We Share Christ by
the Way We Think

Often it seems so easy for us to fall prey to the temptations of “the world, the flesh, and the devil.” But Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Why did He succeed where so many fail?

When the devil ambushed Jesus in the wilderness with his appeals to appetite, pride, and presumption, Jesus fought back successfully by quoting from Scripture (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). Christ was prepared ahead of time because He had filled His mind with Bible truths. That’s where the battle is won or lost—in our minds. Usually we only think of resisting temptation after it has already saturated our thoughts and all but overwhelmed us. We’ll lose most of those battles. But we can be successful if we attack habits at their point of origin—in our thought patterns.

“For as [a person] thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
—Proverbs 23:7, KJV.

Growing Christians think heavenward. They know God is bigger than the problems around them. They concentrate on the healthy qualities they are trying to acquire rather than just the bad things they’re trying to avoid.

“Rejoice in the Lord always, . . . in everything, BY PRAYER and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is TRUE, whatever is NOBLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is ADMIRABLE—if anything is EXCELLENT or PRAISEWORTHY—think about such things . . . put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
—Philippians 4:4, 6-9.

What we feed our minds makes all the difference. Garbage in, garbage out. God’s Word in, God’s life out.