Overcoming Rejection Part 2 – Ps David July 20, 25

Rejection is the Root Problem for many life issues

Rejection will always project the negative

If not uprooted, the spirit of rejection triggers destructive emotions and behaviours.

Key Text – Genesis Chapters 37 and 39-50

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.”14 Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.

15 Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”16 So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.”

17 And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.18 Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.

19 Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!”

21 But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” 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 deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.

23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25 And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. 26 So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

29 Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30 And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?”31 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?”33 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.”

34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

36 Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

We Can Be Rejected by people but Still Chosen by God.

Genesis 37:3–4 – “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children… but when his brothers saw that their father loved him more… they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.”

God’s choice is bigger than man’s rejection

People can Throw Us Down but God will never Throw Us Out.

Genesis 37:24 – “And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.”

God let him get thrown into the pit—but He never threw Joseph away.

The pit wasn’t punishment—it was positioning.

The pit is real—but so is God’s promise.

You can be Set Back but Still Set Apart.

Genesis 39:20–21 – “Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison… But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

The world sees a setback—but God sees a setup.

Being set back by people doesn’t mean you’ve been forgotten by God

God is still with you.

You May Feel Overlooked but Your Never Forgotten by God

Genesis 40:23 – “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.”
Genesis 41:1 – “When two full years had passed…”

You may feel overlooked—but you are never forgotten by God.

Man’s forgetfulness doesn’t cancel God’s faithfulness

When God finally opens the door, it will be a door you couldn’t have forced open yourself.

God always Positions Us to Bless Those Who Hurt You

Genesis 50:20 – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Joseph saw the bigger picture

He was reframing it

You’ve been positioned to bless—even those who hurt you

God Can Redeem Every Rejection

People’s rejection can never override God’s direction.

You are not alone.

Let go of the labels

Release the bitterness

Refuse to let rejection be your identity

Receive the truth

Will rejection define you—or will it refine you?

He says: You’re mine.