What To Do When Temptation Knocks Series

Introduction

1John 5:4 – “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

Christian = we are Overcomers!

Jesus = the greatest Overcomer has won the victory, and He has given us the victory.

John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

“Overcome” = to conquer, to prevail. To win the victory. In the Lord Jesus we are Overcomers, Victors not victims. Never going to win in life until we learn to win over sin!

Joseph = OT Overcomer!

Joseph = young man with a dream – not just any dream – a God-given dream. God going to do something special with his life.

Detours = on the path to his dream’s fulfillment.

• Pit = sold into slavery by his brothers.

• Potiphar’s House = slave to Potiphar

• Prison house = Pharaoh’s dungeon became the doorway to the palace.

Lesson = no one else can destroy your dreams but you can!

Potiphar’s house = Joseph faces the most formidable struggle of his young adult life… day temptation knocked at his door… came in the form of Mrs. Potiphar.

Read Text: Gen. 39:7-12

Preach: What To Do When Temptation Knocks!

If going to be an Overcomer; win over sin…

1. Remember Temptation Comes to All!

Look: v.6b – “And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.” = pleasing to look upon.

v.7 = “Temptation came knocking at his door!” Temptation will come knocking at your door too… may not be same temptation Joseph experienced… but it is just as alluring and just as deadly!

Cf. the reality is that temptation is going to come our way.

Jas. 1.13,14 – “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

Notice: James did not say, “if” but “when” he is tempted… you are going to face temptation.

Two words: (v.14) “every man” =temptation involves every man. No man, or woman, teen, child, preacher, Christian, sinner, saint Is w/out temptation.

1Cor. 10:13 – “temptation is “common to man” = that which is after man or human.

Not one of us are immune to sin’s enticements – every one of us are susceptible to temptation and sin. It is inevitable. No one escapes it. Knocked at Joseph’s door as a slave in Egypt… and as long as you’re living on this side of heaven temptation is going to knock at your door.

Quote: “God has only one Son without sin but no sons without temptation.”

2. Recognize That Temptation Always Has a Strategy!

A. When Temptation Knocks

Look: Gen. 39:7 – “And it came to pass after these things…” = marks the passage of time… again not told how much time has passed… long enough for Joseph to rise to a station of prominence in Potiphar’s house… mature into manhood… things were going well in Joseph’s life… v.2 – “prosperous man” … Lord was blessing his life spiritually. Joseph’s life is in a good place!

Temptation knocked when…

1. When You Least expected it.

Came out of know where… blindsided him. Everything is going well… Joseph is going about his business in the house… managing slaves… balancing the books so to speak… Mr. Potiphar = head of Pharaoh’s body guard… spent large amounts of time away (v.6)… when suddenly Mrs. Potiphar… lonely and idle… looks over at Joseph

“Cast her eyes upon Joseph” = to look with a desire to obtain or have for oneself… desire begins to burn in her heart… then she made sexual advances toward Joseph.

“Lie with me” =

2. When You are Most Vulnerable.

Alone in the house… but more than that Joseph was alone… away from home… he was her slave… and no one would know about it… might be fun.

Satan make sure that temptation will knock at your door when you are at the most susceptible place to give in!

Illust: Matt. 4 – Devil tempted Lord Jesus… (v.2) “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered… (v.3) when the tempter came…” = notice that devil didn’t show up at the beginning of the 40 days but at the end… when he thought Jesus to be at His most vulnerable point!

That is when he will come knocking at your door too!

3. Where You are Strongest.

Joseph was a young man of moral integrity! His father, Jacob trusted him… Potiphar trusted him (v.6)… that was the very place where the devil hit him… so you’re a man of honesty and integrity… well let’s see what you are really made of!