What the Enemy Meant for Evil: Joseph's Pit, Prison, and Palace

"What the enemy intends for destruction, God can transform into preparation."

There are seasons in life when it seems as though God has forgotten His children. Doors close without explanation. Relationships are broken. Injustice appears to prevail, and years pass without understanding why God would allow such painful experiences.

Yet throughout Scripture, God reveals a profound truth: He often prepares His servants in hidden places before He promotes them to public places. No biblical example illustrates this truth more clearly than the life of Joseph.

The Pit: Betrayal by Family

Joseph was Jacob's beloved son, and from an early age, God revealed through dreams that he would one day be elevated above his brothers (Genesis 37:5-11). Instead of rejoicing, his brothers became consumed with jealousy. They stripped him of his special coat, threw him into a pit, and sold him as a slave to traders traveling to Egypt (Genesis 37:23-28). To their father, they made it appear that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal (Genesis 37:31-35).

From a human perspective, Joseph's dreams seemed destroyed.

Potiphar's House: Faithfulness Despite Injustice

In Egypt, Joseph was purchased by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Although he had every reason to become bitter, Joseph remained faithful to God. The Lord blessed the work of his hands, and he eventually became overseer of Potiphar's household (Genesis 39:1-6).

Then another injustice occurred.

Potiphar's wife repeatedly tried to seduce Joseph, but he refused, saying:

"How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9)

When Joseph fled from temptation, she falsely accused him of assault. Without a fair hearing, Joseph was thrown into prison (Genesis 39:7-20).

Again, his circumstances seemed to move farther away from God's promises.

Prison: Forgotten but Not Forsaken

Yet even in prison, "the LORD was with Joseph" (Genesis 39:21). God gave him favor with the prison keeper, and Joseph was entrusted with responsibility over the other prisoners (Genesis 39:22-23). Instead of wasting his suffering, Joseph continued serving faithfully.

While imprisoned, Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's chief cupbearer and chief baker, giving glory to God by declaring:

"Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Genesis 40:8)

Exactly as Joseph said, the cupbearer was restored, and the baker was executed (Genesis 40:20-22). Yet the restored cupbearer forgot Joseph, leaving him in prison for two more years (Genesis 40:23; 41:1).

Even then, God had not forgotten him.

The Palace: Promoted in a Single Day

When Pharaoh dreamed troubling dreams that none of Egypt's wise men could interpret, the cupbearer finally remembered Joseph (Genesis 41:9-13). Joseph was brought before Pharaoh, and once again he pointed away from himself:

"It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (Genesis 41:16)

Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams as seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:25-32). He also proposed a wise plan to preserve food during the years of plenty.

Recognizing that God's wisdom was upon Joseph, Pharaoh elevated him from prisoner to governor over all Egypt in a single day:

"See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:41)

What Every Season Taught Joseph

Joseph's promotion was not accidental.

• The pit taught him humility.
• Slavery taught him service.
• Potiphar's house taught him leadership.
• Temptation taught him integrity.
• Prison taught him patience.
• The dreams taught him to depend on God.

Every painful season became preparation for the position God had already planned.

Forgiveness After Betrayal

Years later, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt seeking food during the famine. They stood before the brother they had betrayed, not recognizing him (Genesis 42). Joseph had the authority to punish them, imprison them, or even seek revenge.

Instead, after revealing his identity, he spoke words that continue to comfort believers today:

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:20)

Joseph saw beyond the betrayal. He understood that although his brothers were responsible for their actions, God had been working sovereignly through every trial to position him to preserve many lives, including the very family that had wronged him.

Joseph chose forgiveness because he saw God's hand behind the pain. His story reminds us that our greatest disappointments may become God's greatest appointments.

My Own Season of Preparation

As I reflect upon my own life, I see a similar lesson.

Earlier in my life, I became involved with two ladies at separate periods who, unbeknownst to me, practiced witchcraft and placed love spells upon me with the intention of ultimately destroying my life. At the time, I did not understand what was happening. I only knew that I was living through confusion, spiritual oppression, deep depression, emotional pain, unexplained fear, and circumstances that I could not explain.

Looking back, I now see those years differently.

While I do not believe God authored evil, I believe He remained sovereign throughout the entire ordeal. Just as He never abandoned Joseph in the pit, the prison, or the palace, I know for certain He never abandoned me.

Rather than allowing bitterness to take root, I have chosen not to hate those ladies. Instead, I see that even those painful experiences have become part of my preparation.

• They awakened me to spiritual realities.
• They drove me deeper into the Scriptures.
• They increased my dependence upon God.
• They gave me compassion for people who feel trapped, confused, or spiritually oppressed, like I once was.

Most importantly, they prepared me for a ministry of helping others find freedom through the truth of God's Word and embracing the reality of the spiritual realm. Jesus said:

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

Today, my desire is not to magnify darkness but to magnify the power of God to deliver, heal, restore, and redeem. Just as Joseph used his God-given wisdom to preserve lives during a famine, I pray that God will use my experiences to point others toward the freedom, hope, and victory found in Jesus Christ.

Joseph's life teaches us that promotion is not merely receiving a higher position; it is becoming the kind of person who can faithfully carry greater responsibility. Before God entrusts His servants with influence, He often develops their character through hardship.

The pit was not Joseph's destination.
The prison was not Joseph's destiny.
Both were classrooms where God prepared him for the palace.

May we remember that when we cannot understand our circumstances, we can still trust the One who is writing our story. If we remain faithful, God can use even the darkest chapters of our lives to accomplish His purposes and bless others.

For the God who prepared Joseph is the same God who continues to prepare His servants today.

Pastor Kevin L.A Ewing
www.kevinlaewing.com
www.kevinlaewing.blogspot.com
ewinglakevin@icloud.com

"Life Is Happening for You, Not to You: What Joseph's Story Teaches About Divine Preparation"

 

"Understanding That Life Is Happening for You, Not to You"

"He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him." (Psalm 105:17-19)

God tests and prepares His servants before fulfilling the destiny He has spoken over their lives.

If someone had asked me twenty years ago, "Do you see yourself becoming a pastor?" I would have confidently answered, "Absolutely not."

Yet today, as I look back over my life, I clearly see the invisible hand of God directing every step of my journey. What once seemed like random disappointments, painful setbacks, unanswered questions, and unexpected detours were, in reality, divine preparations leading me to a place I never imagined I would be.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned is this: God often prepares us for a destiny we never planned for ourselves.

The Bible tells the remarkable story of Joseph, one of Jacob's twelve sons (Genesis 37-50). As a young man, Joseph received dreams from God that revealed he would one day become a great leader. However, while those dreams showed him where he was going, they never revealed how he would get there.

Joseph's dreams never mentioned betrayal.
They never mentioned slavery.
They never mentioned false accusations.
They never mentioned prison.

Nor did they reveal the loneliness, humiliation, confusion, and years of waiting that would precede his promotion.

This is often how God works. Sometimes God gives us a glimpse of our future, not to explain every detail, but to give us enough hope to endure the difficult seasons that lie ahead. Those moments of encouragement become the fuel that keeps us moving forward when life becomes exhausting, confusing, frustrating, and even embarrassing.

Looking back, we eventually realize that every stage of the journey was preparing us for what we would become.

Betrayal by His Brothers

Joseph's preparation began with his brothers' jealousy. Because their father favored Joseph, his brothers hated him. Their hatred became so intense that they plotted to kill him before eventually selling him into slavery in Egypt (Genesis 37:18-28).

What seemed like the end of Joseph's life was actually the beginning of God's plan.

Faithfulness in Potiphar's House

Potiphar purchased Joseph, an Egyptian officer, and made him overseer of his household (Genesis 39:1-6). His integrity, diligence, and excellent spirit caused him to prosper so greatly that the Bible says Potiphar entrusted everything he owned to Joseph. Scripture tells us that Potiphar "knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat" (Genesis 39:6).

Joseph's faithfulness during obscurity prepared him for leadership.

Then came another unexpected trial.

Potiphar's wife falsely accused Joseph after he refused her immoral advances. Although Joseph had done what was right before God, he was imprisoned for a crime he never committed (Genesis 39:7-20).

Prison: Another Classroom

Yet even prison became another classroom in God's preparation. The keeper of the prison recognized Joseph's character and entrusted him with overseeing the other prisoners (Genesis 39:21-23). Once again, adversity became an opportunity for God to develop leadership, wisdom, patience, and faithfulness within him.

While imprisoned, Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's chief butler and baker (Genesis 40). At the time, those interpretations seemed to benefit someone else more than Joseph himself.

Years later, however, that very gift would open the door to Pharaoh's palace.

From Prison to the Palace

When Pharaoh dreamed troubling dreams that none of Egypt's wise men could interpret, Joseph was remembered, summoned from prison, and stood before the nation's most powerful ruler (Genesis 41). By faithfully using the gift God had given him, Joseph was elevated from a prison cell to become governor over all Egypt.

Notice what Joseph never had access to during the process: an explanation. He never saw the betrayal coming. He never knew prison would lead to a palace. He simply stayed faithful in Potiphar's house, faithful in prison, and faithful with the gift God had given him. God connected the dots that Joseph could not connect for himself.

This is the same truth I have come to embrace about my own life. Twenty years ago I could not have explained how the disappointments, delays, and detours I walked through would prepare me to shepherd others. I only understood the process in reverse, the same way Joseph did when he stood before his brothers and said, "Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good" (Genesis 50:20).

Life is not happening to you. It is happening for you. The betrayal, the delay, the waiting room, and the prison seasons are not proof that God has forgotten you. They are the classroom where He is forming you for a calling you may not yet see.

If you are in a season that feels like Joseph's pit, Potiphar's house, or the prison, do not despise it. Stay faithful where you are. God is not wasting your process. He is preparing your palace.

Pastor Kevin L A Ewing
ewinglakevin@icloud.com
kevinlaewing.blogspot.com
www.kevinlaewing.com

 

The law and reward of faithfulness

Faithfulness is defined as being faithful to one's word, promises, vows, etc. Someone steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant, reliable, trusted and committed.

I needed to provide a detailed understanding of the word faithfulness in an attempt to highlight the understanding of the following spiritual law:

"A "FAITHFUL" man shall abound with blessings," Proverbs 28:20. In this profound passage of scripture, it is revealed that a person who is committed and stands true to not only his word but to the promises and allegiance he has made to others will abound or exist in significant quantities of blessings.

This passage of scripture is very much encouraging simply because it doesn't matter what negativity is being projected or hurled towards the one that is being faithful. Still, the true reward of faithfulness can never ever be withheld or dismissed by anyone simply because God is the one that provides the blessings at the end of that particular tenure of faithfulness. I have personally witnessed case after case of folks that were taken advantage of, ridiculed, placed at the back of the line, and even spoken evil of despite their faithfulness. Nevertheless, time will always prove and reveal this scripture to be true.

You see, my friend, faithfulness to the word of God, will always place a demand on you, the faithful one being blessed in the end. In fact, this scripture clearly says that your blessings won't be your average blessings, but instead, you will overflow in the blessings (abound).

I honestly do not know who this post is for today, but I was inspired to post it specifically for that person who feels as if it's a waste of time doing the right thing or being faithful to someone or something because it appears as if faithfulness just doesn't pay off. Make no mistake, the devil and his agents understand in detail what your faithfulness will pan out once the time has expired on whatever it is that you're going through. They are fully aware that only you can divert and dismiss the bountiful blessings that are ahead of you if you cave in to their temporal comforts of being unfaithful!

God is observing your matter, and the day is quickly approaching when He will judge. All parties involved in your issue will be rewarded, some to blessings as a result of their contribution, while others to a reward of disgrace and reaping the evil they have sown.

I say it all the time, and that is absolutely nothing lasts forever. Everything has a beginning date and an expiration date. The good thing is God knows the end from the beginning. Be encouraged, my friend, for this to will pass with an end result of you being rewarded for your FAITHFULNESS!!!!!

Written By: Kevin L A Ewing
kevinewing@coralwave.com
kevinlaewing.blogspot.com