God uses the furnace of affliction to refine and strengthen his people. The presentation discusses how God brought famine, insult, restriction, and excellence upon Joseph to refine him. Though difficult, the furnace of affliction produces glory that far exceeds any temporary suffering. Believers are called to resist the devil through faith, knowing that God will use their afflictions to make them perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle them.

1. Slide 1
The Furnace of
Affliction
F. I. R. E.
The Furnace of Affliction
F. I. R. E.
Slide 2
Isa 48:10-11
Isa 48:10-11
10) Behold, I have refined thee, but not with
silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of
affliction.
11) For mine own sake, even for mine own sake,
will I do it: for how should my name be polluted?
and I will not give my glory unto another.
Everyone loves a story of the
under-dog becoming the hero.
When Jesus came to earth he
wasn’t looking for the
Upper-crust of sociality he came
seeking the
Under-dogs.
Slide 3
Famine
Ps 105:16
16) Moreover he called for a famine upon the
land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
• The famine referred to occurred in the time of
Jacob and occasioned the migration into Egypt.
The Furnace of Affliction
Famine
God called for it; He ordered it.
Amos 3:6
Shall a trumpet be blown in the
city, and
the people not be afraid?
shall there be evil in a city,
and the LORD hath not done it?
Thus, they departed from the
promised land; and so the
fulfilment

2. of the promise was rendered
apparently null and void.
Yet in their absence from the land
they grew into a nation; not just
A group nomadic tribes.
Slide 4
•Hunger propels a man to find
nourishment.
•Food is not from the grocery store or the
farmer, but the one who can feed a dead
seed with dirt.
• There is a famine in our day for craving the pure
unadulterated Word of God.
In Canaan in Abraham's day
(Gen. 12:10)
In Canaan in Isaac's day (Gen.
26:1)
In Canaan in Jacob's day (Gen.
41:54-57)
In Canaan during the judges
(Ruth 1:1)
In Canaan in David's day (2 Sam.
21:1)
In Canaan in Elijah's day (1 Ki.
17:1)
In Canaan in Elisha's day (2 Ki.
4:38)
In Samaria in Elisha's day (2 Ki.
6:25)
In Canaan in Elisha's day (2 Ki.
8:1)
In Jerusalem in Zedekiah's day (2
Ki. 25:3; Jer. 14)
In Canaan in Nehemiah's day
(Neh. 5:3)
In an unknown land (Lk. 15:14)
In the Roman Empire in Paul's
day (Acts 11:28)
Phil 1:29
For unto you it is given in the
behalf of Christ,
not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for his sake;

3. Hunger propels a man to find
nourishment.
Food is not from the grocery store
or the farmer,
but the one who can feed a dead
seed with dirt.
Luke 4:25
But I tell you of a truth, many
widows were in Israel
in the days of Elias, when the
heaven was shut up three years
and six months, when great
famine was throughout all the
land;
Luke 15:14
And when he had spent all, there
arose a mighty famine in that
land;
and he began to be in want.
Luke 21:11
And great earthquakes shall be in
divers places,
and famines, and pestilences; and
fearful sights
and great signs shall there be
from heaven.
Rom 8:35
Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ?
shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril,
or sword?
There is a famine in our day for
craving the
pure unadulterated Word of God.

4. Slide 5
Insult
Ps 105:17
17) He sent a man before them, even
Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
•Hatred -The sin of man.
• Help -The response of God.
The Furnace of Affliction
Famine
Insult
Ps 105:17
17) He sent a man before them,
even Joseph, who was sold for a
servant:
• Hatred -The sin of man.
Joseph was sold for a servant.
Joseph’s position as a slave in
Egypt was because of envy and
jealousy;
the hatred and cruelty, of his
brethren.
2. Helper -The response of God.
He sent a man before them.
Gen 45:7
Be not grieved, nor angry that ye
sold me hither;
for God did send me before you to
preserve life.
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.”

5. The brethren of Joseph were free
in their wickedness in selling
him;
they were guilty, in the sight of
God, of jealousy, hatred, cruelty.
God’s overruling of man’s sin does
not excuse his guilt.
Ps 76:10
Surely the wrath of man shall
praise Thee
Slide 6
Restriction
Ps 105:18
Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in
iron:
• From Slave to Prisoner
Ps 105:19
Until the time that his word came: the word of
the LORD tried him.
The Furnace of Affliction
Famine
Insult
Restriction
From Slave to Prisoner
Joseph was imprisoned despite
his own virtue,
and by reason of the sins of his
master’s wife. (Gen. 39:7-20.)
Imprisonment is painful to the
sufferer.
“Whose feet they hurt with
fetters; he was laid in iron.”
In the case of Joseph,
imprisonment was a trial of his
faith.
19)…The word of the Lord tried
him.
God had promised his family
possession of Canaan;
and to him, in his dreams,
exaltation and honor.

6. Would God make good His word
and raise him to honor?
Or was that dream just some bad
goat meat he had
before bed.
During the years of his
imprisonment faith was tested
and patience was granted.
Joseph’s imprisonment was
overruled by God;
in God’s time without warning to
Joseph
• his release
“Until the time that his word
came.”
The “word” is the interpretation
of the servants of Pharaoh
dreams.
(2) The wisdom he displayed. the
elders of Egypt were instructed
by him.
Ps 105:22
22) To bind his princes at his
pleasure; and teach his senators
wisdom.
(3) The most complete authority
was given unto him. (Gen. 41:44.)

7. Slide 7
Excellence
Ps 105:24
24) And he increased his people greatly; and
made them stronger than their enemies.
The Furnace of Affliction
Famine
Insult
Restriction
Excellence
Ps 105:24
24) And he increased his people
greatly;
and made them stronger than
their enemies.
God gave the increase and power.
Job 23:10
But he knoweth the way that I
take:
when he hath tried me,
I shall come forth as gold.
Ps 66:10
For thou, O God, hast proved us:
thou hast tried us, as silver is
tried.
Ps 105:37
He brought them forth also with
silver
and gold: and there was not one
feeble
person among their tribes.
Ps 105:43
And he brought forth his people
with
joy, and his chosen with gladness:
We are greatly mistaken if we do
not rank
afflictions among our mercies.
The 3 Hebrew boys can attest to
the fact

8. The furnace is for your
furtherance not
Your destruction.
Ps 105:14-15
14) He suffered no man to do
them wrong:
yea, he reproved kings for their
sakes;
15) Saying, Touch not mine
anointed,
and do my prophets no harm.
2Cor 4:17
For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more
exceeding
and eternal weight of glory;
The furnace of affliction is sure,
from this side it may feel unfair
But what it produces is also
unfair
- Glory for eternity
Slide 8
The Furnace
of Affliction
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The Furnace of Affliction
Famine
Insult
Restriction
Excellence
1Pet 5:7
Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.
1Pet 5:8-10
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour:

9. 9 Whom resist stedfast in the
faith, knowing that the same
afflictions are accomplished in
your brethren
that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who
hath called us
unto his eternal glory by Christ
Jesus,
after that ye have suffered a
while,
make you perfect, stablish,
strengthen,
settle you.