What practical steps can we take to avoid compromising situations? Setting the Scene “After some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, ‘Sleep with me!’ ” (Genesis 39:7). Joseph, a young man far from home, faced a direct invitation to sin. His response offers a pattern we can follow today. Recognize the Allure Early • Temptation often announces itself; Joseph saw Potiphar’s wife “cast her eyes” on him before words were spoken (v. 7). • Stay alert: “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.” (Matthew 26:41) • Ask the Spirit to sensitize your conscience—small warnings prevent large disasters. Guard Your Environment • Joseph did his work faithfully, yet avoided being alone with Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:10). • Apply Proverbs 4:14-15: “Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and pass on by.” - Control digital spaces: filters, time limits, open-screen policies. - Choose public settings for potentially risky conversations or meetings. - Set clear boundaries at work, school, and online before pressure comes. Strengthen the Inner Resolve • Joseph answered, “How could I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). • Hide God’s Word in your heart: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:9) • Regular Bible intake, worship, and fellowship reinforce conviction when no one else is watching. Cultivate Accountable Relationships • Joseph had no fellow believer nearby, yet we often do. • Share struggles with trusted brothers or sisters; sin grows in secrecy but shrivels in light. • “Two are better than one… for if either falls, the other can lift his companion.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) Run When Necessary • “She grabbed him by his cloak… but he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.” (Genesis 39:12) • Scripture’s counsel is blunt: “Flee from youthful passions.” (2 Timothy 2:22) • Physical removal—leaving a room, closing a laptop, ending a conversation—can be the holiest act of the moment. Rely on God’s Escape Route • “God is faithful… He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) • Look for the door God opens: a phone call, a sudden interruption, an inner check prompt—take it immediately. Live for the Greater Reward • Joseph chose prison over pleasure, yet God exalted him later (Genesis 41). • “Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22) • Short-term sacrifice secures long-term honor and intimacy with the Lord. Practical steps drawn from Joseph’s example—alertness, boundaries, Scripture saturation, accountability, decisive flight, and trust in God’s faithful escape—equip us to avoid compromising situations and walk in purity today. |
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