Temptations - The Story of Joseph

Part 2: Sexual Temptation

Genesis 39 tells the story of Joseph being tempted to compromise his sexual integrity with Potiphar’s wife. Shame and fear are often used as motivators to guide us toward a life of sexual purity. We are told to fear the consequences of disobedience or risk being seen as shameful. The problem with this way of thinking is that fear and shame are tools of the enemy. They may bring about behavior modification for a time, but when the fear and shame wear off, so does the desire for purity. God is not looking to scare us into choosing purity. Instead, he invites us into a new way of living where our motivation for purity is centered on the deep love that God has for each of us. When we realize nothing can separate us from his love, we will stop settling for less than his best for us. We are all sinners, saved by grace. When we sin, we go against who God has called us to be and our identity in Christ. The more we fill up on the love of God, the less likely we will be to settle for less than his goodness in our lives.