Suffering for Righteousness
What would you do if God's purpose for your life required you to go to prison or sleep in a Police cell (for the sake of righteousness)?
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaohβs daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
~ Hebrews 11:24-26
A man is known by his choice - by his decision. You cannot know a Christian fully until you know what he accepts or rejects because of his faith in God.
~Pastor W. F. Kumuyi
I read this beautiful, piercing, motivating exhortation from Pastor Praise George some months back.
Unfortunately, some Christian cycles will downvote, malign, and take you to task for penning this timely advice to fellow Christians.
Their ever-ready accusation is, "Is sexual sin the only sin? Why then are you majoring in this subject?β Others will tell you, βAfter all, Joseph was already saved, would it have mattered if he had succumbed? β¦ ."
All I can say is, just keep up the good fight, those of us who have ears to hear are listening, hearing you, and heeding. By God's grace. Amen.
Recognize and flee from temptations.
Read on.
Potiphar's, beautiful, rich, and powerful wife offered herself to Joseph for free.
But Joseph rejected her.
Joseph would have been secretly having sex with the wife of one of the most powerful men in Egypt. She would have given him material things and money. He would have felt powerful any time he was having sex with such a rich and powerful woman.
But in spite of all these Joseph would have still remained a slave. His future would have been nothing but slavery.
Potiphar's wife would make sure he never left that house.
Potiphar's wife would have blackmailed him if he tried to resign and gain his freedom.
Potiphar's wife would have had so much power and control over his life that the sweet taste of sex would have turned to bitterness in his mouth.
He would have enjoyed the pleasure of sex with that evil woman but it would have chained him to a life of perpetual and permanent slavery.
Read the story in Genesis 39.
'Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his masterβs wife took notice of Joseph and said, βCome to bed with me!β 8 But he refused. βWith me in charge,β he told her, βmy master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 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?β 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.'
When Joseph rejected her advances he was opening the door to his destiny of greatness. He refused to compromise his beliefs and values. He said having sex with that woman would have been wickedness. "I cannot do this wickedness against God," he pleaded with that evil woman, but she wouldn't be denied. (Such a bastard.)
In anger, she lied against him and threw him in jail, and that was exactly where God wanted him to be. Some years later Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream, his life changed and he was made a prime minister. Pharaoh gave him more power than Potiphar and his wife.
But if Joseph had been having sex with that beautiful, powerful, rich, and evil woman, he would have remained a slave for the rest of his life.
Some of you have chosen the temporary pleasure and benefit of a job, a relationship, living in a country in disobedience to God's instructions, a wrong marriage, a business, an illicit affair, or an illegal opportunity to make money, but this will chain you down in slavery and you will never fulfill God's plan of greatness for your life.
I beg you in the name of God, please don't sell your destiny of greatness for temporary pleasure, temporary advantage, temporary comfort, or fleeting riches. Follow God's plan for your life, no matter the cost, and it will be well with you.
Blessings.
Source: Praise George