Genesis 39:2-10, “As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master’s wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, “Sleep with me.” He would not do it.” He said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master doesn’t give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he’s put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he has not turned over to me is you. You are his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?” She pestered him day after day after day, BUT HE STOOD HIS GROUND. HE REFUSED TO GO TO BED WITH HER.” (MSG).
The NIV says verse 10 like this: “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her OR EVEN BE WITH HER.”
You see, Joseph is about to be a Jewish transplant; picked up and sold as a slave into Egypt. He is working for Potiphar, a military leader. He has been trusted with total responsibility of the man’s household!
Now, Potiphar’s wife gets an eye on this good-looking young man. And if you do not believe Joseph looked good, check out his Biblical Description found in verse 6:
“…Joseph was an ATTRACTIVE PERSON AND FINE-LOOKING” (AMP).
“…Joseph was WELL-BUILT AND HANDSOME” (CEB).
“…Joseph was of a BEAUTIFUL FORM AND OF A BEAUTIFUL COUNTENANCE.” (DARBY).
“…Joseph was a VERY HANDSOME, GOOD-LOOKING MAN” (ERV).
“…Joseph was a STRIKINGLY HANDSOME MAN” (MSG).
“…Joseph was STRONG AND GOOD-LOOKING” (NLV).
EVEN IN THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE JOSEPH WAS FINE! “…Yosef was YAFEH TO’AR (WELL BUILT) AND YAFEH MAREH (GOOD LOOKING)” (OJB)
So, now that we’ve established PHYSICALLY why this woman lost her NATURAL mind, the Bible goes on to say, “After a while, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Come to bed with me.’ But he refused.” Verse 10 of Genesis 39 says– “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.” However, if that was not bad enough notice this, the Bible says, “…or even be with her.” OUCH! He did not even want to be with her or around her!
Now, this has got to be for Joseph a tempting temptation. Think about it: He is lonely; he is away from home. I would guess that a powerful man’s wife is probably attractive, and he is totally trusted in the man’s home with all the man’s stuff! And the truth of the matter is…He may very well get away with this and no one even know that he has done it!
BUT, he says, “How could I sin against God.” Joseph knows…Ultimately if no one else will know…GOD WILL! He knows that he and his conscience will know too! And had he said ‘yes’ to this temptation, it would have been a Spiritually Fatal Mistake – probably Disqualifying him from being God’s hero as we know him today! AND WHAT FOOL WOULD SACRIFICE ALL OF THAT?!
Temptation is always out to bite you, to discredit you, to scar you. Therefore, do you know what your “Potiphar’s Wife” is right now? It could be a sexual opportunity; it could be the apparent advantages of compromising your integrity just a little bit; being a little dishonest; maybe it’s the urge to retaliate or a compromise that seems better than losing this person, or that old habit, or going back to the old friends, places or things. Whatever your “Potiphar’s Wife” is…remember this: The Advantages of Sinning Are Always Short Lived, However the Price You Pay Always Lasts A Long Time!
Listen, Joseph got away from his temptation, however, not before his temptation was able to take something from him! She did not get what she wanted, but she did get something! The Bible Says: “And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me! But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out [of the house]. And when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled away. She called to the men of her household and said to them, Behold, he [your master] has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock and insult us; he came in where I was to lie with me, and I screamed at the top of my voice. And when he heard me screaming and crying, he left his garment with me and fled and got out of the house. And she laid up his garment by her until his master came home.” (Genesis 39:12-16 AMP) The Message Bible Says It Like This: “On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. SHE GRABBED HIM BY HIS CLOAK…” (MSG)
The danger of even entertaining temptation is that you are still close enough for it to take something from you! For Joseph, it was his cloak, however for many it grabbed their character, integrity, dignity, testimony, witness, and influence. For some, it grabbed their family, their marriage, their ministry and even their mind! Being Too Close Is Still Too Much of a Compromise! Do not let your temptation take the very thing that your Father Gave You to Distinguish You in the First Place! Think about it: Isn’t it amazing that Joseph’s brothers were angry and jealous and abused and banished him because of a coat, and yet he was still so close to temptation that another coat was snatched off him?! Joseph was well known for his coat of many colors that was given to him by his father, because of his great love for him. When you get too close to temptation, it will likewise attempt to take from you all that the Father gave you to distinguish you as His Favored Child!
Joseph had two coats taken from him, his coat of many colors by his brothers who Hated Him; and his Cloak by Potiphar’s wife, a woman who was Hot for Him but Could not Have Him! A Temper Took His First Coat, Temptation Took His Second! And He Never Got Either of Them Back! Temptation Will Take from You and Never Return! In fact, the loss of his cloak stayed with Potiphar’s wife and was used against him in a lie and false imprisonment! How do you get in this much trouble, for doing Nothing?!
Make Sure You are Not Being Too Close for Comfort!
Truthfully, the Things and People that Can Grab a Hold of Us, Is Only Because We Keep Ourselves Within Their Reach! Think about it: It is hard for them to touch you when they cannot text you, call you, write you, or visit you. Not to mention taking the extra measures and precautions to evict them out of your heart and mind (by the way: if you do that, keeping them off, out of and away from your body will be that much Easier…just saying)!
So, have you made up your mind yet? Do you want to avoid being bitten? Then You Have To Avoid The Places Where It Is, The People Who Draw You Into It, And The Props That Get You Excited About It…Truth Is: You Can’t Flirt With Sin; It’s A Vicious Dog! No Matter How Fine Joseph Looks or How Available Potiphar’s Wife Is…You Are About to Get Bitten by If You Do Not Get Off That Corner of Compromise!
Therefore, TODAY, Determine to Peddle Fast and Find Another, Safer Route! Use Your Bible Like You Would A Map App for Your Phone! “Find Me the Quickest and Safest Way Out of Here…Now!” Seriously, think about it, our phone maps not only give us directions, but some of them also let you know in advance that there is an accident ahead of you on the same road you’re on. And what does it do? It gives you another route to take! Truth is, sometimes that new route is a lot longer and sometimes even unfamiliar. You may not like it, but at least you get to bypass the accident that could delay and detour you from your God-Intended destination! Likewise, you must strengthen your relationship with the Holy Spirit! He is not just your comforter, but He is your counselor! He lives on the inside of you! When it comes to communicating with someone in an emergency, how much closer can a person get than to talk to the person living inside them?! The Holy Spirit is there to lead you, guide you, direct and redirect you when necessary! But just like your GPS does not work without being activated, neither does the Holy Spirit! You build a relationship with Him and give Him permission to change your route when you are heading for danger! And you know what strengthens this relationship? Prayer! And what’s prayer? Communication! Keep it simple or you will complicate something that can help you! Prayer is communication! And the more you do it, the more consistent you are at it, the more you will stay out of dangerous places and away from dangerous people!
Listen, your prayer life and relationship with the Holy Spirit will save you from the attacks of ‘Potiphar’s Wife’! You will begin discerning what people, places, and things you must avoid for your own mental; emotional; physical; spiritual and even financial well-being! However, this will require you to run from the temptation and retreat in prayer with the Holy Spirit! And how long should you retreat in prayer with the Holy Spirit? The Bible admonishes: “Pray Without Ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Let us see this verse in a few translations:
“be unceasing and persistent in prayer.” (AMP).
“Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]” (AMPC).
“Pray continually.” (CEB).
“and never stop praying.” (CEV).
“pray at all times” (GNT).
“Always keep on praying.” (TLB).
“…pray all the time…” (MSG)
Imagine how protected you would be, especially from the temptation of sin, if you are in communication with the Holy Spirit: “UNCEASINGLY; PERSISTENTLY; NEVER STOP; and AT ALL TIMES”?! Truth is, temptation will NEVER CEASE, which is why your prayer life can NEVER CEASE! And remember, there is absolutely no temptation powerful enough to FORCE you to surrender!
1 Corinthians 10:13, “NO TEMPTATION [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His Word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].” (AMP) You will never as a child of God be able to say that a temptation was so strong it overtook you and you had no way out because your Father loves you so much that the Bible says, “…He [has in the PAST and is NOW and] WILL [ALWAYS] provide the way out as well, so that you will be ABLE to ENDURE it [WITHOUT YIELDING, and will OVERCOME TEMPTATION with joy].” Your Father has in the past, is now and will always provide the way out of temptation, YOU just have to add an addendum to your daily prayers that I keep in mind: “Father, help me to be mindful that in the midst of every temptation presented to me today, You’ve ALREADY provided me a way of escape. Now, grant me the discernment to see it and the wisdom to take it.”
Because let us be honest, you are NEVER forced to surrender to a temptation! James 1:13-15, “Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil COMES FROM US AND ONLY US. WE HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT THE LEERING, SEDUCING FLARE-UP OF OUR OWN LUST. If You Give In, You Wanted to. If You Give In, You Decided to. If you allow the temptation to sin, to be conceived in your life; and then you nourish it so it grows up to adulthood and becomes a real killer of your marriage; integrity; family; character; calling; anointing; dignity…It Was Your Choice!
You Do not Get to Complain About What You Have Condoned! Remember, Your Choice…Your Consequence!
Which is why it’s so important to remember Joseph’s example: “…The only thing he hasn’t turned over to me is you. You are his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?” She pestered him day after day after day, BUT HE STOOD HIS GROUND. HE REFUSED TO GO TO BED WITH HER.” (MSG). “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her OR EVEN BE WITH HER.” Listen: Temptation does not knock once then walk away from the door! Potiphar’s Wife “PESTERED HIM DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY! She spoke to Joseph DAY AFTER DAY!” Every day you will be faced with the opportunity to accept temptation, which is why every day you have to remain praying without ceasing so you can receive clear directions on how to get away from Potiphar’s Wife.
The Bible says, “FLEE FROM IT” Which is your admonishment to take a route that is nowhere near the opportunity to sin! 1 Timothy 6:11, “But as for you, O man of God, FLEE FROM THESE THINGS; aim at and pursue righteousness [true goodness, moral conformity to the character of God], godliness [the fear of God], faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.” (AMP) The Message Bible reads like this: “But you, Timothy, man of God: RUN FOR YOUR LIFE FROM ALL THIS. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.” (MSG)
Matthew 26:40-41, “When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you do not wander into temptation without even knowing you are in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” (MSG)
Luke 22:39-40, “Leaving there, he went, as he so often did, to Mount Olives. The disciples followed him. When they arrived at the place, he said, “Pray that you don’t give in to temptation.” (MSG)
Galatians 6:1-3 , “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. Carry one another’s burdens and in this way, you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. For if anyone thinks he is something [special] when [in fact] he is nothing [special except in his own eyes], he deceives himself.” (AMP)
Galatians 5:16, “But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].” (AMP)
Matthew 6:13, “‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’” (AMP)
Remember Timothy and Flee, Remember Joseph and Run! And Do not Just Run; But Run for Your Life! Like Joseph, Use Common Sense! No Matter How Cute and Friendly A Dog Is…If It Has Teeth…It Will Bite! However, If You are Not Close Enough to Pet It…It is Not Close Enough to Bite You! Therefore, Avoid Being Bitten by Avoiding Being Too Close to Chomp! Do not Let Potiphar’s Wife Catch You! If you do not want temptation to follow you, stop acting as if you are interested. The Bible never says to manage temptation, it says to flee it.
Blessings
J.P. Olson
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