Beware the Pits
Pit, Prison, Palace: The Journeys of Joseph • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 55:25
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Last week we started our new series: Pit, Prison, Palace: The Journeys of Joseph. I asked then, and I ask again today, that you would allow yourself to be immersed in this story. It is easy to really get into it and sympathize with the emptions that are going on here because there are so many moral dilemmas that are presented in this story that many of us have gone through ourselves. As we read through Chapter 37 last week, I asked you to imagine that you were part of a camera crew that was documenting Joseph's life. As a camera operator and documenter of this new reality show, you are not able to interact, simply capture and document.
So let's go over briefly what happened in our last episode.
We saw a young man of the age of 17, favored by his father, hated by his brothers, and a bit arrogant. Joseph is the second youngest of Jacob's 12 sons, but is the favorite. This is not something subtle, it is an overt favoritism that Jacob shows. In fact, Joseph is presented with an expensive and ornate coat of many colors. Joseph is so favored by his father that his brothers openly despise him and are extremely envious. Though that is not necessarily Joseph's fault, Joseph gets into even hotter water with his brothers because he has a habit of starting conversations at the breakfast table about the dreams he's had the night before; dreams that involve his parents and siblings serving him and bowing to him.
This, of course, makes the brothers even more angry and envious of Joseph. They become so bitter and angry at him that it is nothing for them to speak of killing him, not in some imaginary sense, but in a very real desire to rid themselves of the brother they call "the dreamer."
Their opportunity comes one day when Joseph is sent by his father Jacob to go check on the 10 older siblings. As Joseph approaches, the brothers recognize the trademark coat of many colors that he wears, a strong mark of how much he is favored by Jacob over all the older sons. Upon seeing him, they decide to kill him and conceal the murder by showing their father Joseph's blood stained coat and offering the lie that a wild animal must have killed him.
Reuben, however, steps in and prevents the murder. He convinces his brothers to simply throw Joseph in a nearby pit, and he leaves to plan a way to let Joseph escape and go back home. However, when Reuben comes back, he finds that Joseph has been sold to some travelling merchants that are on their way to Egypt. The original coverup story is told to Jacob who is convinced that Joseph has died at the claws and teeth of some wild animal, and he is inconsolable.
Last week we saw God's hand moving in circumstances that were absolutely awful. We noted that even though God is not mentioned by name or even referenced in chapter 37 where these events take place, we can (especially after knowing the end of the story) see God's hand clearly moving. Though much of what happened in Genesis 37 is terrible, we see that what was meant to cause harm to Joseph, would ultimately be used by God not only to bless Joseph, but to keep the whole of Jacob's family alive in coming years.
So Joseph is sold to merchants that take him to Egypt and sell him to a man named Potiphar, and this is where we pick up today.
We discussed that Potiphar is not any old common Egyptian citizen. No, Potiphar is is the captain of the royal guard. He is likely the best soldier in Egypt.
Now, Egypt at this time is primarily a land of small villages. There are a few large cities, but the majority of the population resides in small villages. It is a country that is shackled by religious superstition. There were at least 2,000 gods that were recognized by the people, including the Pharaoh himself. Special care was taken by the Egyptian population to prepare for the afterlife when the god Osiris was believed to judge one's deeds. Egypt was a land that was as devoted to death as it was to life.
History confirms that Egypt was a country of great scholars and warriors. After studying the heavens, Egyptian priests and wise men developed a solar calendar with 365 and 1/4 days. Egypt also became well known for its development of medicines. They knew the art of war also, and had an army that was equipped with chariots and horses.
Having semitic slaves was not new to the Egyptians, as there were many there in that time, but Joseph was a very special slave because as we will see here shortly, the Lord was with him.
Let's look at Genesis 39:1-6 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
So now, as camera crew for The Journeys of Joseph show, you have followed the merchant caravan from Dothan in Canaan where Joseph was first sold, to Egypt. Upon arriving in Egypt, you set up your cameras as the merchants set up shop. They open boxes and jars of spices and oils and finally, they set up an auction area where the slaves that they have brought can be purchased as well. And this is where we find Joseph. As the day goes by and people come and go, looking at all that the merchants have to offer, some buying, some haggling, some simply browsing, a man approaches in regal dress, with a company of soldiers following. He himself is armed well looks not only to be of high rank, but very fit.
You stop a person that is nearby and ask who he is, after all, if he becomes a major player in this show, he's going to need a subtitle when his face appears on the screens of the millions that will be tuning in to what will one day become one of the greatest reality shows of all time.
(Are you with me? Have I managed to get you sucked into this setting yet? I hope so. I hope this kind of gives you a sense of how I read books, including the Bible. As things are being described, in my mind, I am right there.)
Anyway, you ask around about who this important looking man is and are met with a name that is spoken in reverent awe: Potiphar.
By his appearance and entourage and by the way people give deference to him, you realize that Potiphar is not just some ordinary Egyptian Joe Citizen. No, no, Potiphar is the captain of the royal guard, responsible for the protection of the Pharaoh and the royal family. He's a big shot. As he looks through the merchants' wares, he approaches the slaves being offered. Upon inspection, he selects only one... Joseph.
You pack up your things as you now set out to follow Potiphar to his home. As time passes, you notice something different in Joseph, something that Potiphar notices as well. Everything that Joseph touches seems to turn to gold. Joseph is living out the promise that God had given initially to Abraham and to his descendants through the line of Isaac and Jacob, that they would be a blessing to other nations. Joseph is the living breathing embodiment of this promise here in the house of Potiphar.
We discussed in last week's Life Groups that Joseph had the qualities of a Psalm 1 man: He was careful with the company he kept, he was delighted by being with the Lord, and therefore what he did prospered. Joseph is a good example of someone who trusts God and makes the best out of awful circumstances because he knew that God was in control.
There is not doubt that Joseph would have rather been free at home than a slave in Egypt, but this is where God had brought him, and he was going to be God-honoring in all that he did in the places that God placed him.
So there is Joseph, working in Potiphar's house and he excels at everything he does. It gets to the point that because of his good disposition and his wisdom in the affairs that he conducted and the diligence that he exercised in his duties, that Potiphar promotes Joseph to head steward of his house. Joseph is still a slave, but he is in charge of everything that goes on in the house. As Joseph is promoted, Potiphar's worth increases as well, because God is with Joseph, and He causes Joseph to be extremely prosperous.
Potiphar's trust in Joseph grows as time goes by, and there comes a point where Potiphar is not even aware of the details of all his investments and belongings. Joseph is taking care of it so well, that Potiphar has no worries about anything. All he knows is that Joseph is a good steward and that when he comes home in the evenings, he has plenty to eat and plenty to drink. Beyond that, if someone were to ask Potiphar about his baking account, his portfolio, his projects around the house, how many people worked for him at home, and such, Potiphar would have to direct the question to Joseph because it was Joseph who handled all the household business.
The message this morning is titled Beware the Pits. You may think that this title is a week late, seeing that Joseph was thrown into a pit last week in chapter 37. But as Joseph is brought out of that actual pit and sold to Potiphar, his time as a slave presents potential pitfalls of a more dangerous nature. These will be the pitfalls of temptation. And we see here one situation that presents itself to Joseph as a potential pitfall.
The Pit of Prosperity
We have probably all heard the phrase "Money changes people," or the similar phrase, "Power changes people."
There are so many examples that I could give when power and or prosperity changed people I thought I knew well into people that I wish I had never known.
There were times in the Army where I saw people change, and I am sure that others that have served time in the armed forces as an enlisted personnel would be able to provide similar examples. I remember after only a few months of being in the military, dreading the promotion of peers to non-commissioned officers. That dread only grew as I and those that had joined around the same time began to be promoted to the rank of Specialist. As a Specialist in the army, you are the highest rank of a category of soldiers known as the "lower enlisted." This puts you in an odd position. There are three ranks below you, two of which are comprised mainly of brand new soldiers. These soldiers have been put through the ringer during their time at basic training, and are still scared of their own shadow. They generally have no clue what is going on and are so scared of messing up in even the slightest way.
A specialist, is really not that special in the army, except for the fact that a specialist tends to be a soldier with enough time in service that they know how things work. They may have some technical expertise in their field, but they generally have no real authority unless specifically given it, but are often left unsupervised because they know how to get their jobs done. The specialist, because he knows his job, knows how things are done and handled at the unit, and has no burden of command responsibility, also knows that he belongs to a group of peers that can best be described as "doing what they want, when they want, but still get the job done." A lot of rules ore bent and broken as a specialist and sergeants will many times turn a blind eye because things are getting done, maybe not by the book, but specialists tend to cover for each other and their direct supervisors.
One of the most dreaded things that can happen to a group of specialists, however, is the promotion of one of their peers to either corporal or sergeant.
Corporals and sergeants are the lowest ranking of the non-commissioned officers and as such, new sergeants and new corporals will often revert back to a brand-new-private mindset. That is to say, they will, because they now assume responsibilities of command, be under so much scrutiny that they will be forced to do things by-the-book and will not allow soldiers of a lower rank, especially those that fall under them directly, to go beyond the bounds of said book.
So many times, these newly promoted corporals and sergeants get power trippy. Crashing down upon the specialists with a fury of new found power that just begs to be abused.
The common saying among specialists is "rank changes people." Rank, power, money, and success are all potential pitfalls that await the recipient, and it was no different for Joseph. Joseph, now in his twenties, is the highest ranking servant in the house of one of the highest ranking Egyptians. It would have been easy to let that go to his head, but we know he didn't let it. Joseph showed a work ethic that was diligent and honest.
SIDEBAR: What kind of work ethic did Jacob have? It was deceitful and wily. But Jacob rose above that because even though he was forced to leave his family and his home behind, he stayed close to the Lord. God affected his work ethic, and instead of getting proud, Joseph, as we encounter him in chapter 39, is a little more humble and a lot more prosperous. How do we know he was humble? The Bible tells us clearly that God resists the proud, but gives grace, favor, to the humble.
Joseph withstood the temptation to fall into the various pits that come with success, namely pride, abuse of power, and a loss of work ethic.
But there is another pit that is coming to meet Joseph. This is pit is one into which many victims fall.
The Pit of Sexual Temptation
Genesis 39:6-9 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Let's analyze this situation. You have Joseph, probably in his early to mid twenties at this point. Not only is he young and successful, but this man is good looking. You may not have noticed that readily from the passage because we do not speak this way any more, but let me point out a couple of words and their meanings from verse 6.
It says that Joseph was a goodly person. This means he was handsome. But it also says that he was well favored. This does not mean that he was liked, this literally means that he was well built. He was the complete package: he was a 10!
And because of his prosperity, this now leads to even greater temptations. Every time that God elevates a man or woman giving them influence, power, or prosperity, you can bet that Satan is going to do everything he can to bring that person down. Joseph has gained prosperity and influence and even power. He has shown great work ethic; he has shown humility and integrity, so now Satan attacks him in another way. English theologian, F.B. Meyer stated that we should be expecting temptation to come more in the days of prosperity rather than in the days of privation and toil. The he gives is to the up-and-comer. Those that are arriving at the pinnacle of success must be the ones most on the lookout for these pitfalls, else they will fall from "up and comer" to "down and outer."
Because of his prosperity and because of his good looks, Mrs. Potiphar now begins to look at Joseph. Her temptation begins subtly. You may think that after what we read it is not too subtle, but look how her interactions with him are described. First, she cast her eyes upon him. Before the overt offer was ever made, she cast her eyes on him, and the implication is that once she started, she never stopped looking for the entire time that Joseph is in the house.
Before she ever propositions Joseph with her words, she does it with her eyes.
Before anything is ever stated, while everything is still in the imagination, this is where Potiphar's wife loses her battle of temptation, but this is where Joseph wins his.
She fed her illicit desires for Joseph while he fed his desires to a person who walked with God.
Be careful which desires you feed with the imagination of your mind. It is in this place, while things are still subtle, that temptation of this kind, especially sexual temptation, can be most easily defeated. While it is still in your mind, it can still be given to God and you can put it under the blood of Christ. You can give it some accountability. But it is also here where the temptation is out of the view of the public where we often give in.
It is in these moments that we are tempted to think, "It's just my imagination, what is wrong with indulging in this thought, in this fantasy?" What is wrong with it? I will tell you why there is something wrong with it, it is because the way we think affects the things we do. Eventually, when we are pressed, what is inside comes out. If inside our hearts and minds are sinful imaginations, what will then come out of us will be sinful actions. Turn with me quickly to Proverbs 23:5-7 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?
for riches certainly make themselves wings;
they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye,
neither desire thou his dainty meats:
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
Eat and drink, saith he to thee;
but his heart is not with thee.
Verse 5 says, "Will you set your eyes on things that are not," or, "things that are not true at the moment." The writer is speaking specifically here about riches and the fantasizing of being rich. He cautions his son to whom he writes these proverbs that riches fly away and can suddenly be gone.
Then he says in verse six, "Don't participate in the things that those with an "evil eye" participate in. Those things that people with an evil o sinful outlook in life participate in and don't be envious of what they have. And this is the message that he has for his son, the beginning of verse 7: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
The battle against temptation is won in the mind first before it ever is actually played out. In her mind, Potiphar's wife has played out certain scenarios with Joseph, and there comes a day when she voices her desires and says to Joseph, "Lie with me."
But Joseph has played out an argument against this temptation. He has seen it coming, and instead of giving in to it, he has built a defense against it. He defended himself by trying to reason with Mrs. Potiphar. First he presented an argument that should have appealed to her as he states, that she is another man's wife, and that man is his master.
He then defends against the temptation by stating that this would break the great trust that Potiphar has for Joseph.
And he realizes that though no one else may ever find out, though that reasoning with Potiphar's wife may not be enough to convince her that this is a bad idea and a sin, God would know, and ultimately it would be a great wickedness against not just Potiphar, but mainly against God.
Joseph had this answer ready, which means he had thought about this before hand. The battle against that temptation was won before it was ever fought.
But the situation does not end there. In the military there are targets that are designated as either soft or hard. Soft targets are targets (whether people or facilities) that are not under heavy protection. These may be facilities that are loosely guarded, not much is there to really provide adequate defense against a larger invading force. When referring to people, a soft target is one that is not very aware of his surroundings nor does that person have any body guards, drives around alone, is predictable in his routine, etc.
A hard target on the other hand is a person that varies their routines and routes and methods of travel; wears body armor, is accompanied by a security detail, travels in a convoy, and is aware of his surroundings and the situations that he finds himself in. When speaking of facilities, a hard target is a well constructed facility that has active and passive defenses in place that are manned by alert lookouts. This place would have reinforced walls and bunkers in which to retreat. It would be a well defended facility.
Good military strategy dictates that if you want to take a hard target and you have the time, you soften the target first. This could involve artillery fire and arial bombardment over a period of time that is intended to break down walls and knock out active defenses. It could mean taking out the various vehicles in a convoy so that only the one target remains and is mor vulnerable. There are a variety of ways to soften a hard target.
Joseph is a hard target. As we read, we see that he has his defenses up. He is not budging. So what does Mrs. Potiphar do? She begins to try to wear him down.
Genesis 39:10-12 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
Day by day she presented herself to Joseph. Daily she sought him out, and daily he refused her.
So one day, the Bible says, the house happened to be empty. None of the other men were there. This may or may not have been orchestrated by Mrs. Potiphar, but it remains that there came a day when none of the men that were usually in the house were there. Only Joseph and Potiphar's wife. This is the day and the scenario that she has been imagining. As the camera crew for the documentary on the life of Joseph, you see Mrs. Potiphar in front of her mirror adjusting her clothes and her hair. She she takes fragrant oils and dabs them on her wrists and neck. After one last look she walks out of her room, and as you follow her, she makes a beeline for Joseph. The bible says that she "caught him." She did not tackle him like a linebacker would, what she did was take Joseph in her arms, and brought him in close. She had a firm grasp on his coat and as she pulled him in to her embrace in a way she could have not done freely before, now in the absence of everyone else, she propositions Joseph one more time, "Lie with me."
Le me clarify this: we are not talking about some old, down and out woman here. This is the trophy wife to one of the most powerful men in the country. If Joseph was a ten, she was a twenty. In all likelihood, Mrs. Potiphar was one of the most attractive women in Egypt. And there in here embrace stands Joseph. He can see the desire in her eyes, he can smell her perfume, he can feel the firm grasp that she has on his cloak, so what does he do? He runs! And when he feels that she has to firm a grasp on his garment, he leaves that behind as he bolts out of the room and away from this pit.
And before you start thinking that Joseph was an incredible young man with incredible will power, understand this: Joseph was red- blooded, young man in his twenties wit hall the desires and drives that come with it. What saved Joseph from falling into the pit of sexual temptation was not his will-power, it was two things:
Joseph was victorious because he had clarity. He was clear in his answer. When she said, "Come lie with me," he said, "No!"
When she tried to muddy the waters and provide the "perfect opportunity," Joseph was clear in his moral reasoning. You are someone else's wife.
Joseph was victorious because he had a deep concern for the Lord. "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
He loved God so greatly that he refused every natural urge and drive that he had. His drive was not pleasure, his drive was not success, his drive was not a desire for power or riches or influence. What ultimately drove Joseph to work hard, to have integrity, to honor his master, to refuse to give in to temptation was his love for the Lord and his desire to deepen his relationship with God. For this whole chapter we have seen repeatedly that "the Lord was with Joseph," and we will see it yet again before we finish. Joseph held in higher regard the presence of God in his life than his own pleasure and prosperity, so he runs away from a situation that would draw him away from the presence of the Lord.
His desire for God would was more powerful than his desire for pleasure. He was more in love with God than he ever was with Mrs. Potiphar, or his own lust, or his desire for success.
Our actions have consequences. All of them do. Our good actions and our bad actions have consequences, and Joseph's actions here have consequences as well. Consequences that will push him toward another pit.
The Pit of Despondency [time: this can be left for Life Groups if needed]
Genesis 39:13-23 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
So Joseph runs, and as we just read, he suffers negative consequences for his righteous actions. And yet again, Joseph is thrust into a situation that is absolutely unfair.
Mrs. Potiphar has drummed up lies to get back at Joseph for not giving in to her, and it lands Joseph in prison. Joseph is not placed in an ordinary prison; he is thrown into a prison where the king's enemies are placed. These are people that have been determined to wish harm to the king. For many of them, their prison sentence will end in execution, and this is where Joseph finds himself after doing what was right.
Well known pastor, theologian, and author, Dr. Charles Stanley just passed away last week. One of the things that he was well known for was a series of lessons and sermons titled 30 Life Principles. These were and still are replayed on radio stations across the nation. He published a book with the same title, which I own. Also published were study Bibles that are based on these 30 life principles of which I own two: one in English and one in Spanish. In these sermons and books and studies, Dr. Stanley pointed out 30 principles from the Bible that would help Christians to better follow and understand God and deepen our relationship with Him. Of all the principles that he pointed out in the Bible, the one that has stuck with me the most is principle #2: Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
So many of us, if we were in the position in which Joseph was found, would give up. We would regret not having fallen for a temptation that would have brought us at least temporary pleasure. If the punishment was going to be prison anyway, right? Because that is what would have happened to Joseph had he gone through with an affair with Mrs. Potiphar.
The temptation that Joseph fights at this point in his life is the temptation of despondency; giving up, losing hope, throwing in the towel, losing faith in God. The temptation is to give up on God and just live life alone.
Because what is the point of obeying if you are just going to suffer unjustly anyway?
Remember Joseph's goal. It wasn't personal pleasure; it wasn't success or power or influence. His goal was first and foremost God's presence in his life.
So even when the consequences for his righteous actions were false accusations that landed him in prison, he may have lost prestige, status, influence, trust, freedom, and comfort, but he never lost the presence of God in his life.
Genesis 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Because he sought God above all things, he remained diligent and kept his integrity. And God gave Joseph favor in the eyes of the warden there. Regardless of status as a prisoner, prison is prison, especially when the end is likely to be execution. But Joseph valued the presence of God more than anything else in his life, up to and including his very life.
Invitation:
During our Life Group time we will discuss a little more in depth these pits. We've looked at three different pits that Joseph faced and as we begin our invitation, I want to address all three.
When the temptations of success come, you need humility. When the temptations of immorality come you need clarity. Clarity comes from the word of God, but you also need to have a desire for the Lord. You need to have a deep desire for God that crowds out everything and everyone else. That was Joseph's secret. That was his way of overcoming and avoiding these pits. Joseph had no church, no Bible, no dad looking over his shoulder, no Christian companions to help keep him accountable and encourage him, and he overcame temptations. We can over come too.
I will ask you to bow your head and close your eyes at this time. And maybe your here this morning and you are an up-and-comer among your peers. This could be in your workplace, at your school, among your friends. Maybe there is an area in your life that you are becoming successful or already have become successful. Perhaps the pitfalls of success are already beginning to present themselves: pride, arrogance, disdain for others who have not attained what you have. Is there anyone here that would say with an uplifted hand, "I see these things creeping in my life, subtly trying to trip me up and pull me into their pit. Would you pray for me?"
Perhaps you have already fallen into one of these pits, I would like to pray for you as well. Is there anyone?
Maybe the pit your are facing is a pit of sexual temptation. This is directed at everyone in this auditorium because this is a pit that will present itself multiple times throughout life starting in teen years and continuing all throughout adulthood. Is there anyone that would say, "I am facing that temptation in some way or another; would you pray for me?"
It starts with a thought, it starts with a look. Those thoughts, the Bible tells us, we are supposed to bring under subjection of Christ. We are to bring those thoughts about that neighbor, that coworker, that classmate, into subjection to Christ. This is when the battle is won or lost. It will be too late to try to develop a strategy of defense if you wait until your alone in a car or in an office that has suddenly become empty.
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Life Group Genesis 39
What are some unique temptations that can come with being successful?
What is the best way to fight those temptations according to Phil. 2:5-8?
Why should we have this attitude about us according to Phil. 2:15-16
Where do I get the strength to live in a Godly manner according to Phil. 2:13?
If my strength and ability to do what is right even when it is difficult comes from God, what does that say about how I should prioritize that relationship? I should be diligently seeking Him and loving Him daily. The desire for God should crowd out every other desire of my life.
How did the temptation from Potiphar's wife start out? Subtly
Could Joseph have let his guard down after the first overt temptation from Mrs. Potiphar? No
Why? Because it was a sustained temptation.
How was Joseph able to have victory over this temptation and avoid this pit?
It was NOT because he had strong willpower.
- He had clarity - He knew what was right and wrong and did not let circumstances or people change what he knew was truth - Sexual immorality is sin.
- He had a concern for the Lord. He was more concerned about what God would think of him than what others would think of him. He had more concern about continuing to have God's presence than fulfilling his own desires.
What gives us clarity in our walk with God according to Psalm 119:105?
What will help us defeat sin according to Psalm 119:11? Hiding God's word in our hearts. Not simply memorizing it, but guarding it, treating it like something special.
Why is sexual temptation so difficult to overcome? Because it is a battle won and lost in the mind before the temptation ever arrives. So often we fail to prepare for this temptation that when it comes, it we easily fall.
How can you prepare for temptation? Manipulating situations is not failsafe. There came a time in Joseph's temptation where everything was right for him to fall. We must prepare our hearts. We must cultivate a desire for God and his presence over anything else.
Have you ever done the right thing and still had a negative consequence? Explain.
How did it make you feel?
According to Romans 8:28-29, what can Christians confidently know about negative situations that come into our lives even as we are trying to be faithful?
1. God will work things for our good
2. The negative experience is being used by God to make us more like Christ
Even when things don't go as expected, why does God encourage us to continue doing right according to Galatians 6:9? We will reap rewards if we don't give up.
