When Suduction Strikes

INTRODUCTION:

It was Oscar Wilde in his book “The Picture of Dorian Gray” who said that the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

Yielding to temptation is one way to deal with the desire it creates. But the fruit of temptation doesn’t always deliver on it’s promise.

We’ve been working through the book of Genesis as a congregation and we’ve seen the dynamic of temptation over and over again.

We saw it with Eve in the Garden of Eden - tempted by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit. (Gen 3:1-7)

We saw temptation in the life of Cain as he considered killing his brother. (Gen 4:3-8)

We see it before the flood where every human had a heart inclined towards evil. (Gen 6:5-8)

We see it after the flood with the tower of Babel. (Gen 11:1-9)

We saw it with Abraham presenting his wife as his sister. (Gen 12:11-13; 20:12-18)

We saw it with Sarah shortcutting God. (Gen 16:1-6)

We saw it with Lot in his choosing of Sodom (Gen 13:10-11)

We saw it in Sodom Lots wife turning back. (Gen 19:15-26)

We see it with Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Esau (Gen 27)

. We saw it between Rachel and Leah and all of Jacob’s children. (Gen 30; 37)

So is it really surprising to see the topic of temptation raise it’s ugly head yet once again?

No. It’s not. But in this case, what we learn about temptation is really really helpful.

Not only do we gain insight about how temptation comes, but also to deal with it and what happens when we do.

It was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said of temptation that Satan does not “fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.”

In the words of Romans 1 we exchange the creator of everything for a particular thing that he has made.

And that temptation comes on many different fronts.

There’s material temptation: a lust for material things.

There’s personal temptation: a lust for power or fame.

There’s sensual temptation: a lust for pleasure or escaping pain.

Setting the Table

Through each we are confronted with an sudden and intense desire to forget about God and elevate his creation over communion in his presence.

So how do we deal with temptation? What do we do when our response to temptation puts us in a mess?

That’s the question behind Genesis 39.

If you’ve been paying close attention you’ll know that the last time we were together we examined Genesis 37. Why am I skipping Genesis 38?

There are some commentators who say Genesis 38 is a scribal addition because it feels so out of place from the narrative about Joseph.

I don’t believe it’s a scribal addition and there are important connections between the actions of Judah and the overarching themes in Genesis.

I just think it better to address those issues later after we’ve had time to establish the life of Jospeh.

If you’re new to the story of Jospeh let me catch you up on the story so far.

Jospeh was the favored son of Jacob who had 11 other sons as well. Together they made up the 12 tribes of Israel.

Jacob’s favoritism of Jospeh - highlighted by the special robe he wore each day - created a hatred and jealousy so deep that at the first opportunity they sold him into slavery.

Genesis 38 closed with Jacob mourning the supposed death of his son and Jospeh being sold into slavery to Potiphar by the Midianites.

Potiphar served as the Pharaoh’s executioner. So Jospeh has been sold into a place of power and great authority.

God’s presence with Jospeh takes him from the bottom of a pit in Dothan to the top of Potiphar’s palace in Egypt.

Genesis 39:1–6 CSB

1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.

The Anatomy of Temptation

Last we left Jospeh he was 17 years old (Gen 37:2) and in the company of Midianite traders.

There is no mention of how much time transpires between Potiphar’s purchase of Joseph and his elevation to a place of authority.

My guess is that Potiphar was himself a perceptive guy. (You don’t become head executioner without some street smarts)

I’m sure Jospeh stood out like a sore thumb from the rest of the slaves because his hand didn’t have any callouses and he was wearing a fancy long sleeved robe.

Potiphar might’ve thought to himself, “here’s a privileged Jewish kid who probably has a decent education and might be useful beyond muscle and brute labor.”

We don’t know how Joseph proved himself or how long it might’ve taken but he gets elevated to a place of supreme authority.

When Temptation Comes

It leads us to the first truth to remember about temptation. To successfully resist temptation you’ve got to know when it’s likely to come.

Temptation is strongest in seasons of success!

Genesis 39:2 “The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man…”

It’s when things are going WELL that you’re MOST tempted to sin and forget about God.

When things are bad and you’re on your heels you’re much more likely to depend on the Lord.

But when your needs met and you’re sitting fat and happy - it’s really easy to forget about God.

It’s actually ironic. The fact that God was WITH JOSEPH was part of the reason that Potiphar elevated him to a place of authority. (Gen 39:3-4)

And so God’s blessing of Jospeh put him in a position to be tempted.

It reminds me of Jesus and his temptation in the wilderness.

Matthew says that Jesus was led BY THE SPIRIT into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. (Matthew 4:1)

Never that being blessed by God and doing the right thing makes you immune from the onslaught of temptation.

The temptations that accompany prosperity are far greater (and usually more subtle) than those that accompany adversity.

The blessing of God can take you to places that Satan schemes grow stronger instead of weaker.

When it feels like everything is going right resist the urge to believe your own press clippings.

Sober up and realize our greatest temptations often lie underneath our greatest success.

Responsibility & Trust

I really wrestled with this connection this week because of the moral failure of a pastor I respect. Why is success such a seedbed of temptation.

I believe the relationship is between responsibility and trust. With each promotion Joseph received, more and more was entrusted to his care. Greater authority brought greater responsibility and trust

My favorite definition of responsibility is “able to respond.”

If you’re responsible for something you’re not just able to respond but morally required to respond to threats against your trust.

The greater the trust you’re given the more vulnerable you become because there are more and more things that require you to respond.

Temptation exploits that vulnerability by decreasing your desire to respond as you should and increasing your desire to respond as you shouldn’t.

With an increase in responsibility (able to respond) comes an increase in vulnerability (ability to wound) and culpability (able to blame).

Success comes at a price. If you’re going to carry the load you better be able to respond to the threats against your trust.

Jospeh was entrusted with more and more of Potiphar’s stuff. With each responsibility came greater vulnerability.

He was entrusted with a financial stewardship.

He was entrusted with a people stewardship.

He was entrusted with stewardship of power and authority.

And at the end of verse six we see Joseph was a steward of good looks. Genesis 39:6 … “Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.”

Well-built and handsome? What does that mean? It means what you think it means. It means Joseph was a hunk.

The Bible only mentions the physical appearance of people every so often so when a positive comment is made it must’ve really been something.

And in some ways there’s nothing wrong with being handsome (or beautiful if you’re a lady). But, like success, it comes with it’s own unique temptations.

Joseph has power and potentially fame and added to that he’s the object of desire for many of the women he meets.

How Temptation Comes

One of those women was Potiphar’s wife.

Genesis 39:7 CSB

7 After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

That woman is obviously sexually liberated. (Egyptian women supposedly most of all among ancient cultures)

Notice the language “after some time.”

We don’t know how long that time was but I’d imagine it wasn’t overnight. Most sexual sin stews for a bit before it rears it’s ugly head.

It might’ve been she looked “longingly” at Jospeh because her own husband cared about nothing other than the food that he ate.

There are many women who - neglected by their husbands - begin to thirst for the affections they once received from their heart.

That in no way excuses Potiphar’s wife for her straightforward request.

But it is a warning to husbands but keep your own grass green so the other pastures don’t look so attractive.

Joseph’s response to this invitation is as direct and forward.

Genesis 39:8–12 CSB

8 But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?” 10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her. 11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

There is just so much here that we have to slow down and look at it from various angles.

Not only do we see how Joseph successfully resists temptation in these five verses, we also see how the temptation typically comes.

For the sake of simplicity I’ve boiled them down into three S’s.

Temptation comes surprisingly, strongly and secretively.

Or, if you’re not into alliteration you might say unexpectedly, intensely and discretely.

We’ll go with the second options for the sake of clarity.

Unexpectedly (Surprisingly)

First temptation comes unexpectedly/surprisingly.

Jospeh had his looks the entire time he was serving in Potiphar’s house but suddenly, out of nowhere, the temptation seems to arise.

When I think about the temptations that’ve surfaced in my life the temptations seem to come out of nowhere.

You don’t see them coming. That’s part of what makes compromise so easy to do.

In our passage it was “after some time” that his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph.

That meant there was a period of time when that wasn’t the case and therefore the relationship wasn’t marked by that kind of temptation.

Also notice that Jospeh had been successfully avoiding the advances of Potiphar’s wife but there was one particular day when the other servants didn’t happen to be in the house.

I’m sure her actions would’ve thrown Jospeh off by surprise. It was unexpected. Temptation comes as a surprise.

Should you have seen it coming you might’ve made better preparations.

People succumb to the temptation of power because of an overnight success.

People succumb to the temptation of greed because of a windfall of cash.

People succumb to the temptation of lust because they’d not previously been so desired.

People succumb to the temptation of anxiety/fear because they weren’t prepared for the day of trouble.

Intensely (Strongly)

But temptation doesn’t just come unexpectedly it also comes with a unique level of intensity and strength.

The greater the intensity the easier it is to cave. Every time you resist the next time gets a little stronger.

In our passage we can see the intensity grow with each verse.

First she says “Sleep with me” and Jospeh explains why he won’t.

After explaining his reasons she still comes to him day after day.

Even after resisting at that level she corners Joseph with nobody else around and physically “grabs his garment” so he’ll succumb to the temptation.

The thing about temptation, the longer you resist it the stronger the temptation grows.

In that way, Jesus has not only experienced temptation but he has experienced GREATER temptation than any one of us because in each of his temptations he resisted to the end.

This is why Oliver Wilde said the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.”

This is why Paul says where the law increases sin increases all the more.

The second you say something is forbidden that’s when your desire for it grows even stronger. It’s part of Satan’s strategy.

Don’t be so foolish to think you can entertain temptation without a drastic response. The longer you entertain it the stronger it will grow.

Discretely (Secretly)

The final attribute of temptation I see from this passage is temptation comes discretely or in secret.

Did you notice in our passage that Potiphar’s wife waits until they are all alone before she makes her final advance.

Before that she spoke with Jospeh day after day. Do you think she was having that convo in front of her husband?

No! It was as if to say, “Nobody else has to know, Joseph. Not my husband. Not anybody else.”

Temptation THRIVES in an environment of secrecy and isolation. Thats’ why it’s so important to bring your struggles with temptation into the light.

The longer you leave it in the dark the stronger it grows and the more likely it is to overpower your defenses.

In some ways, had Joseph not left her advances as an unspoken struggle he might not’ve suffered the fate that he does.

Application

Are there any secrets in your life that you hope nobody discovers?

You show me your secret and I’ll show you a current or future source of temptation.

If you have to ‘hide it’ then it’s an weakness Satan can exploit. Bring it into the light!

My spouse doesn’t meet my needs like you do.

We’re basically married in our hearts, who’s going to know.

It’s just this one time, it’ll never happen again.

Keep short accounts with the Lord and with the people who know you best.

Make yourself vulnerable to the people who can help you and hold you accountable.

What might’ve been different had Jospeh done those things. But he didn’t.

I want to close with a quotation about temptation from Bonhoeffer

“In our members there is a slumbering inclination towards desire which is both sudden and fierce. With irresistible power desire seizes mastery over the flesh. All at once a secret, smoldering fire is kindled… The lust thus aroused envelops the mind and will of man in deepest darkness. The powers of clear discrimination and of decision are taken from us.”

How Temptation Loses

The strongest temptations come in seasons of success and they’ll come surprisingly, strongly and in the secret areas of your life.

But no matter what temptation you face, it CAN BE RESISTED.

Joesph gives us a great example of how to resist temptation. I love the simplicity of verse 7.

“But he refused.” (Genesis 39:8)

Sometimes people don’t resist temptation because they think they can’t. You CAN! You’re not a victim!

No temptation has struck you that isn’t common to all of us. 1 Cor 10:13

1 Corinthians 10:13 CSB

13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

So how do we resist temptation when it comes upon us unexpectedly, grows with intensity and protects itself with secrecy?

Fortify Your Defense

Because temptation comes unexpectedly proactively fortify your defense.

Like most 20-30 year old men Joseph would’ve had a strong desire to engage in sexual intercourse but prior to this date he had developed an even stronger desire to be faithful to the LORD.

Passing a test isn’t hard if you study before the exam.

There are certain temptations you just know you’re going to face and so wisdom dictates what you educate yourself on the topic and fortify your defenses so you’re not needlessly vulnerable.

One of the things we know about Jospeh is that he was resolved in his commitment to trust the LORD.

He’s was no stranger to choosing the hard right over the easy wrong. He practiced an ongoing commitment to trusting God irrespective of his circumstances.

The best time to prepare yourself against sexual temptation is BEFORE the temptation comes.

The best time to keep yourself from FORGETTING GOD is while you’re in FELLOWSHIP with God and growing in grace.

Leverage the opportunities you have TODAY for the temptations that’ll come tomorrow.

This past weekend during the men’s retreat one of the exercises we went through was identify areas of ongoing struggle for the lives of most men and addressing those struggles with the truth of Scripture.

David said “I’ve hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin against you.”

Stop living as if temptation will never visit your house because it will. It’ll come and it’ll come unexpectedly. Don’t be foolish. Make good use of the time you have today to speak the truth in love.

Identify The Pretense

The second thing Joseph does to resist this temptation is identify the pretense behind the seduction.

Every temptation comes with a lie to be believed.

Temptation is unbelief wrapped in a pretty package.

On the surface Potiphar’s wife was saying, “Sleep with me” But underneath Satan was saying, “You do everything else for Potiphar you might as well take care of his wife as well.”

Go ahead, Joseph. You deserve it. You’ve earned it.

Jospeh refused to let himself believe the lie.

Genesis 39:9 CSB

9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?”

Notice how Jospeh reminds himself of important core truths:

I’m responsible for my master’s house.

I’m forbidden from my master’s wife.

To have you would be an evil act.

He refuses to let himself believe the lies that she/Satan was selling.

It’s important to remember that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Temptation to sin always comes with a compelling reason. Cut through the pretense and deal with what’s underneath.

Evaluate the Expense

The other thing Jospeh does that helps him resist temptation is evaluate the expense of a moral compromise.

Love is the greatest motivator but right next to it is a thing called FEAR.

Whether love or fear when it comes to fighting against the intense desires that temptation solicits you must combat it with an equally great or greater desire.

So consider what would happen if you allowed temptation to sin.

He reminds himself in verse 8 that his master put “everything he owns under my authority. No one in this house is greater than I am.” (Gen 39:8-9)

One of my mentors used to say, “30 minutes of the best sex with the most attractive woman in the world in no way compares to the decades of misery and pain that adultery inflicts on your family.”

In addition to losing my wife and my children I would also lose my job and harm the reputation of King Jesus.

You fight desire with desire. The desire to keep what you have will often outweigh the desire for what you don’t if put things in proper perspective.

There is so much at stake when it comes to temptation.

It’s a violation of trust that harms those around you.

Because temptation comes unexpectedly you need to fortify your defenses. Because it comes strongly you need to cut through the pretense and fight desire with desire.

Evaluate just how much a moral compromise would cost you should the Lord be righteous in revealing your sin for what it is.

Crystalize the Offense

The next reason I think Jospeh was able to resist temptation is because he crystalized the party who would be MOST OFFENDED by his sin: the LORD.

Genesis 39:9 “…So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?””

Crystalize the offense.

The most offended party anytime we sin is always the Lord.

In this case, the Lord would’ve incurred multiple offenses because the adultery would’ve violated a marriage designed by God, taken from Potiphar who was made in God’s image and violate his wife possessing the same.

That doesn’t even factor in the way that Jospeh’s sin would’ve disrupted God’s plan for Joseph’s own life.

When you remember that God is the most offended party when you succumb to temptation the secretive power of temptation loses it’s force.

There are not secrets with God! He knows all and one day all will be exposed by the light of his glory.

Make No Allowance

The last thing Jospeh does to deal successfully with temptation is he makes NO ALLOWANCE for the temptation to abide.

When Potiphar’s wife made the initial request he shut it down quickly and decisively.

With each day that she persisted he remained steadfast in his rejection.

Finally, when she corners him and grabs his garment, he runs as fast as in can in the opposite direction.

When it comes to sexual temptation in particular the Bible says “Flee!” (1 Cor 6:18; 2 Tim 2:22)

Avoid even the appearance of impropriety. (Eph 5:3)

Paul says “make no provision for the flesh to gratify it’s desires.” (Rom 13:14)

Jesus said if your right eye/hand causes you to sin “cut it out/off!” (Matthew 5:29-30)

Do not be gentle with your emotions. Feeling are manipulative and will lead you astray. Mind over heart!

Better to lose your job then your soul. Better to lose a friend than your marriage and family.

Better to lose the contract than your reputation.

Better to have an awkward conversation then stop talking all together.

Make no allowance for temptation to fester.

Why? The longer you tolerate it the stronger it will grow.

The Fallout of Resistance

So Joseph resists the temptation to sin against Potiphar by denying his wife the sensual pleasure she desires.

Scorned by his rejection Potiphar’s wife decides to take Jospeh down through a lie.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Genesis 39:13–20 CSB

13 When she saw that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “my husband brought a Hebrew man to make fools of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.” 16 She put Joseph’s garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me, 18 but when I screamed for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.” 19 When his master heard the story his wife told him—“These are the things your slave did to me”—he was furious 20 and had him thrown into prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.

Did you notice the repetition of the word “Scream?” I think her original scream was one of anger and rejection but now she turns to tables to twist the narrative in her favor.

First she goes and establishes the narrative with other ear witnesses. They wouldn’t have seen the exchange proving Joseph’s innocence but they would’ve heard her scream verifying her evidence.

What she explains to the household servants she repeats to her husband when he gets home.

Notice how the wife dehumanizes Jospeh at every point. Never once using his name. This slave. This Hebrew. This Hebrew slave.

Once Potiphar hears the allegations and sees the coroborating evidence he becomes filled with anger and has Joseph thrown into prison.

Some suggest Potiphar didn’t really believe his wife and his anger was over losing his best servant.

If that is true, Potiphar is a weak and cowardly man. But it wouldn’t surprise me given the woman’s character.

As the chief executioner he could’ve had Jospeh killed for the accusation made against him. But he doesn’t.

He has Joseph thrown into a prison with the “king’s prisoners.” I’m assuming this prison was a little higher class than other prisons.

So Jospeh is wrongly accused, tried and punished for sins he didn’t commit.

Sounds very similar to another Jewish man who suffered for the sins of others.

Trust God With The Consequence

In resisting temptation you must trust God with the consequence.

There was not much Joseph could do about the narrative that had been established.

And that might happen to you as well. Jesus said Matthew 5:11-12

Matthew 5:11–12 CSB

11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jospeh was there in prison. But he was never alone.

Just as the Lord was with Jospeh on the mountain top of success. He was also with Jospeh in the bottom of the prison.

Genesis 39:21–23 CSB

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor with the prison warden. 22 The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph’s authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. 23 The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him, and the Lord made everything that he did successful.

Jospeh is going to be left in this prison for an extended period of time. Taylor’s going to talk about it next week.

What would you have done. Would you have gotten angry with God and protested the results?

What good would that have done? Jospeh knew his life was a stewardship before God and no matter where he was placed the Lord would be with him.

I know it’s easy to grow discouraged when you suffer for doing the right thing.

Do not grow weary in doing good. God will reward you. It will come if you do not give up.

But sometimes the reward God gives comes in a package were not fully ready to accept.

Conclusion

Just because you resist temptation doesn’t mean you’ll escape all suffering.

Remember our Lord as he was tempted in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Father, if it be your will, let this cup pass from me.”

But, not what I will but yours be done.

Sometimes it is God’s will for us to suffer for doing right so that we can accomplish his redemptive purposes as our Lord did on the cross.

He resisted temptation perfect at every point. And yet he suffered and died for you and for me.

We feel 1/10 of the temptation and cater to the pressure. It’s because Jesus knew we wouldn’t persevere that he persevered in our place.

If it can happen to him then it can happen to you.

But if his Spirit LIVES in you then you can resist temptation.

You’re not here by mistake. God has you here today for a reason. What are the temptations you’re facing in life?

Have you allowed your success make you blind to your weakness and Satan’s schemes?

Have you been making allowance for the flesh to gratify it’s desires?

If so, Jesus died so you could be forgiven of that sin and it’s power no longer dominate your life!

Will you walk in the freedom his grace can provide?