Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. Genesis 39:6-12 NLT
Satan took his best shot at tripping Joseph up but Joseph wouldn’t waiver. Day after day, he was faced with the same temptation. That’s how Satan works, he keeps coming back, keeps the pressure on, and hopes he will eventually wear you down. So how did Joseph stand so strong and avoid falling into sin? And more importantly, what can we learn from Joseph that will help us do the same?
First, he kept his eyes on the bigger picture. This was not just about his relationship with this woman, this act would effect his relationship with Potiphar and more importantly his relationship with God. When Satan is trying to lore you into sin, he is hoping you will focus only on the temptation in front of you and forget how your actions effect everyone else. The narrative says that “no one else was around when he went in to do his work.” If he had focused on his own desire, he could have easily convinced himself that he could enjoy the moment without anyone knowing, without hurting anyone. That’s a lie Satan will sell you every time.
Secondly, it says, “he kept out of her way as much as possible.” We need to be smart enough to stay as far away from temptation as possible. There are people, places, situations and things we need to avoid if we want to keep from falling into sin. It really is that simple. Evaluate your own weaknesses, and adjust accordingly. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re strong enough to play with fire without getting burnt!
It also says “she demanded, but Joseph refused.” If you back up a few chapters in the book of Genesis to read about the life of Joseph you’ll learn that when he was just 17 years old, his brothers hated him because he was his father’s favorite. Their hatred was so strong that they plotted together to throw him in a cistern and leave him there to die, but when a caravan of Midianite traders came by, they decided instead to sell Joseph to the traders. He was taken to Egypt and sold as a slave to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. That’s how he had gotten there in the first place. If anyone had reason to be angry and bitter, it was Joseph! Yet he had determined that he would not sin against God! Have you made that same determination? Have you expressed that to God and asked for His help in following through with it? When sin is demanding that you participate, you will not have the strength to refuse unless you have already resolved in your heart that you will not sin against God.
Notice there is no rationalization in Joseph’s mind. He could have easily blamed God because He allowed him to be sold into slavery. Or he could have blamed the situation in general, after all, he was just a slave, what else could he do but obey the wife of his master? And he certainly could have blamed Potiphar’s wife, she was relentless in her pursuit. But Joseph knew that he alone was accountable for his decisions. There is no justification for sin, period.
Lastly, it says, “he ran from the house.” There is something to be said for running away from sin! It’s not enough to casually walk away, sometimes we need to run in the opposite direction! Let’s not miss this point, sin had a grasp on him, and he “tore himself away.” Instead of giving into it, he fled from it! He didn’t care that she still had his cloak. Regardless of what he had to leave behind, he determined he would not sin against God, and with urgency, he removed himself from all temptation!
Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Amos 5:14 NLT