Whispers of Christ

As I said in my last post, I’ve been working through the Bible, one book at a time… It’s a lot to unpack. I’ve not been diligent about posting, but in an attempt to get back into the swing of it, I’m writing this post. I feel like I should warn you, the reader, there is so much to unpack in the chapter I’m going to share with you. This is a long post. 

Today was Genesis 39. For anyone who has not read this chapter, I recommend that you do. If you don’t want to read it directly from the word, I’ve given you the highlights below and shared a link to the chapter from a website. Please note that the link is for the AMP (Amplified) version of the Bible. While I love my ESV (English Standard Version), I’ve found that the AMP (or even MSG – Message) version does a better job explaining concepts and words that pre-date me (circa 1990). 

While it at first seems like it’s not that uplifting, I personally found it to be uplifting. I’ve been going through a rough patch. Between work and life, sometimes it’s just hard to feel like God is in the midst of it all. Maybe it would be easier if I could just sit and talk to him physically. I’ve been feeling like a ship at sea without any wind to blow it to shore. But this morning’s devotions brought a gust of fresh air into my sail.

Genesis 39

1. Joseph is sold to Ishmaelites (these are Ishmael’s descendants, who was also a son of Abraham) and taken to Egypt where he is sold to Potipher (Captain of the Guard for Pharaoh). 
2. God is with Joseph. Joseph becomes successful in all that he does and Potipher takes notice of that. He sees that God is with Joseph. Because of this and Joseph’s character, Potipher has no concerns leaving all things related to the household and his own welfare in Potipher’s hands (ie – Joseph finds favor in the sight of the Lord and Potipher). 
3. Joseph was handsome and well-formed. Mind you he was sold into slavery at 17, his mother was good looking (we are told this earlier in Genesis). 
4. Potipher’s wife (we are not given her name) says (it’s not noted if she commands, orders, entreats, or just asks him) to lay with her. 
5. Joseph refuses. In fact he goes so far as to say that it would be against his master and a sin against God. In verse 8-9 He says, “Look, with me in the house, my master does not concern himself with anything; he has put everything that he owns in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God [and your husband]” [Amplified version; Genesis 39:8-9]
6. She continues to ask him day after day. But he did not listen to her. 
7. One day, he comes in and all the men are gone. No other men in the house. She catches Joseph’s garment (outer robe) and commands him to lie with her. Joseph leaves his robe with her and runs outside the house (yes the Bible says “he ran”)! 
8. She then calls the other men in the household and says “Look at this, your master has brought a Hebrew [into the household] to mock and insult us; he came to lie with me, and I screamed. When he heard me screaming, he left his robe with me and ran outside [the house].” [Amplified Bible; Genesis 39:14-15]
9. She tells her husband the same story and she adds, “This is the way your servant treated me” (italics are mine). Potipher’s anger is kindled and he places Joseph in jail with all of Pharaoh’s prisoners. 
10. But God was with Joseph and extended his lovingkindness to him. God gave him favor in the eyes of the warden and Joseph was put in charge of the whole prison (not just a little of it, the whole kaboodle). 
11. The warden didn’t pay attention to anything Joseph did because the Lord was with him, and the Lord made him prosper (successful). 

Here’s what I learned: 

1. GOD
   1. He is always with us. 

The author of Genesis, mind you that the word is inspired and ultimately authored and edited by God, makes a point to say that God was with Joseph 4 different times throughout this chapter. Throughout the Bible, God makes a point to say that he is with us. In Joshua, he says “Only be strong and courageous for I am with you.” In the highs and the lows, he is with us. “When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Psalms 23:4. “Where can I go from Your spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; If I make my bed in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), behold, you are there.” Psalms 139:7-8. Over and over throughout his word, God tells us that he is with us. He proves it by giving us examples like the pillar of fire by night and cloud by day that the Israelites followed out of Egypt, the shepherd, sending his son to die for us, and others. If you struggle with feeling alone or that he isn’t with you, I recommend starting with Psalms 139:7-10 and start memorizing it. Say it before you go to bed, say it when you wake up in the morning, write it out over and over. Inscribe HIS Word on your heart. Memorize it and say it until you believe it more than anything in the world. 

2. God favors those who walk in obedience and reverence to him.

This isn’t the only example that we see in the Bible where someone has walked in obedience, by faith. Each time that someone chooses to walk in obedience and reverence to God, there have been recorded blessings. It doesn’t mean that you always see the blessings, sometimes it’s fruit which is brought to light down the road. Example: God told Abraham to go to the land that HE (GOD) would show him. Abraham settled in Canaan. He lived there for years but he never saw the fruition of the promise that God gave him (creating many nations from him and giving him all the land). He still chose to follow God and walk in obedience and reverence by faith. Because of his obedience and reverence, we now have the Israelite Nation. 

2. Satan and Sin
   1. Satan always draws you in with small doses.

Satan knew that he wouldn’t get Joseph in one day. He had to work at him overtime, eventually he would wear Joseph down and get him to commit sin. The way he plays with believers reminds me of a Komodo Dragon. I’m big into animal documentaries, they are interesting to watch, mostly clean (if not a little violent), and I learn tons. If you have ever watched a Komodo Dragon attack its prey, it doesn’t do it like a normal predator. It’s a slow moving, venomous, ambush predator. The largest specimen recorded was 10.5 Ft in length and tipped the scales at 366 Lbs. They typically eat anything from birds and rats to a water buffalo and can reach speeds of 13 mph for short periods. For your interest a water buffalo is about 4.5 ft high at the withers (shoulders), about 600-1200 lbs, and can reach speeds of 30 mph. So basically they are taller, weigh more, and outpace the Komodo Dragon. For my friends who read this and are animal lovers, here are your links for fact checking: Komodo Dragon and Water Buffalo. 

Here is what is interesting about them both. The Komodo Dragon can kill and eat an entire Water Buffalo. They will ambush the animal and bite them. Then stalk them for days until the buffalo dies of sepsis. See that – they start small, then wait for the poison to spread, killing an entirely healthy buffalo. That’s Satan. One step, one small bite. It won’t hurt anything, it can’t do much damage. Then he waits for you to get so sick, he can just waddle in for the kill. Because you have slipped down the slope and can’t do anything about it. There is a song by Casting Crowns called Slow Fade. Check it out. It’s the most accurate song on how the devil works with just one step at a time. Watch where you place your feet, child of God. Seek only firm ground and beware for our enemy prowls around like a lion, looking for those he may devour. Beware of the devil’s schemes, but also be of good heart – for God has overcome the world! 

2. Satan will use anyone or anything around us he can.

I’m learning the importance of influences. You are what you eat and the company you keep will eventually influence your state of mind. I’ve found this is not only applicable to friends but it can also be applied to the music I listen to, things I read, videos I watch, and even the social media posts I give attention to. I would encourage you to really look at these items in your life, what is draining your life? When you walk away from a show or book or social media – are you feeling better or worse than when you started? Potipher knew Joseph. He knew the man’s character and yet, when his wife came to say what Joseph had (supposedly) done, it was her influence that won the day. Who influences you and to what end? Likewise, start praying about the influence you have. Is it good and encouraging? Do you speak life to those around you? Or is it harmful and life sucking? I’m not saying that anyone can be inhabited by the devil, but I am saying that he’s got us believing all sorts of lies, are we spreading them around? If you are in doubt as to if something you have believed is true – go back to God’s word! Always run a “gut-check” by the word of God when you are in doubt or go find someone you can trust as a spiritual buddy and ask them.

3. Satan is the master of deceit.

The Bible tells us that Satan is the master of deceit. He’s good at deceiving us. He always uses the same tactics and lies. There were 3 main lies within the story of Joseph that I could see him using. Please go read the chapter and see if you can spot more and whose voice and influence was it he was using? Remember – he’s a puppet master. 

Here are the lies I identified:

1. Differences. 

The first thing he does is to get us to focus on our differences. This allows him to sow seeds of discord. It could be anything as simple as showing us what we don’t have or what we don’t like about that person. It won’t matter what the item is as long as it’s not a similarity, because the more we focus on the negative, the more discord is sewn.

2. Condemnation or Guilt. 

The second thing he does is thrust condemnation or guilt upon someone. Leaving them in a feeling of shame for their actions. 

3. Humiliation or pride.

Ahh good old pride. When I say humiliation, I’m not referring to being humble as God commands. I’m talking about being disrespected and humiliated in front of someone or by someone. This almost always causes us to react in “I have to save face” mode. 

So with Joseph, we see Potipher’s wife say to her husband, because remember she can’t control Joseph so she has to manipulate her husband (and it is manipulation because she’s accusing him of things that aren’t true) by saying “The Hebrew servant (1-differences), whom you brought among us (2-condemnation or guilt), came to me to mock and insult me; then as soon as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his robe with me and ran outside [the house]”. The whole thing she said is to humiliate Potipher. He brought Joseph into the house knowing that he was an Hebrew (outsider) and she is blatantly blaming him. So he reacts out of pride and humiliation. All of this ties into our next point. 

4. Satan values discord and fights against unity.

Everywhere you look in the Bible, God calls his people to be PeaceMakers. Satan hates unity. If a world is divided, it falls into chaos and he can reign over that. Joseph was a PeaceMaker. He kept unity in the house and there was unity and peace between him and Potipher. Satan couldn’t take it. So he influenced someone’s actions to create chaos and discord. How is he using this in your own life? God tells us to make peace with those that have hurt us, to forgive them. It doesn’t mean you can’t have boundaries, but we are called to sow unity in the world. 

3. Takeaways for the believer
   1. Obedience is a fruit of faith. 

I used to think that obedience was a bad thing. As a child – you didn’t obey, you got spanked. As an adult, I realize that obedience stems from a place of faith and trust. You have faith and trust that the person who is telling you to do something is saying that for your own safety or good. Example: if your child runs into the road, you don’t say “oh that’s ok!”. No! You yank them out of the road and then probably have a serious discussion about obedience to not running into the road. Why? Because you love them. You want the best for them and to keep them safe. Goodness only knows what happens if they run into the road again. They might get hit by a car or worse! Abraham obeyed God because he had faith that God was going to do the right thing and lead him to better things. Joseph walked in obedience to God for the same reasons. 

2. When you are in a situation that is no longer healthy or safe, God will always make a way out.

God will always make a way out of unhealthy situations. I’m not just talking about sexual sin and removing yourself. I mean when you are in a situation that is unhealthy, God will either remove you or remove the person. He does this for our safety. The best example I have is when I was with an abusive man. God removed him from my life. It was painful, it wasn’t anything I would ever want to see someone go through, but it was necessary because I was silly and thought that if I left, it would be seen as a failure on my part. Pride can keep us in spaces that aren’t healthy for us. If you are in a place that you think is unhealthy, pray. Ask God to make it clear and either remove them or remove you. 

3. Stand firm against sin, if you can’t – RUN!

While he allows us to be tempted, he will never give us more than we can handle. If you are being tempted to sin – STAND FIRM on the word of God. Remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of the prince of the air (Satan and his demons). I recommend memorizing and praying specific scriptures which relate to the sin you are battling. There is power in the Word and the more you study it, the more you know how to pray and battle. Arm yourself, girl! Don’t go down without a fight. 

But when you think that the battle is getting too heavy and you are feeling overcome – RUN. Run like heck! I’ll be honest, when it comes to sexual sin – I wouldn’t try to stand, I would always recommend finding the fastest way out. That’s a slippery slope and that sin can do so much damage so fast. Even Joseph knew this. Not only did he leave, he left so fast his coat was left behind. I like to imagine that Potipher’s wife had hold of it and he did a twist spin out of it while running away. A ninja style move if you will. He didn’t wait to see if should leave, he knew it was dangerous and took the first flight to safety. 

4. Always be above reproach.

This is something my parents used to say to me. It was normally said about situations that could be easily misinterpreted. I never really understood it until a youth group lock-in. It was me and another friend from the youth group. He and I had been friends forever and a-day; we grew up playing together. Some of my earliest memories are at his house eating macaroni and cheese with hotdogs and ketchup. Yeah – it was better as a kid than it is as an adult. This youth group lock-in at church meant that we were locked into the church overnight with the leaders. 

This time we were playing hide-and-seek. Because we were such good friends and pretty regularly teased (ok – maybe bullied) by the other kids, we decided to hide together. Mind you I was about 16 years old… old enough to know better and still young enough to not have discernment. We hid in the choir robe closet. Boy was that a mistake. When we were found, it didn’t matter that we weren’t going out – we got bullied and teased for the rest of highschool. I learned my lesson well. Be above reproach – don’t give anyone an excuse to mistake what you are doing in a situation. Now if there is a guy in the room, I leave if my husband isn’t with me. His brother asks to come over, my husband is here or they don’t come in. I know it sounds extreme but for the sake of my marriage, I try not to give any room for misinterpretation. As we established, Satan is the master of deceit and disunity. Don’t give him an inch. 

5. You can exercise authority without betraying, exploiting, or demeaning anyone. 

Joseph does not blame, belittle, or betray anyone, but he does make a point to say what he thinks about Potipher’s wife’s offer. God showed me two ways that this can be applied to our lives. First is boundaries. The second is calling sin what it is. 

1. Boundaries are important. 

As a christian it’s rare to hear someone talk about boundaries in relationships. I want to start to destigmatize that. We see many examples of boundaries in the Bible. Jesus took time alone from crowds and even his own disciples to pray and rejuvenate himself. He set that boundary because he knew that he couldn’t do his ministry efficiently when he was tired, hungry, or ill-equipped. Joseph’s story is another great example of boundaries. His mistress asks him to sleep with her. He informs her, notice he doesn’t explain, but says that it would be disrespectful to his master and sinful before God which is why he will not be participating. He lays a clear boundary by exercising his authority without betraying, exploiting, or demeaning anyone. 

2. We need to call sin – sin. 

Too many times in our culture, Christians sit passively by while someone makes light of what sin is. Maybe it’s because we are too afraid to speak out. Maybe it’s because we don’t want to fight with them. Both have been the case in my own life. But I feel God saying that it’s time to call a spade a spade. In this passage, Joseph doesn’t apologize for his beliefs. He isn’t nasty or mean but he calls sin what it is. There are various examples of Christ doing the same thing in his own ministry. He never condemned but always called sin what it was. I’m not saying you need to go walk over to someone and say “That’s sin!” (trust me – I’ve tried that and it doesn’t go well). But perhaps you could say “I disagree.” or “That doesn’t seem right to me”. Shadrach, Meshack, and Abendigo stood firm before Nebechanezer when he told them to sing and bow before the idol. They stood firm, knowing it could mean their death. They weren’t nasty and disrespectful to him, but explained that what he was asking of them was sin. That it would be disrespectful and sinful before God. They also said that they would not participate. Joseph does the same. He informs his mistress that it would be sinful before God and disrespectful to his master so he will not be participating in her plan.

4. Your physical state does not dictate your spiritual state. 

Example: Joseph was in bondage, a slave, to Potipher. Technically he had no rights as a slave. No voice of his own. Everything he owned belonged to Potipher. He chose to make the best of it. He chose to believe that God was with him and to walk in victory and belief that this would pass. He walked in hope of something better. I’m not saying you should stay in abusive situations, please seek help if you need it. What I am saying is that no matter where you are physically, maybe you are living hand-to-mouth, maybe things feel really overwhelming. I understand all of this and I’ve been there. What I’m telling you is that you can choose to walk in spiritual victory regardless of what is going on in your physical life. I believe that this goes back to inscribing his word on your heart. What are the promises that God has given to you? Cling to them, while you are waiting for them to come true, start clinging to verses that talk about God’s provision and ability to fulfill his promises. Cling to God like bark clings to a tree – don’t let go. If it’s hard – cling harder. 

5. When you walk with God consistently, it becomes visible to others.

Twice in this one chapter, God tells us that Joseph found favor with men because they saw that God was with him. The darker the darkness is, the easier it is to see the light. We are called to be a city on a hill. A candle that isn’t hidden under a bowl. My prayer is to become a light for all to see. I pray that when people look at me, they say – wow! I want what she has. What is that? You know how we get there? By choosing day-by-day and moment-by-moment to walk with God. To read his word daily and pray. There is an old children’s song that says “Read your Bible, Pray Every Day and you will Grow, grow, grow!” It uses a flower to show the child what happens when it receives the water of the word and sunlight of prayer. I want to grow so big that I’m like a gigantic redwood tree. You can’t miss it, providing shade for those all around, gorgeous to look at, and spreading its seeds for miles. And when it’s done with its life, the wood provides fire, housing, roofing, and fertilizes the soil around it. May we all become redwood trees! 

Phew (big exhale)! I warned you that was a long post! I’m glad you stuck with me through it all. As I end this post, I want to encourage you that God is with you. I don’t know what you are going through but he’s with us and for us. I’ll keep praying for you! I hope you come back and if you feel led to leave a comment, please do!