Joseph: How to Overcome Temptation

Joseph: How to Overcome Temptation

Westhill Community Church

27 October 2024

Reading: Genesis 39: 1-23

This morning we are continuing with the story of Joseph, considering what happened to him after his brothers sold him into slavery. In particular we are going to look at the part that temptation played in Joseph’s story, and consider what lessons we can learn to help us deal effectively with temptation.

The Divine Plan

But first, I’d like us to step back a little to put the story of Joseph in context. Let’s zoom out, as it were, to look down at the story of the human race, from the first days of creation right up to the time when God’s heavenly kingdom is fully established. The Bible tells us that God had a plan, a purpose, from the very beginning. A purpose that involved Joseph and his family; a purpose that involves us today. In the first chapter of his letter to the church at Ephesus Paul refers to this plan.

For he chose us in [Christ] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship … predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we … might be for the praise of his glory. (Eph 1: 4-12)

God’s purpose was to create those whom he would one day adopt as his own family, loved and cherished as his very own, destined to inherit all he possessed, who would share in revealing his glory. And in his infinite wisdom those he selected to play a vital part this glorious plan were weak, feeble, frail, insignificant human beings, like you and me.

Mysterious to Angels

We know that the angels could not understand it. Those glorious, powerful beings used by God to carry out his will, this plan was a mystery to them. Later in his letter to the Ephesians Paul wrote that God’s intention is

To make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God … His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. (Eph 3: 9-11)

Those powerful and wise angelic beings, the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, they haven’t fully understood God’s purpose says Paul. It has been a mystery, understood by God alone. But now, through the coming of Jesus Christ, this eternal purpose has been revealed to them as well as to us.

Satan the Adversary

And one angel in particular could not understand the mystery of God’s purpose and plan, and in his pride he set himself to oppose it. The angel referred to in scripture as Lucifer, Son of the Morning, but now called Satan, the Adversary.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! … For thou hast said in thine heart, … “I will be like the most High”. (Isa 14: 12-14)

Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10: 18)

From the time of his fall Lucifer, Satan, has set himself to oppose God’s purposes in gathering a people for himself, to be a holy family with whom he will dwell forever. From enticing Adam and Eve to disobey God in the Garden of Eden through to promoting so much evil in the world today, Satan seeks to ruin and destroy those whom God seeks to redeem and make holy.

Satan’s Tactics

Satan uses many diverse tactics to carry out his evil purposes: he deceives; he tempts; he destroys; he devours; and he uses others, including you and me if we are foolish enough to fall for his deceptions. He will use any means available to deter us from following God’s ways.

Does it surprise you that Abraham’s descendants were so dysfunctional, and strayed so often into evil ways? Well, we shouldn’t be surprised. God had said to Abram, “I will bless you and make you a blessing,” and Satan determined then and there to do his utmost to wreck that scheme, to make them a curse, rather than a blessing.

So, he tempted Abraham, and enticed him to cast out Hagar, the woman who had dutifully borne his oldest son, along with that son, Ishmael, himself. He didn’t send them to an alternative safe dwelling place, or even send a company of servants with them to care for them and defend them. He cast them out alone into a desert place, with only the prospect of death by starvation or worse to fill their minds. What kind of person does that? The answer is the kind like you and me that succumbs to the deceitful lies and persuasion of Satan the Adversary.

Or what about the sons of Jacob, who on hearing that a lad from a nearby town had slept with their sister Dinah and now wanted to marry her, even while their father Jacob was discussing how to resolve the matter with the lad’s father, planned vengeance on everyone in that town, and proceeded to murder all the men, kidnap all the women and children, and carry off all their possessions as plunder. Jacob said to his sons, “You have made me obnoxious to the people of this land” (Gen 34: 30). A blessing? Far, far from it! What kind of people do that? The answer is the kind like you and me that succumb to the deceitful lies and persuasion of Satan the Adversary.

Satan’s Strategy

Satan’s strategy is to concentrate his attacks on where they will be most effective. Those who are called by God to follow him, who hear and respond to that call and seek to live in a way that will glorify him and fulfil his will, those people are the first in line for Satan’s subtle and insidious attacks. People who readily do Satan’s bidding he doesn’t need to spend much time on. But those who seek to do God’s will, who follow Jesus, and who try to encourage others to follow him too, those are the ones Satan concentrates on. And that includes you and me if we are followers of Jesus.

Do not be surprised when church leaders are exposed for their shortcomings. It is generally not that they are more inclined to sin than the rest of us, but often because they are regularly experiencing the relentless attacks of the enemy. We often pray for church leaders that they may have increased wisdom, and be filled with God’s Holy Spirit and proclaim his word fearlessly; and so we should. But we need to pray just as much, if not more, that they may be strengthened to resist Satan’s frequent attacks, and be given grace to stand firm.

Now Satan loves to discover our weak spots, in order to put pressure on them. I can’t be certain about Joseph’s weak spots, but my guess is, with ten brothers older than he was, he longed for positive affirmation, and to be re-assured that he mattered, and indeed was important. Maybe that’s why he was so quick to recount his dreams to his brothers instead of wisely keeping them to himself. And maybe that’s why he loved ornate coats, that made him look special and distinguished him from others. It’s revealing, isn’t it, that in the cases of two individuals who had authority over Joseph – his father last week and Potiphar this week – when shown a coat they immediately responded, “that’s Joseph’s!” I think he loved wearing distinctive coats, that re-assured him that he mattered and had something special to offer.

Certainly Joseph worked hard in Potiphar’s service to be seen as one who was reliable and needed. And he reaped the reward for his hard work, being affirmed and promoted by Potiphar. And then came the test: subtle in some ways, but also quite blatant. You’re a great guy, Joseph, said Potiphar’s wife one day. You do things well. We’re lucky to have you. Everyone likes you. And I like you too, very much indeed. Let’s spend some time having fun together and I’m sure I’ll like you even more! You won’t regret it!

But look at Joseph’s response! He might have said, “I live by a code of conduct and the behaviour you suggest would involve breaking the rules, so no thank you.” He might have said, “That would be taking advantage of my master, and that would be unfair, so no thank you.” But he actually said, “This is something God doesn’t want me to do, so I won’t do it, however many times you press me!”

So this brings us to the first principle for overcoming temptation.

Principle 1: always put your relationship with God first.

The passage tells us that this temptation came to Joseph relentlessly day after day. He had ample opportunity to think through the pros and cons, and quite possibly persuade himself that it was in his best interests to comply. But by constantly re-affirming to himself that his relationship with God was paramount he would have saved himself much anxious thought.

The story of Joseph continues to illustrate another way that Satan attacks those seeking God’s kingdom and his righteousness. If he can’t get you to compromise on your relationship with God then he will seek to make you pay a price for your faithfulness. So it was that out of spite and malice Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph, and he suffered severe consequences. By seeking to act righteously Joseph’s position was now far worse than ever before. From a human perspective the only positive thing was that Joseph was no longer being tempted by Potiphar’s wife, but whether he counted that as a blessing is doubtful.

And this brings us to our second principle for overcoming temptation.

Principle 2: always trust God to protect you.

1 Corinthians 10: 13 tells us

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.

(1 Cor 10: 13)

God provided a way out for Joseph, but it must have seemed a bit like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. It must have seemed to him as though he had taken a massive step backwards. Yet, unbeknown to him, Joseph was now but one stepping stone from Pharaoh’s palace.

1 Peter 1: 4-6 tells us

You … through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time … though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Pet 1: 4-6)

When we look at our circumstances, our trials, incapacities, sufferings, or we look on those that others around us endure, Satan will tempt us to doubt God’s love and protection, or his purposes for our lives. He will even tempt us to doubt God’s very existence. But he has been a liar from the beginning, and the truth is that God leads, nurtures, guards, protects, provides and sustains until he has accomplished all his marvellous purposes for us. He allows the storms to toss us about. And just as a tree endures the storm and comes through it with unhealthy branches broken off and healthy branches made even stronger, so we, whom God describes as “oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord” (Isa 61:3) are refined and purified by the trials that God allows to come our way in his loving mercy and grace.

Psalm 46

Psalm 46 reminds us of this incredible provision of God’s protection and power in a most stirring way. Over ten years ago as I read this psalm I thought about the wonderful music of Pietro Mascagni in his Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavalleria Rusticana, and was stirred to set a paraphrase of the psalm to the music. I didn’t know at the time that Mascagni’s intention when composing this piece of music was symbolize the peace experienced by Christian believers who were attending church in a Sicilian village one Easter morning.

God is our strength, our help in time of trouble,

Therefore we will never fear.

Though the earth quake

Even though mountains tremble,

Our God is with us – in his refuge we will not be moved

Though the sea roar (we’ll not fear)

And the earth quake (not despair)

Our God is with us – in his refuge we will not be moved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gxHMYrs-gM

Psalm 46 ends with the moving words, “Be still and know, be still and know that I am God.”

So this brings us to our third principle for overcoming temptation.

Principle 3: always trust God to provide all you need.

Our circumstances may be such that it seems as if we are going to lose out in a massive way if we remain faithful to God. In the workplace we may be tempted to compromise ethically in order to secure a promotion. In the political arena we may be tempted to compromise on certain principles in order to gain support. But our confidence must always be in God’s power and provision, not in appointment panels or popular support.

Of course sometimes the things we long for and hope for are not simply improvements in lifestyle and wellbeing. Many of our basic desires have fundamentally to do with survival, whether it is desire for food and water, sleep, warm clothing, accommodation, companionship and affection, and so on. Jesus spoke very directly to his followers about such matters.

So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt 6: 31-33)

Satan comes to us with a different message. He seeks to persuade us that if we don’t grab what we can when we can, regardless of the consequences, then we will lose out. “You have to fulfil yourself and your own needs and desires,” he says. Jesus says, the only thing we need to grab with both hands and hold on tightly to is every opportunity he gives us to advance God’s kingdom and extend his righteousness.

Finally, the catch-all principle.

Principle 4: put on the full armour of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

(Eph 6: 10,11)

Paul reminds us of the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the word of God, and prayer in the Spirit.

When you are making choices, ask God to show you: does this advance truth, is it righteous, is it consistent with the gospel, does it promote peace, is it an outcome of salvation, does it align with the word of God?

By so doing you will be enabled to perceive and resist the devil’s schemes. James tells us that when we draw near to God in this way he draws near to us, and as we resist the devil he will indeed flee from us. (James 4: 7,8)