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GENESIS 49:22-24

"THE SECRET OF STRENGTH"

Intro: Jacob is dying. He summons his 12 sons that he might prophesy concerning their
       future state. Turning first to Reuben.

I. "JOSEPH IS A FRUITFUL BOUGH." 
        A. God desires that our lives bring forth good fruit.
                1. "Herein is My Father glorified that ye..."
        B. The fruit is a test of a man's life and doctrine.
                1. Christ warned against false prophets, "by their fruits ye shall know
                   them."
        C. "A fruitful bough by a well."
                1. David in Psalm 1 "He shall be like a tree, planted by living waters,
                   bringing..."
        D. "Whose branches run over the wall."
                1. Others were blessed by his life and benefited.
                2. He did not hoard his blessings to himself.

II. "THE ARCHERS HAVE SORELY GRIEVED HIM AND SHOT AT HIM."
        A. The archers were mainly his own brothers.
                1. "A man's enemies shall be those of his own.."
        B. Took at the arrows they shot.
                1. Arrows of doubt and scorn.
                        a. When he tried to share the things of the Lord they mocked him.
                2. Arrows of hatred.
                        a. It would be tough to have 10 older brothers ganging up on you.
                3. Arrows of treachery.
                        a. Decided to kill him for the things of God he shared with them.
                        b. They finally sold him for a slave.
                        c. Heartless brothers, cruel, envious, hateful.
        C. Joseph had other arrows shot at him.
                1. Temptation.
                        a. He did the right thing, he ran "flee ungodly lusts."
                2. False accusations.
                3. Forgetfulness.

III. "HIS BOW ABODE IN STRENGTH."
        A. He had the capacity for revenge.
                1. God had given him a position of honor and power.
        B. He had the opportunity for revenge.
                1. God had brought his brothers down to Egypt.
                2. Still his bow abode in strength.
                3. Many times it takes greater strength to just hold your bow than to let
                   the arrows fly.
                        a. I want to react-respond, revenge.
        C. What was the secret of his strength? "The arms of his hands were made strong by
           the hands of the mighty God of Jacob."
                1. The picture is a young man learning to draw a bow.
                2. Teaching my sons archery.
                3. How strong are they now?
                        a. As strong as their father.
        D. Through his life Joseph was conscious of his relationship to God.
                1. When tempted by Potiphar's wife.
                        a. "How can I do this great sin against God?"
                2. When asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream.
                        a. "It is not in me, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of  peace."
                3. When at death of Jacob, brothers fearing revenge.
                        a. "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good."
        E. Joseph had come to trust in God, he learned to draw his strength from God. When he
           felt himself begin to weaken, God took hold of the hands of his arms and held him
           steady.