“How To Have Victory Over Sin”

“How To Have Victory Over Sin” Genesis 39:1-12

Opening Remarks: Have enjoyed time. Thankful for the food and fellowship. You have a great staff. This is called a Revival. But there’s one thing that will keep VABC from experiencing Revival. SIN. You can’t be close to sin and close to a holy God at the same time. No matter how much you want Revival, if you can’t say No to sin, you’ll have to say No to Revival. So tonight I’d like to give you a practical look at How to Have Victory Over Sin. READ Gen. 39:1-12 PRAY Introduction: Walking around Stanton Lake this morning, Blue Heron, Fish, Swallowed it in about 2 seconds. What started as a perfectly normal day for that trout ended in destruction. It was just swimming along, enjoying the nice weather and BOOM! It was all over. I couldn’t help but think about sin in our lives as I watched that scene. So often we just float about unaware of what’s happening around us, and that’s when temptation strikes. What’s the area of your life in which you’re most likely to be tempted? Let me ask it this way - What’s your Blue Heron? We All Have Our Own Individual Temptations James wrote, “But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed.”

That phrase “his own lusts” means “idiosyncrasies.” An idiosyncrasy is something that is unique to you. It’s the way you walk or the way you pronounce certain words.

You also have idiosyncrasies when it comes to temptation. There are areas in your life where you’re most likely to trip up:

Anger - Is there a situation that consistently riles you up? Lust - You have an issue with protecting your eyes and mind. Bitterness - You’ve been hurt and can’t seem to forgive your offender. Money - It’s very important to you and could motivate many of your decisions if you let it.

It can be any number of things, but we need to take inventory of our lives and ask ourselves, “What area is most likely to trip me up? What’s my Blue Heron?”

The reason this is important is sin will not only keep us from Revival, sin will destroy us. James said when lust conceives, it brings forth sin and sin always brings forth death. If you don’t learn how to handle your temptation, your temptations will handle you. In order to help you in this fight, I’d like to look at Joseph’s life as a model example of how a person resists temptation.

Vs. 1 - After being sold to the Ishmeelites, Joseph is sold to a man called Potiphar in Egypt. Potiphar was a high-ranking Egyptian official, described as captain of the guard. He was powerful and important.

Vs. 2 - “And the Lord was with Joseph” The Lord was present with Joseph every step of the way. In a pit, not alone. In a palace, not alone. In a prison, not alone. No, never alone! That will play a very important role in our plan to resist temptation.

Vs. 2 - “He was prosperous” He had worked his way up in Potiphar’s house. He was trusted. He was successful. And it didn’t stop there.

Vs. 3-6a - Potiphar knew something was different about Joseph. It says, “He knew the Lord was with him.” Potiphar simply watched Joseph on a daily basis and could tell, “I can trust this kid.” Potiphar basically said, “Take care of my personal business.”

Vs. 6b - Joseph was goodly and well favoured. That means:

He was good looking and he was strong. Model looks and linebacker muscles. But he wasn’t all looks. He was a young man of conviction. He lived by certain firmly held beliefs.

Vs. 7 - Potiphar’s Wife - She sees this strapping young man and likes what she sees. She comes to Joseph saying, “Lie with Me.”

She was:

Beautiful - a man of Potiphar’s status likely married anyone he set his eyes on.

Influential - She was rich and beautiful and her husband was powerful. She had influence based on who she was.

Manipulative - Verses 11-18 give us the idea that she went after what she wanted and could play the victim if she had to.

Persistent - She came after Joseph day after day after day.

So when Joseph rebuffed Potiphar’s wife’s advances, she made a false accusation. She got the servants on her side. She blamed Joseph. She even blamed her husband for leaving her alone. Then she got her husband to turn against Joseph. And she makes herself look like the victim instead.

This represents sin in our lives:

It’s Appealing - It if wasn’t, we wouldn’t want it.

It’s Pleasurable - There is an element of enjoyment in the moment when it comes to sin.

It’s Persistent - Temptation never takes a break.

It’s Anonymous - No one will every know.

And most young men would have taken the bait and been snagged and reeled in. But Joseph, the 17 year old, was so convinced of truth that he withstood the advances.

Joseph fought against temptation with his mind, not his body. Our body isn’t enough to resist temptation. There are some things we need to know.

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

The battle against sin doesn’t begin with something we do. It begins with something we know.

Three Truths To Remember To Have Victory Over Sin:

1. God Is Present With Me

Vs. 2 “The Lord was with Joseph”

Vs. 3 “the Lord was with Him”

Vs. 21 “the Lord was with Joseph”

Every step of the way, the Lord was present with him

This is a comforting truth – When you feel alone, it’s comforting to know the Lord never leaves us or forsakes us. When you feel afraid, it’s comforting to know the Lord is always with us. He wants to help us every step of the way. It’s comforting.

But it’s also convicting – Because that means God sees everything we do. Psalm 139 “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”

Everywhere I go, God is with me.

He knows every thought I think

He hears every word I speak

He sees every place I go

He knows my motives

He’s been observing your life since you were conceived

Psalm 139:13 “For thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”

That means He sees when we’re tempted to sin. He knows when we say no and He knows when we say yes.

Jesus Christ is exposed to everything we look at. Everything we think. Every word we say under our breath. Every relationship we have that we think is safely hidden. The Holy Spirit sees it all.

When you’re confronted with sin, you must remind yourself of this first truth: God is present with me, therefore I will say no.

Action Step: “I will prioritize those things that remind me of God’s presence – His Word, His House, and Prayer.”

Too often we forget that God is watching. Illustration: 6th grade teacher who was really short. We were in the hallway and I said something about how mean she was to a friend, not realizing she was standing right next to me.

We get used to God’s presence, so we must daily engage in things that remind us of it.

2. God Has Provided For Me - vs. 9

God blessed Joseph. He’d put him in this position. It wasn’t much, but it came from God. So Joseph’s thought was “Why would I trade what God gave me for what God hasn’t given me?”

Here’s a truth that has helped me so many times when I want something I don’t have: God is good and His gifts are good enough for me.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

Good and perfect gifts means two things:

1. God gives good gifts.

2. God gives out of the best motives

James writes about that right after talking about how to resist temptation. His point is this: when you’re tempted, remember that God loves you and has given you what you need.

God is good, and His gifts are good enough for me.

It’s easy to be discontent with the things God gives us.

If only I had more talents.

If only I had better looks.

If only my spouse was different in these ways.

If only my car was newer.

If only, if only, if only. The “if only” mindset will make you start looking around for something different, and before you know, you’ll be chasing what God has not given you. That will put you in the mode of seeking something outside of what God has provided.

That’s like saying, “God isn’t good to me. His gifts aren’t enough for me.” If you seek something outside of God’s provision, you are effectively waving your finger at God and saying, “You’re not enough for me. I need something else.” Don’t buy into the idea that you need something more. If God gave it to you, it’s all you need.

God is good, and my family is good enough for me.

God is good, and my talents are good enough for me.

God is good, and my job is good enough for me.

God is good, and my spouse is good enough for me.

Fill in the blank. Too often, it is discontentment that leads us to sin. Learn to be content with God’s gifts.

Truth: “God has provided for me, therefore I will say no.”

Action Step: “I will spend time daily thanking God for His good gifts.”

How to have victory over sin:

God is present with me, therefore I will say no.

God has provided for me, therefore I will say no.

3. God Has A Purpose For Me - 9c

God was on Joseph’s mind in the middle of His temptation. He was thinking more about God than whatever pleasure he could enjoy.

God had a better plan in store for Joseph than a moment of pleasure.

Remember Joseph’s dreams? God had revealed that He had big plans for Joseph. Joseph was going to be used in great ways. That’s what drove him. He had embraced God’s revealed will and plans for his life

So when Potiphar’s wife approached Joseph, it came down to this for him. “Why would I forfeit what God wants for my future so I can enjoy a few minutes today?”

Is a few minutes right now worth missing out on all that’s better later? Why would I trade the permanent for the temporary?

God’s future would have been forfeited if he’d have said yes to this sin. Joseph was operating on the “Greater Yes” principle

1 John 2:15-17 KJV

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

There are a lot of “no’s” in that passage. Sometimes the Christian life feels like a lot of “no’s.” But that passage ends with “He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” So the “no’s” aren’t about the “no’s.” They’re about the “Yes” which is doing the will of God. and abiding forever.

What John is saying is you accept the No of the moment (lust of flesh, eyes, and pride) so you can do the will if God. In other words, the yes is pleasing God. When you think of that as your yes, the no’s seem natural. A Christian accepts the “no’s” today so they can enjoy the “yeses” later.

You don’t know what God wants for your future. You don’t know what opportunities tomorrow holds. So don’t forfeit those for a moment of pleasure today. Embrace the NO today so you can enjoy the YES tomorrow.

The reason you say no to what’s in front of you is because something better is waiting.

Illustration: Waiting to kiss my wife till our wedding day. It was worth the wait!

Joseph said no because he believed God Had big plans for him. And God has big plans for you. That’s why you say no in the moment. Because saying yes would forfeit God’s purpose for your life. Sin forfeits what God wants to do. We miss out on Revival because we can’t say no to sin.

Truth: “God has a purpose for my life, therefore I will say no.”

Action Step: Write out what you would do for God if you had no limit on time or resources.

Dream big! Then recognize that saying yes to sin might forfeit all God wants to do with your life.

That sin could disqualify you from going to Bible College.

That sin could cost you your family.

That sin could send you to jail.

That sin could cost you your inner peace.

That sin could injure your testimony for good.

Forfeiting God’s purpose isn’t worth a moment of pleasure.

If you want to say No, learn these truths:

God is present with me.

God has provided for me.

God has a purpose for me

When temptation comes, if you will stop and rehearse those truths, you can stand as strong as Joseph.

Or you can keep doing what you’re doing. And forfeit something great. Here’s the hope: A renewed mind can transform you from a slave to sin into a victor over it.

If God is present with you, and God has provided for you, and God has a purpose for you life, you can say no to temptation. That’s what you know. Now look at what you can do. Notice what Joseph did in vs. 12.

RUN AWAY. GET OUT! LEAVE!

When sin shows up, do something that makes it impossible to sin.

It’s called the law of incompatible behavior.

If lust is your problem, trade your smart phone for a dumb phone.

If anger is your problem, go for a walk before you say something.

If anger drinking is your problem, pour it down the sink.

If gossip is your problem, say something nice instead.

When the Blue Heron shows up, don’t swim up to it. Get away!

Conclusion: Guy assaulting my wife and I at FRBC

That’s how sin is in your life. Some of you are so burdened down. You think you’ll never win. You’re weary. You’re discouraged. You’ve bought into the lie that you can’t have victory over your sin. Here’s your hope: You already have victory through Jesus Christ. He’s already won. And He’s already given it to you. It’s a matter of you deciding if you’ll claim it or not.

Three truths to have victory over sin:

I will say no because…

God is present with me.

God has provided for me.

God has a purpose for me.

Why? So you can say yes to God’s best for you life.