Genesis Chapter 39

¹ And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

² And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

• Philippians 4:11-13¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Joseph was sold by his own brothers into slavery. This would be soul crushing for a person, but Joseph had the Lord with him and the Lord made Joseph to prosper AS A SLAVE. He became the head of Potiphar’s household and governed this man’s wealth and livelihood. In the next verse it says that Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and made things to prosper at his hands. What a testimony!

³ And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

⁴ And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

⁵ And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

⁶ And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

Potiphar was doing fantastic with Joseph in charge of everything. He didn’t worry about anything, he just left it all up to Joseph.

⁷ And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

⁸ But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

⁹ There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Joseph firmly refused to lie with her.

¹⁰ And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

She didn’t give up, she kept at it hoping to wear down his resolve. She didn’t succeed, Joseph remained faithful to his boss and God.

¹¹ And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

¹² And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

¹³ And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,

She hatched a plan to punish Joseph because her ego was bruised by the rejection.

¹⁴ That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:

¹⁵ And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.

¹⁶ And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.

¹⁷ And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:

¹⁸ And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

She called the men of the house and accused her HUSBAND of bringing in a Hebrew to mock them. She was trying to get the men on her side. In today’s terms, we would call this woman a narcissist. First she gets her ego hurt when she is rejected by Joseph, then she starts a smear campaign and a plan to punish him for hurting her feelings. It doesn’t matter to her that Joseph is honorable and because of him her home has been prosperous, benefiting everyone…. her focus is only on her own hurt feelings and anger. She is trying to spin things so that her husband feels guilty for bringing a “Hebrew” in to their home to mock them so he will take action against Joseph. This is absolutely evil… we see it again with Jezebel and Delilah….both of which were also targeting Godly men.

²⁰ And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

²² And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

²³ The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.

When the Lord prospers you, you prosper…it doesn’t matter where you are. All of these things Joseph endured, God used. Joseph wasn’t going to become a leader because his birth father made him a coat of many colors and his heir, he was going to become a leader because GOD made him one. He began at the bottom and God took him up to leadership. Joseph was a man of integrity in the house of Potiphar, in the prison…. and in every other place he found himself…and God prospered him.

Leaving the Word of Faith movement, I’ve had to go back into the word and find out where I went off of the straight and narrow path. One of the things that I lost during that time in my life was the peace of knowing that no matter what happens to me… where I go in life…. what happens to me etc, it’s the providence of my Sovereign Father God…. and it’s all for a reason. I am clay in the potters hands…. and he is making me into his design…. sometimes it’s rough, but his hands are still on me shaping me.
Father God, I love you and I always want you to be the one shaping me…help me not to resist against your will and plans for my life. In Jesus’s name, Amen