When Temptation Strikes, Stop and Think

When Temptation Strikes, Stop and Think

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: When Temptation Strikes, Stop and Think -------------------
Keywords: “temptation” “think”
Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.

Passage: Genesis 39:1-9*

1. Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there.

2. And the LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.

3. Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge.

5. And it came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.

6. So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

7. And it came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

8. But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge.

9. "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?"

Questions

1. How might viewing sexually explicit images affect your view of women?

2. I submit to you that Joseph's temptation was greater than looking at porn on the Web. How was he able to remain pure?

Practical help

The book of Genesis is a book of beginnings; the beginning of the universe, the beginning of marriage, the beginning of sin, the beginning of society, the beginning of the people of God.

In Genesis 39 we have the beginning of something else. There, for the first time in Scripture, we find a man facing — and successfully resisting — sexual temptation.

Notice how Joseph was able to resist the temptation to commit sexual sin. He thought!

He thought about Potipher's trust in him.

He thought about the fact that Potipher's wife's suggestion was evil. Note he even stated out loud that it was evil.

He thought about God's presence. How could he sin the God's sight?

The same God who stood with Joseph, stands with you today. You have what it takes to resist temptation.

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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."