Prosper in your walk with God
Keep yourself from Temptations
Keep faith in the times of False Accusations
DBF 3/24/02 Genesis 39
Good morning and welcome to Dillingham Bible Fellowship this morning. Praise God for this is a day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Boy the last few days have been beautiful. The days are getting longer, we are feeling a little more sunshine—so we are a little warmer. Springtime is just around the corner.
But what happens when we get that last storm of winter or the next storm in our life, how will you react then.
Will you turn and shout…
Woe am I for I am undone—or will you say…
If it were not for bad luck I’d have no luck at all…
Blame it on someone else—well anytime that Shirley goes to Anchorage we get dumped on…
Or will you find a way to prosper in it.
You know God wishes to bless you while you are about doing His good and perfect will. We often have a difficult time understanding and accepting this because we are such good nay sayers.
But throughout God’s word He reminds us that He is always looking after those who are called according to His good and perfect will.
Let’s walk this morning with Joseph and see things that we can put into practice in our lives as a result of what we learn today from God’s timely word.
Keep yourself from Temptations
Genesis 39:1-20 (ESV)
Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. [2] The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. [3] His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. [4] So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. [5] From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. [6] So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. [7] And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me." [8] But he refused and said to his master’s wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. [9] He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" [10] And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.
[11] But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, [12] she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. [13] And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, [14] she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. [15] And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house." [16] Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, [17] and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. [18] But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house."
[19] As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled. [20] And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.
All of you know that I have noted that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have practiced really good stewardship over the course of the last 30 or so chapters and they have at times made mistakes.
Is this something that I can find joy in?
Indeed it is because our God is a God of second and third chances. God has chosen us in our fallen state to be accepted as a new creation in HIM. I stand humbled and amazed that in the first place HE would accept me and give Jesus Christ’s very lifeblood to bring me into HIS family is an honor and a privilege.
We will walk with Joseph as he is sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.
Joseph fares well with his first master. “Potiphar.” This retells the narrative in Gen. 37: “The Lord;” the God of the covenant is with Joseph. “In the house.” Joseph was a domestic servant. “And his master saw—that the hand of the Lord was with Joseph in all that he did.”
Do people see the prosperity of the Lord in and around you? Should they?
The answer is a definite yes. The prosperity should be shown in the way we handle all aspects of our lives and the things that God brings about in our daily walking with HIM.
Ge 24:40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:
Ge 24:42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
Ge 39:3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Ge 39:23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
De 29:9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
Jos 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
1Ki 2:3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
1Ki 22:12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king’s hand.
1Ki 22:15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
1Ch 22:11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.
1Ch 22:13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
Now I do not want you to believe that just because you have accepted Christ you will prosper, it requires a walk with and for God to trigger the great promises that await the people of God. You who know me know that I am not a prosperity preacher, other than stating that it is God’s greatest pleasure to provide for you in completing HIS good and perfect will.
The prosperity that Joseph enjoyed was so telling that people knew and had no doubt that the Lord was with him—it was a God thing. Praise God.
Potiphar “Set him over”—made him overseer of all that was in his house. “The Lord blessed the Mizrite’s house.”
God blesses those who bless HIS own Gen. 12:3.
Joseph I guess it could be said was a sight for sore eyes --“Beautiful in form and look” Gen. 29:17. This prepares the way for the following occurrence and temptations.
How are you and I to respond to temptations on a continuing basis? What would good stewardship dictate?
As a minimum we must avoid the perceptions that advances of any nature are acceptable or desirable. When a young man or young woman looks longingly at you, you must ensure that you respond in a responsible Christian manner.
This could take the simple form of saying, “I am flattered by your attention, but my husband, wife, or the community could misperceive your actions as something other than your intentions—I love you as a Christian brother or sister.
The old saying “If you stand for nothing you will fall for anything”, may be applicable here. So many hurts could simple be avoided by prompt action and notice on our parts.
We see Joseph resists the daily solicitations of his master’s wife to lie with her, yet takes no precautions in either telling his master or insuring another servant is with him at all times in her vicinity.
Joseph does tell her that there is “None greater in this house than I.”
He pleads the unreserved trust his master had reposed in him. He is bound by the law of honor, the law of chastity (this great evil), and the law of piety (sin against God).
This done to act as a just steward, Joseph should have informed his master and not placed himself in any questionable position alone with Potiphar’s wife.
Have you ever felt that you can do maybe one thing of darkness or a couple of things of darkness and get away with it? It won’t hurt you, will it?
Brother and Sister, this is one of Satan’s greatest lies. Do not place yourself, your family, your church and your future at risk by buying into this lie, so common in our world today.
“At this day,” the day on which this occurrence takes place. “To do his business.” He does not come in her way except at the call of duty, but wise stewardship should tell you and I not to go alone.
Next she informs her husband of the incident in best light to her(another action common in the world)-A Hebrew to mock us.”
Does Joseph have a defense? Or only the guilty condemned?
We will all one day stand before the righteous judge and receive judgment. “Every knee shall bow every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Potiphar’s wifes disappointment now provokes her to falsehood as the means of concealment and revenge. A Hebrew is still the only national designation proper to Joseph. Jacob’s descendants had not gone beyond the family. Hebrews was used as a term of reproach among the Egyptians. Quite similar to the way many use the term “Christian” to mock you and I today. I pray you were this badge with the honor it deserves.
We can plainly see that Joseph has placed himself in an unwise position, if he were his only hope—he would be utterly hopeless. Then he could only hope for prison or death, they were normally one and the same anyway.
Keep faith in the times of Famine
Genesis 39:21-23 (ESV)
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. [22] And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. [23] The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.
Have you ever been here?
There I was minding my own business standing on the corner and bam—I was blindsided.
Could have been you were looking at a guy or girl and ran into something—a car—another person—a bridge—a grave.
What was your response?
Aw, man I don’t deserve this, I can’t believe this is happening to me, I shouldn’t have to put up with this stuff, Woe am I…Poor me, you know I don’t deserve this
Or do we simple praise God for the situation we are in, ask forgiveness for any recent failures and strive again for the light that is in Christ Jesus our Lord—set our sights on Jesus and walk on.
Here in Joseph’s life, her husband believes her story and naturally resents the supposed unfaithfulness of his slave.
Since a slave in this time was a peace or property with absolutely no rights, Potiphar’s treatment of him for this offense could have been up to and including killing and disposing of him.
When I read in verse 21, But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor , I truly understand why he as we was treated so mildly.
When people who talk bad about us as Christians come into our presence, they normally do not do things against us in public—often because of the work of the Lord in and around our lives.
There is nothing good in me, save for the light of Christ that is seen in me when I walk in Jesus’ worthy manner.
We see Potiphar puts Joseph in jail, possibly to stand trial for the offense.
How do we think of people in jail or in prison?
Do you love them with the love of Christ?
You know it was not that long ago that we were all in a prison of hopelessness and despair, for days and days until Jesus came into our life. Do you remember that joyous day, when the fear and sting of death were set aside by God’s great, great love. The Lord did not forsake us in our ignorance and sin and He asks us not to forsake any of the current prisoner’s lost in hopelessness, fear, and sin.
As with Joseph, God will give those who come favor. To experience and understand the blessed truth of this message we all must start by accepting that we are sinners, deserving of death. We need to ask God to forgive us of our sins, which He has said He will—He will take the sins and place them as far as the east is from the west—and below the greatest depths of the sea. He will take and forgive you of any previous sins if you truly believe on Jesus Christ, the Son of God and ask Him into your heart. Jesus stands at your heart’s door and is knocking. He has been knocking your whole life—seeking you, desiring you to invite Him in so that you can become one of God’s elect in his glorious kingdom, set apart, a holy nation, a holy priesthood of believers.
Remember, God wants to show the world that you are His. He will open the storehouses of heaven to meet your every need in accomplishing HIS good and perfect will. Only God is truly able to do these things. I pray that you have given yourself to walk in God’s good and perfect will today and each and every following day of your life.
Have faith even in adversity, as we see Joseph doing the same. We will see the same steadfast faith in Paul the Apostle, Steven when he was martyred, the Apostle John when he was boiled—they did not lean on their own understanding, but in all things trusted in the Lord God. May you do likewise today and every day of your walk with Christ.
Isn’t God awesome, Joseph is given favor with the governor of the jail. The same unlimited trust is placed in him by the governor as by his late master. This is God’s will for those who strive for Him.
Closing prayer.
