Genesis 39:9-10
“No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?’ And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.”
How do we deal with temptations in our life? When an appealing, enticing and seductive sin presents itself (or themselves), how do we say “no” and be able to continually reject the desire to yield to the temptation? Do I have your attention? This is pretty close to where we live.
As a Christian Counselor for more years than I have been faced with this issue by those who have confessed their deep hidden secrets. It is not easy—in fact it is impossible to give a magic formula that will make temptation go away.
Rather than being frustrated and having a feeling of hopelessness, it is essential to turn to God’s Word for the solution in dealing with tempting situations. Immediately I am drawn to the book of Genesis and the example of Joseph.
As you may recall, Joseph was young, good-looking and a slave in the household of a prominent official. The Lord had blessed him and made everything he did to prosper. He became the target of the amorous advances of Mrs. Potipher. It may have seemed easy for Joseph to yield to this seduction since he had been betrayed by his brothers and alienated from his family.
The manner in which Joseph dealt with his temptation should be a pattern for each of us who encounter our own. The following are some methods I see that Joseph used:
JOSEPH SAID NO:
Not only did Joseph refuse the advances of Mrs. Potipher, but he gave reasons for saying no:
1. He had been trusted by his master with a position of authority.
2. She was the only thing that had not been entrusted to him.
3. The most important of all—for him to yield to such a wicked act would mean that he would be sinning against God!
JOSEPH AVOIDED CONTACT WITH THE SOURCE OF THE TEMPTATION:
Joseph used every means to avoid contact with the source of the temptation—Mrs. Potipher. We know that God allowed Joseph to be falsely accused in order for him to be positioned to save the brothers who had sold him into slavery. In the mean time, Joseph remained innocent by not yielding to the sin that has plagued so many.
Please allow me to interject a very important bit of advice here. If there is any hint of attraction to someone who is not your husband/wife, deal with it immediately! Do not rely on your emotions in this area. It is far too easy to imagine that your life would be perfect with that other person. My experience in marital counseling tells me that this is a lie of Satan.
Love is a choice! Just as we choose to love the Lord Jesus Christ or to reject Him, so we choose to love the one we married. There are no mistakes, other than trying to convince ourselves that we have the right to bend the Word of God to allow us to break a covenant. Stop it!
In addition to sharing that bit of rebuke, I urge you to give more freely to the one whom you have agreed to love, honor and cherish until death do you part.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil