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Joseph – Lessons In Resisting Temptation Genesis 39

Joseph – Lessons In Resisting Temptation Genesis 39. Top temptations (2011 Study) 60% - Worrying or being anxious 60% - Procrastinating or putting things off 55% - Eating too much 44% - Spending too much time on media 41% - Being lazy 35% - Spending more money than they could afford

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Joseph – Lessons In Resisting Temptation Genesis 39

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  1. Joseph – Lessons In Resisting TemptationGenesis 39 • Top temptations (2011 Study) • 60% - Worrying or being anxious • 60% - Procrastinating or putting things off • 55% - Eating too much • 44% - Spending too much time on media • 41% - Being lazy • 35% - Spending more money than they could afford • 26% - Gossiping about others • 24% - Being jealous or envious of others • 18% - Viewing pornography or sexually explicit material • 11% - Abusing alcohol or drugs

  2. Why give in to temptations? • 50% - I am not really sure • 20% - To escape or get away from "real life” • 8% - To feel less pain or loneliness • 7% - To satisfy other people's expectations • What temptations are you struggling with that you often tend to give in to? • What are you actively doing to resist these temptations that lead to sin?

  3. Joseph – far away from his family; isolated in a foreign country in the middle of a foreign culture  a slave – with no rights – no privileges • We see Joseph demonstrate resolve to make the best of the situation he finds himself in. • Joseph “When life serves you lemons, make lemonade! • Genesis 39:2 [NIV] – “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered.”

  4. As Joseph experienced, with success comes a greater measure of responsibility but it also leads to great times of vulnerability. • We are more open to attacks by the evil one and these attacks can come in the form of temptations that entice us to fall into sin. • Satan wants to try to discourage believers, to deflate us, to get us to stumble.

  5. 1. The Characteristics of Temptation: • a. It can be unexpected. • Joseph had everything going for him – power, influence, the confidence of his master • At the height of Joseph’s success, temptation arose ready to destroy everything God had blessed Joseph with. • Temptation can strike at any time. •  When things were going well. •  When things are not going so great.

  6. Survey respondents (Discipleship Journal): • Temptation more potent when… • they had neglected their time with God (81%) • they were physically tired (57%) • Temptation came from an unexpected source. •  Joseph finds himself facing the seductive advances of his master’s wife.

  7. b. It can be persistent. • v.9 – Potiphar’s wife continued to hound him day after day to sleep with her. • When we face temptation to sin, resisting it once will NOT be the end. • Satan, the tempter, keeps pushing and pushing because he wants us to fall.

  8. c. It can be opportunistic. • Temptation looks for opportunities weakness. • Temptation strikes where we are most vulnerable: • a desire for power • a weakness for money • a desire for sensual pleasure • wanting other people’s approval

  9. James 1:13–15 (NIV) When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. • Temptation does not come from God. • Temptations lead to sin when we allow our own evil desires take control of us. • Temptation itself is not sin. • When we give in to temptations by letting our own sinful desirescontrol our behaviour, we will fall.

  10. 2. Lessons on How to Resist Temptation • a. Be decisive against it • How did Joseph respond to temptation? • Genesis 39:8 (NIV) - But he refused. • 1 Corinthians 6:18 [NIV] – FLEE sexual immorality. • 1 Corinthians 10:14 [NIV] – FLEE idolatry. • When you face a temptation that tries to lure you to sin… • Run from it!

  11. b. Recognize yielding to it as sin • Genesis 39:8,9 (NIV) - “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care…My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” • To be tempted is not a sin • To give in to temptation – that’s when sin takes place.

  12. Have I lost the recognition that to yield to temptation is to sin against God? • We have stopped identifying sin for what it is. • When I am tempted to be… • ungrateful • lazy • a gossip etc… • and I give in to the temptation, I am sinning against others and God himself.

  13. c. Be proactive to avoid it • How can we proactively avoid temptation? • 1 Peter 5:8–9 (NIV) - Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. • Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” • Staying away from situations we know feed our weaknesses.

  14. Joseph was walking with God • Galatians 5:16 (NIV) So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. • Discipleship Journal Survey: • Respondents avoided temptation through… • 84% - prayer • 76% - avoiding compromising situations • 66% - Bible study • 52% - by being accountable to someone.

  15. We are not alone to defend ourselves against temptation. • God is on our side and promises to help us. • 1 Corinthians 10:12–13 (NIV) So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

  16. God will always provide a way for you to escape giving into temptation that will lead you to sin. • When Satan attacks - refuse to give in • When subtle suggestions to sin enter our mind  call it like it is and stand firm to refuse to sin against God and one another • Avoid temptation by being busy doing God’s work  walking in the Spiritso that we don’t get side tracked and open up ourselves to temptation.

  17. Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness where Satan tried to get him to deviate from God’s redemption plan for us. • Aren’t you glad he resisted the temptation and remained faithful to God’s will? • Hebrews 4:15–16 (NIV) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

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