Genesis | Pt. 37 Leave It!

Genesis 39:6-12
Tap your neighbor and say leave it; online type out leave it
Notice this is the 2nd coat that Joseph loses on his journey
First coat ripped off by his brothers now this coat
Sometimes in life you have to leave some things behind to reach your destination
Joseph’s destiny is in the palace with Pharoah and we will see something amazing
When Joseph arrives in the palace 13 yrs after his first dream, Pharoah puts a new robe on him which is a royal royal robe
In order to wear the royal robe, Joseph had to leave two other robes behind
Joseph experienced elevation to the palace through the process of separation
God wants us to experience elevation as well
Elevation for you and me is going higher up the mountain to meet God.
It will be experiencing the presence of God stronger than ever before.
Let me prophetically speak over you this morning.
Turn over to Joshua 3.
In Joshua 3 the people of Israel are getting ready enter their Promised Land.
Forty years earlier they left Egypt and because of their lack of faith they wandered in the desert for the next 40 years.
But now it is time to begin a new season. A season of elevation.
It is time to cross the Jordan River and enter the land flowing with milk and honey.
The land that was promised to Abraham and to Isaac and Jacob.
As they get ready to cross the Jordan River and enter into their Promised Land this is what Joshua tells the people of Israel in Joshua 3:5,
That word consecrate means to dedicate and to separate oneself to God.
In order for Israel to enter the promised Land they had to leave Egypt and the things of Egypt behind
Now remember that elevation often comes through separation.
I’m declaring over this house today: Consecrate yourselves today for the Lord is ready to do amazing things among you. Things you can’t even imagine
To go higher up the mountain we need to leave some stuff behind because to experience elevation you first must experience separation.
I was unable to get a mountain to fit on stage with me so I decided to go with a ladder instead.
God is calling us up to go higher on the mountain to meet with Him.
But what we have to realize is all the baggage we carry makes it impossible to climb up that mountain.
Now you can stay right where you are and that’s fine but I’m talking to people who don’t want to be stagnate; I’m talking to people who want to go higher.
You’ve got to make a decision what you desire more: stuff or God.
Sometimes we give up good things in life to experience greater things.
Not everything we give up is evil or bad sometimes they are good things but they are good things distracting us from the God things.
Such as social media. Some of us need to go on a fast from social media because although it is not evil it has completely consumed us; I’m preaching to myself right here by the way.
Does that mean we never use social media again? No but we choose to consecrate ourselves to God in the season we give up social media we draw closer to God.
Let me give you an example from my own life.
I love sweet tea.
What are you will to give up and sacrifice for God? What about alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes?
Pastor are you saying if I drink and smoke, I won’t get into heaven? No, I’m not saying you won’t get into heaven
What I’m saying is if you want to go up higher on the mountain with God then you need to consecrate yourself.
Elevation only comes through separation.
You can stay where you are if you want, but if you want to go higher there are some things that you have to leave behind, and God will speak to you about those crutches in your life.
For me God said if you want to go higher, I need you to leave sweet tea behind you because it has become a crutch.
What is the crutch that God has been speaking to you about?
We consecrate ourselves to God by sometimes giving up good things to experience greater things, but we have to make sure we also deal with the evil things in our life as well.
We have to make sure we aren’t trying to carry any of our idols or false gods up the mountain to meet the true God.
Can I talk to you about idols among God’s people today?
Turn with me to 1st Kings 18 which is the story of Elijah.
Consecrating yourself means choosing to be on God’s team because what God is looking for from His players is their whole heart.
God wants all of our hearts. He wants all of us.
He gave His all so He could have all of us.
He created us to play on His team.