GOOD PERSON (FAVORED)
Genesis 39:6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.
There are qualities and characteristics that we must have to maintain the graciously given gift of favor with God and man. God freely gives us His favor. Just like Jesus, we are favored with God and with man; but we must maintain that favor based on some things I see in the Word of God about men and women who were favored. No, it’s not a works program, but you will see clearly that we have a part to play in maintaining the favor of God on our lives.
First, we see that Joseph was a good man. The only way we can truly be good is to be born again and have a nature change; but we should also, by the help of the Holy Ghost, just be a good person. There are other things we find out about Joseph, through in his actions and character, that caused him to be able to maintain the favor of God on his life. In Genesis 39:8-9, we see that Joseph refused Potiphar’s wife after she made advances to him and tried to seduce him. He refused her! He called what she wanted to do great wickedness and said he wouldn’t sin against God. That’s the kind of control we must have over our flesh to maintain the favor of God. If an Old Testament man, who was not born again can do it, so can we.
Another thing the scripture says about Joseph is found in Genesis 40:8, where he dealt with the dreams of the King’s servants. Joseph said that interpretations belong to God. I find this very interesting because this dream thing is what got him sold into slavery. Joseph was willing and obedient to this gift that God had given him; He interpreted their dreams by the help of God. He was yielded, not angry, with God or people. He was willing to use the gift God gave him. Even if we don’t understand why something has happened to us, not blaming God is a key to remaining in favor with God and man. Then, we see in Genesis 41:16, after Joseph told Pharaoh the interpretation God had given him of His dream, that Pharaoh was praising Joseph for it, but Joseph immediately gave the glory and honor to God. He said, “It is not me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” So, if we want to remain in God’s favor, we must stay humble.
The last thing I discovered that the Word says about Joseph, which seemed to help him maintain the favor God supernaturally placed on his life, is that Joseph remained discreet and wise. In Genesis 41:39-40, the Pharaoh had searched for someone to do what Joseph had done, interpret his dream. Pharaoh said there was not one as discreet and wise that could do this. Only Joseph could pull this off. Pharaoh was not a godly man, but he recognized something on Joseph’s life, something that was not ordinary. The Pharaoh may not have known it, but it was of God. That favor that God put on Joseph, to save Israel alive (the mission), was evident, even to an ungodly man. I think if we want to sustain this favor, we must have these things working in our lives as well.