3. Get out!
One day [Joseph] went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. —Genesis 39:11-12
You’ve heard the statement “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Sometimes the tough should get going right out the door. When temptation strikes and is too hot to handle, we should do what Joseph did and RUN!
Some say running away is the coward’s response, but in this case it’s the response of the courageous. Joseph knew he had a sinful nature. Combined with the hormones of a teen boy, that could lead to a powerful cocktail of compromise. So instead of trying to fight off temptation, Joseph ran it off. Think of it as the Old Testament version of a cold shower.
We need to teach teens (and remind ourselves) that there is a time to run. When things get too tempting, we must lace up our shoes and race out the doors. On second thought, leave the shoes behind and just run!
Closing Thoughts: Resisting Sexual Temptation and Staying Pure
Joseph is a powerful example of how to win against the sin of sexual compromise. He stayed pure, resisting sexual temptation. And God used him in a powerful way to save a nation (his brothers) from obliteration.
But as great of an example as Joseph was, Jesus is even better! He resisted the biggest temptations ever given in the history of humanity (Matthew 4:1-11).
If you’ve fallen sexually, confess it and forsake it. Then move on to a life of purity. Remember the promise of God in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Christians can depend on God for victory over sin. Let’s equip teenagers to live holy lives and share the message of God’s grace and forgiveness with everyone. Let’s equip kids to get buff, get tough, and, when necessary, get out!
