Temptation

All temptation will begin with the eye.  It will take hold and secretly entice the soul, rendering a false security because of the nature of its deceit.  Temptation is both an inward and outward problem, therefore, it has a dual attack mode.  It begins within and is brought to the surface by stimulation from without.  It has a progressive nature.  It is crafty and works constantly by degrees. Then, after wearing down by degrees the subject, it pounces violently, openly, suddenly without shame, without warning, without mercy.  The result is open submission to all manner of sin whereby the tempted then becomes the tempter.

"Lie with me Joseph and shame your master and defile yourself."

Potiphar’s wife failed to make a covenant with her eyes as Job 31 would teach us.  She had no strength over her own lusts.  She was captive to it.  She was ignorant as well as to her weakness with sexual temptation.  She was void of wisdom.  She was void of discretion.  Therefore, her heart was fully set to do wickedness.

Principal: Temptation is fully set and bent on doing wickedness and it will achieve it's goal at any price.

Not only did she not avoid every and all appearance of evil, she was blind to the evil itself and entered in to all evil imaginable, in order to snare her prey.

The Response of the Godly:

Consider Joseph's response in verse 8;

"But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold my master wotteth not what is with me in the house".

In other words, Potiphar himself didn’t realize who his wife really was.  He had in his own house an harlot.  His own wife, the bone of his bones and the flesh of his flesh, as a harlot to do wickedness. Joseph refused.

Notice verse 9;

"There is none greater in this house than I" says Joseph "neither hath he kept anything from me but thee".

"I have everything except you because you are his wife", Joseph states. He makes reference to every blessing that the Egyptian, his master, has given him.

Question:
When ye are enticed, brethren, do ye focus on what ye are forbidden to have, or do you reflect on all that the Master, even thy God hath given ye?  Oh what a defense against temptation. If Eve would have said that day in the garden, "Ah serpent, look at what the Lord hath given me.  It is not wrong that he hath refrained from me and forbidden of me this tree.  Look what he has given me".  Joseph saith as much. "Look at what the master hath given me!  He has withholder one thing.  Why then should I want you and sin against the One who already has given me all things". Our problem is that we want what God has withholden from us. We fail to understand that God has purposely refused us certain things for our good and not for our hurt.  My friends "Watch ye and pray" that ye enter not into temptation".  All but the wife, Joseph pleads. He pleads for the sanctity of marriage.  He plead for the commandment of God and the honor of the King. Do we not do as well as pleading for the honor of God in keeping His commandments and obeying him and entering not into temptation?  But again, temptation is not easily shaken off.   It doesn't go away overnight, brethren.  It has worked upon you without your knowing by degrees, day after day.

Notice verse 10;

"And it came to pass; as she spake to Joseph"  

She spake with that smooth lip, and with the oil of a smooth and flattering tongue and yet there were swords in her heart.  She spake to Joseph day by day (take notice of that warning: day by day) as temptation will speak unto us day by day. But he harkened not.

Christian, beware of Potiphar's wife.  She will come to you with guile.  She will come to you with beauty.  She will come to you as an angel of light.  She will come to you with craft and subtlety but she is an enemy upon you for she liveth in the very house with you. My friends, she liveth in you.  She is seductive, she is strong, she is persistent and she will stop at nothing until her lusts are satisfied and her sinful desires abate for a season.  She is not upon you merely to seduce. S he is upon you to corrupt and destroy.  Therefore, stand fast ye Christian.  Stand fast and refuse her.  Flee from here even as Joseph and enter not into temptation with her lest ye be taken by her and ravaged with the strange woman of your sin.   "Arise ye saints.  Arise, watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation".  And although the Spirit is willing, the flesh is very weak.  Therefore, may it be that we would pray with earnestness that God would strengthen us as He would strengthen even Joseph unto all holy fidelity, faithfulness piety, devotion and goodness.

Unto the praise of the glory of His grace, for the good of our souls and for the honor of His name. Amen.

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