By Allen J. Huth, President of the Ezra Project |
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner; love is in the air! The Old Testament character Joseph didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day for two reasons: it didn’t exist, and he was unmarried. Single, he encountered sexual temptation, like singles do today. We can learn much from his behavior about how to successfully resist temptation based on tests God led him through before he faced sexual temptation.
Lie with me! Lie with me! Lie with me! “And as she spoke to Joseph day after day he would not listen to her” Genesis 37:10 ESV. People are always tested. Preparation comes before the temptation. Before Joseph ended up in Potipher’s house with his wife, God prepared him by testing him.
Test One – Dreams. At 17 years old, Joseph had a dream of his brothers and even his parents bowing down to him. Do you dream? What do you remember from your dreams? Joseph saw people bowing down to him. Pride is a test for all of us. Watch out! His brothers wanted to kill him for his dreams. Will pride lead you to sexual temptation? Will you fall or stand?
Test Two – The Pit. His brothers stripped Joseph of his identity, his robe of many colors, and threw him in a pit. The pit was empty. What is your identity? If God wants to take it away, or wants to reshape it, will you come up empty? Or can you willingly empty yourself and live for God so you can conquer sexual temptation?
Test 3 – Sold. “They drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit and sold him” Genesis 39:28 ESV. Sold as what? Sold as a slave. Are you willing to be sold spiritually? Are you ready to “sell out” to Jesus, so you can resist temptation, serve Him and others, rather than exploit others for your own pleasure?
Test 4 – Success. In Potipher’s house, Joseph was successful. “The Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man” Genesis 39:2 ESV. “The Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands” Genesis 39:3 ESV. When you set aside pride, trade in your self-identity for God’s robe of righteousness, and sell your soul, not to the devil, but to the King of kings and Lord of lords, you are prepared to successfully resist sexual temptation!
Lie with me! Lie with me! Lie with me! “And as she spoke to Joseph day after day he would not listen to her” Genesis 37:10 ESV. You will be tested. Day after day, your spirit will be tested by voices of your pride, your identity, and the self you traded in for God’s robe of righteousness. Like Joseph, you cannot listen! You have been battle-tested . . . stand firm against sexual temptation!
“The Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands” Genesis 39:3 ESV. “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor” Genesis 39:21 ESV.
Seek steadfast love from the Lord by overcoming sexual temptation.
Lord, thank You for the guidance I need from Your Word. Thank You for testing me in my past to prepare me to resist today’s temptations. Holy Spirit, help me resist sexual temptation like Joseph did. Grant me your steadfast love and your favor. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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