. However the brothers has already plotted to kill him once they saw Joseph walking towards them. that really means to say how the BROTHERs has developed RESENTMENT and HATE towards their brother JOSEPH. HIS FATHER HAS GIVEN JOSEPH A GIFT.. But he was so PROUD to have that gift. because of his pride, inferiority and arrogance, He has lost his gifts.

but you say, GOD (father) will never take away that gift. Romans 11:29 wr not talking about you but its for the Israelites. If this is an analogy, Robert agrees because the gift wasnt taken back.. JOSEPH LOST IT..

We've seen a lot of HIGH PROFILE MINISTERS, but lost their ministry because of lack of integrity.. lack of character..

but you may also say, What about me? if I lose the gift.. will I be able to deserve another chance to have it.. as we look at JOSEPH's life, JOSEPH has lost his ORNAMENTED COAT but remember the story continues that JOSEPH has also became the 2nd in command in Egypt. He would have another thousands of more lavished COATS.. So Joseph was able to RESTORED his relationship with his FATHER too.

2. the PERPECTIVE OF THE PIT.. Now, after looking into what brought you in that PIT, it is now time to look at GOD's perpective on it.. be very careful not to get into SATAN's perpective on your pit.

GOD never condemns you. If you ever feel condemnation thought in your heart, that is not from the LORD. God loves you and would never make you feel lonely, and sad. Condemnation is always from the ENEMY.

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

We were already CONDEMNED.. We were born condemned. ROMANS 5.. JESUS came to save us not to condemn us.

the ENEMY IS A LIAR.. if his talking he is lying.. One of the famous lie in this story is Genesis 37:31-33
So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 32 Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?” And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.”

Satan could manipulate the truth and fabricated evidence which the brother has done. Jacob which has seen the evidence thought that Joseph has died too. Even though the brothers has seen their father mourning, they never dared to tell the truth.

DO NOT GET SATAN'S PERSPECTIVE... Look at the pit to what brought you their and see what God's perspective on this.

3. THE PURPOSE of every PIT is to get us to CRY OUT TO GOD. What is there to do in a PIT? there is nobody else to talk to.

some people tend to weight if their PIT is smaller (not big of a PIT) and they think they could handle it, they would say "no Lord, never mind, go back to waht you are doing and Ill handle this." and if the PIT is a bit BIGGER PIT, and you would call onto GOD and say "now Lord, I need you now coz I couldnt do it on my own" -- WE COULDNT DO IT ON OUR OWN. EVERY BREATH COMES FROM GOD.

JONAH also did the same thing when he prayed to the Lord while on belly of the Fish. JONAH 2:2 “ I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction.. v6, You have brought up my life from the pit."

wonder what was in Joseph's mind while he was on the PIT, how he was thinking how good he was and his brothers were BAD and might even say "LORD, im alright and you could get back to my brothers and you showed me that my brothers were going to BOW DOWN ON ME.. " Never admitted that he brought it to himself. We believe that something has happened with Joseph in that PIT that has changed his life. and from that time, thats when JUDAH got that idea to sell him instead of leaving him in the PIT or killing him.

(anything you read in the BIBLE, its true and it literally happened. Robert called it a TYPE AND A SHADOW? its for our instruction as per 1 corinth 10

GENESIS 37:22 (Reuben is the first born and yet he should have been the favorite of Israel. But he protected Joseph even if he hated him. Reuben wanted to deliver joseph out of this PIT and bring him back to his father)

22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might (1) deliver him out of their hands, and (2) bring him back to his father. "

so that's the purpose of every PIT is (1) to deliver us out of the PIT, (2) bring us back to our FATHER GOD.. it is to set us free from those things that holding us in bondage.. and bring us in a closer relationship with the FATHER..

REUBEN is a type of CHRIST...

JOSEPH is also a type of CHRIST; here they are.
1. Joseph was stripped of his robe.. Jesus was stripped off his robe..
2. Joseph was sold to Ishmaelites at twenty shekels of silver and took to Egypt to be sold with PROFIT. The Bible didnt say how much Joseph was sold to the Egyptians but the history tells us that slaves in Egypt were being sold at 30 shekels at that time. In the NT, it was writted in the Bible that Jesus was sold at thirty shekels of silver.
3. the Ishamelites were traders of spices, balm and myrrh and carying those while they bought JOSEPH. in the NT, before the people check JESUS to embalm him, the embalmer was carrying SPICES, BALM AND MYRRH too.
4. Joseph was betrayed by JUDAH (the one who suggested to sell JOSEPH for a silver). In the NT, JESUS was betrayed by JUDAS.. JUDAH in the hebrew its the same rootword.
5. Joseph was thrown into a PIT. and JESUS was thrown into a PIT too. (Ephesians tells us that Jesus went down to a Pit for everyone - us).

here is the DIFFERENCE: JESUS did not do anything deserving to be thrown into the PIT.. but there is someone who deserves to be thrown into the pit: YOU AND I.

so JESUS went to the PIT, SO WE WOULDNT HAVE TO.. and if you are in a PIT, I can guarantee you that the FATHER GOD would not leave you to stay in that PIT because we are GOD's children.. Just like JESUS, GOD didnt let him stay in the PIT.

PSALM 16: 10 FOR YOU WILL NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN SHEOL (pit). (referring Messianic scripture)

IF YOU ARE IN A PIT RIGHT NOW, if you cry out to GOD, he will deliver you and restore your relationship with the FATHER.

to GOD be all the GLORY..

the PRIDE TEST.. part 1 of From Dream to Destiny series

excerpts fr. Ptr Robert Morris (Gateway Church in their DESTINY TO DREAM series)

Every person has a dream from GOD... That is from GOD.. every person has a DESTINY from GOD.. the sad fact is thought that many people lived with the DREAM instead of IN THE DESTINY.. we're going to look at the life of JOSEPH, GOD has given him a dream when he was 17 and he stepped in beginning to fulfil that destiny when he was 30..but in order to fulfill this destiny he needed to pass (10)TEN CHARACTER Test... It may not be exciting for us but this 10 character test are to be acknowledged to understand and fulfill God's destiny in our lives.

Read Genesis 37: 1 to 11. This is when 17 yr-old JOSEPH started to received God's leading for what God has destined for him to do. Joseph as a favorite of Jacob and son to Leah was also a tattle tell- tells the wrong doings and "sip-sip" to Jacob so his 11 brothers hated him and envited him even when Joseph revealed this dream to Jacob and his brothers...

Notes: remember that in between chapter 37 to 41 (Joseph here is 30) is what happens to Joseph when he pass through all the TEST before he fulfilled God's destiny for him.

However, Robert Morris needs to emphasized on the following:
1. GOD HAS A DREAM FOR YOU. Joseph gets God's dream but Joseph bragging about it is not from God. God's dream n destiny is bigger than what you think your destiny is.. HOW CAN YOU KNOW GOD'S DREAM In YOUR LIFE..

(Numbers 12:6) IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW GOD'S DREAM FOR YOU; THEN GET TO KNOW THE ONE WHO CAN REVEAL IT AND FULFILL IT.. AND GOD WILL SPEAK TO US PLAINLY AND FACE TO FACE. AND JESUS SAID IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, YOU ARE NOT LONGER SERVANTS BUT FRIENDS. because a servant doesnt know what his master does, but a friend does. We've got to know GOD.

but WE COULD ALSO HAVE OUR OWN DREAM.. which may lead to a selfish dream. SELFISH DREAMS can cloud us from hearing GOD's dream, and there are some dreams which you need to just lay them down to GOD.

2. DO NOT BRAG ABOUT THIS DREAM. If you brag about it, then you'll never get to the destiny what God's dream.. You do not need to tell but just be FAITHFUL TO HIS HOUSE..

THIS IS THE PRIDE TEST.

we never fail the test because we could just take another test and another test.. GOD is so good in giving us a lot of CHANCES to re-take and just keep getting it until we PASS THE TEST.. GOD is gracious. So GOD never put F in your test paper, he only puts RETAKE..

for some to stop bragging.. you're going to have to stop TALKING.. :-) because when you talk it is as if mouth is moving, he is lying.. or when mouth moving, it sounded bragging..

some are really good in talking.. WOW moments in talking.. but as God to talk in your life, listen to it and do not brag about it..

If you are not fulfilling your destiny, you might need to pass the PRIDE TEST..

why do we brag? the bible says OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART, THE MOUTH SPEAKS Matthew 12: 34 ..

Here is what people say, you dont know what's in my heart? we do, but reason why you are bragging is because its in the heart.. PRIDE always has to ahve a VOICE.. always wants to be HEARD and gives opinion.. and always INTERRUPTS OPINION.. because your opinion is more than important than your opinion..

GOOD POINT FROM ROBERT MORRIS: JOSEPH HAS ALREADY GIVEN A BAD REPORT TO HIS FATHER, JACOB.. He is already a tattle tell. Joseph has so much PRIDE and have a problem with his mouth. BUT GOD has given him a dream that showed his brothers bowing down on HIM.. That dream was not God's destiny on him.. JOSEPH'S PURPOSE WAS TO SAVE A MULTITUDE.. his purpose to became the SECOND IN COMMAND IN THAT TIME and store up grain that during the seven years of famine that millions of lives could be saved.

WHY DIDNT GOD has given Joseph a dream that showed him saving the multitude? BECAUSE... that doesnt motivate us when we were young.. it doesnt motivate us to help a lot of people.. it just motivated us to HAVE POWER, WELL KNOWN and to have success..

YES, YOU HAVE A DREAM TO BECOME GREAT.. but you being GREAT IS NOT GOD'S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE.. YOU HELPING A LOT OF PEOPLE IS GOD'S PURPOSE IN OUR LIVES.. as we mature in the Lord, Yes, God has given me influenced one day but the influence is for GOD'S PURPOSES..

Is it possible that God has given you a dream and he is actually using that dream to work some things out of your life so you can fulfill HIS DESTINY he have for you?

the DREAM FROM GOD is not the same as the DESTINY.. the DREAM is simply what starts us on the path to maturity so we can handle the destiny.. if you cant even handle the dream, then you cant handle the destiny.. IF YOU CANT be HUMBLE W THE DREAM, THEN YOU will never ACHIEVE N FULFIL THE DESTINY.. BEC THE DESTINY WILL DESTROY YOU.. so he gives you the dream to reveal your PRIDE or to bring it out to the surface on the top like a pot of gold and scrape it oFF.. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A DREAM SO HE CAN BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU AND HE WILL MAKE YOU PURE ENOUGH SO YOU CAN HANDLE THE DESTINY HAS A DREAM ABOUT YOU..

3. DEAL WITH THE ROOT OF PRIDE.. Weve gotta pass the PRIDE TEST.

Many deal with the fruit and not the ROOT.. and what is the root of pride? it is INSECURITY. If you ever see a prideful person then he/she is a insecured person. So this is why we NEED THE HEALING OF THE SOUL.. BECAUSE AS LONG AS THERE IS AN INSECUIRTY IN OUR SOUL, there is a pride in our hearts..

with every new challenge, comes a new insecurities.. with every new level of responsibilities, comes a new insecurities..

You cant deal it with yourself.. you must deal with it IN JESUS NAME..

when satan talked to JESUS, he asked Jesus, "if you are the son of GOD...".. Jesus never said, " I AM THE SON OF GOD".. HE NEVER REPLIED TO satan because JESUS KNEW WHO HE WAS.. He doesnt need to brag about it because He knew who he was..


GOD HAS A DESTINY FOR ALL OF US.. GOD HAS A DREAM FOR EACH AND EVERYONE.. BUT YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT, unless you pass the PRIDE TEST..

What GOD is saying to you?..