Genesis 39:17-23 "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: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 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. 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. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 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. 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."
Potiphar’s wife intended to corrupt Joseph. When she could not persuade him to sin against God, she made up a lie to tell her husband. Joseph had gone into the house to tend to his master’s business, and there was no other man there. She grabbed Joseph by his garment, and he pulled out of the garment and fled the house. Potiphar’s wife then used Joseph’s garment as evidence to support her lie (Genesis 39:10-16).
When she accused Joseph to her husband, he gave no consideration to how God was with Joseph. Potiphar immediately forgot how faithfully Joseph had served him or how his house had prospered under Joseph’s care. All he heard was his wife’s claim that “this Hebrew has come to mock us.” Potiphar had Joseph locked in the king’s prison.
BUT the LORD! How many times in the scriptures (and in our lives) has the phrase ‘but the LORD” made all the difference in our circumstances. Joseph was in prison, but the LORD was with him. The LORD did not need to remove Joseph from the prison for Joseph to be free.
The LORD was with Joseph while he was in prison. The LORD showed Joseph mercy while he was in prison. The LORD gave him favor in the eyes of the warden while he was in the prison. Joseph was put in charge of the prison and was the overseer of all that was done there.
The LORD was with Joseph. Whatever Joseph did, the LORD made it prosper. When the LORD is with us, no weapon (including lies) formed against us can prosper (Isaiah 54:17). Weapons will surely be formed against those who serve the LORD, but they will not prevail.
Again, we see Jesus portrayed in Joseph. Satan tempted Jesus multiple times, but He never wavered from the purpose of His Father. Even though He was falsely accused, He held fast to His integrity. Like Potiphar, men forgot the faithfulness of Jesus in an instant. One moment they were casting their garments before Him and declaring their love for Him, and in the next moment they were crying “Crucify Him!”
Dear ones, remember that He is our example in all things. When we are found to be in Christ, God will prosper us in His peace, grace, mercy, and love. He does not have to remove us from our circumstances to set us free. All we need is for the LORD to be with us!