But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
Genesis 39:8-9 NIV
When Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce Joseph, his response reveals much more than a mere refusal. It uncovers the secret to standing firm in temptation: knowing your position, your possessions, and your God.
Joseph’s words, “with me in charge,” and “no one is greater in this house than I am,” reflect a profound awareness of his God-given position. He understood the authority and trust placed in him. Joseph had already recognised that he lacked nothing before Potiphar’s wife could offer pleasure or promotion. There was nothing she could give that he did not already possess under God’s blessing.
This understanding protected him. Temptation thrives when we feel we are lacking — when we believe we need something more to be fulfilled. But Joseph knew that God’s presence in his life had already obtained everything he needed. He operated from a place of fullness, not lack. He had nothing to gain and everything to lose by stepping outside the boundaries God had set.
Moreover, Joseph recognised that Potiphar’s wife was not part of what Pharaoh had entrusted to him. She was not an object to be claimed or possessed. She was the wife of another man, and no authority extended to her. Joseph’s respect for human dignity flowed from his fear of God. He knew that sin against a fellow man was, ultimately, sin against God.
Joseph’s God-consciousness shines brightly here. Even if no human eyes saw his actions, he knew that God’s eyes were ever upon him. To betray the trust of his master would be wickedness, but to sin against the God who had preserved him, prospered him, and positioned him would be a far greater wickedness.
His strength was not only in saying “no” once. Scripture tells us that Potiphar’s wife tempted him “day after day,” (v 10), yet Joseph did not yield, nor did he even allow himself to be near her. True faithfulness is not proven in a single act, but in consistent, steadfast obedience under pressure. Many can resist a one-off temptation; fewer can withstand a prolonged assault. Joseph’s unwavering stand reveals a heart anchored in divine security.
This timeless lesson remains urgent for us today. We must know our position in Christ. As 2 Peter 1:3 reminds us, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (NIV).
The enemy will always offer what he claims we lack. He whispers of forbidden pleasures, quicker successes, or stolen comforts. But when we understand that, in Christ, we already have all that we need for life and godliness, temptation loses its power.
Agreeing with sin does not add to our lives; it only diminishes them. It makes us slaves again to the very darkness from which Christ has set us free. Every time we agree with temptation, we lay down our effectiveness, trading true authority for fleeting satisfaction.
Therefore, like Joseph, we must be unwavering. The devil will not cease his invitations, but we have the victory in Christ. By God’s strength, we can resist him every time, standing firm in the identity, authority, and inheritance we already possess.
May we, too, live daily with the clarity Joseph had — not striving for what God has withheld, but standing secure in all He has graciously given.
When we know who we are in Christ, we will not be easy prey for the enemy’s lies.
Living it out
Have you grasped fully what God has already entrusted to you in Christ?
Take time today to thank Him for His abundant provision, and ask for the strength to stand firm against every temptation, not from a place of fear, but from the confidence of who you are in Him.
If this reflection encouraged you, share it with someone who needs to be reminded of their true position in Christ.
Let us walk in fullness, not lack.