Sometimes the Best Strategy
Is to Sprint Away from Temptation!

A Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply


Title: Sometimes the Best Strategy Is to Sprint Away from Temptation!
Keywords: "fleeing" "Potiphar's wife" "temptation"
Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.

Passage: Genesis 39:11-12*

11. Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.

12. And she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.

Question

In verse 12 above, how long did Joseph think things over before fleeing Potiphar's wife?

 

Practical help

Notice that Joseph was minding his own business when temptation came upon him. He actually went into the house to do his work and found none of the safeguards in place (no one else was home) to protect him against the advances of Potiphar's wife. She boldly propositioned him: "Lie with me!"

Have there ever been times when you have been surprised by the appearance of sexually explicit material on your computer? Have you ever received unsolicited advertisements on the Web? What was your initial reaction to that advertisement that sought to "reach out and touch you"?

There may have been other temptation scenes like this you have encountered in your life, some of which you have handled successfully and others not? What made the difference?

Notice Joseph's actions when he was tempted by Potiphar's wife. He didn't hesitate, but immediately ran away. This tells us two things. One, he had a plan in place before the temptation happened. Two, he was determined to stick by his plan.

What is your plan, should you encounter porn on the Internet? What will you do if while innocently cruising the Net you "happen" upon an enticing Web site? The surefire way to avoid getting caught is to follow Joseph's lead: Have a plan and follow it.

Take the space below to write out your plan. This is what you intend to do should you encounter sexual temptation on the Web.

My Plan:

 

 

If we would stand firm against the daily lure of Internet pornography we must have a battle plan already in place. Each time before we log on, we should determine that we will not view explicit material. If it appears (or if temptation appears) we will click away from it, log off, disconnect, turn off the computer or run out of the room to avoid it!

We can stand firm. We can be a Joseph.


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*Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

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