What to do in times of Temptations? - Part 3

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." Matthew 4:2,3

Temptation begins in your mind. The tempter doesn't come to tempt you, where you can see it, but he is unseen. Hence you can easily succumb to the temptations. The tempter gives you variety of thoughts in your mind and keeps on putting till you like something and respond to it by allowing it to remain in your mind. In other words the tempter/devil tries to find your weaknesses through your thoughts which is not right as per the word of God, but you are weak in that area. You continue thinking on those thoughts and it begins to tempt you. If you don't discipline your thoughts and allow the thoughts of the devil to linger in your mind for a longer period of time, then you will soon realize that it has taken a stronghold in your mind. That evil thought has taken root in your mind which is now bearing fruit in the form of your actions. Remember your actions are directly proportionate to your thoughts. If you are trying to improve your actions without improving your thoughts you are going to fail. The change might be temporary and not lasting.

If you want to make a permanent change to your actions, then you have to change your thoughts by the word of God. The change of thoughts will give life to your behavior resulting in change of actions. Your actions will automatically change. Bible says, "Good tree bears good fruit and bad tree bears bad fruit. Make your tree good." You have to make your tree good by feeding it with the word of God. Reading, hearing and meditating on it. Don't forget what you have read.

Whatever you constantly think takes root in your mind. So if you thing wrong thoughts and allow it to linger in your mind then you will bear bad fruits which is resulted in your actions and words. Doubt, unbelief, adultery, lust, covetousness, greed, selfishness, pride, ego etc all comes from temptations which you have allowed to remain in your mind. Renew your mind with the word of God, reading, hearing, and meditating on what you have read and heard. This will change you and you will be a new creation. You will then be able to overcome your temptations always.

Your efforts should be not to change your actions, but fill yourself with the word of God so much, that you don't feel hungry for things which will tempt you. Jesus said, "If you drink of the water that I give you, you will not thirst again." Drink of the word of God constantly and you will not be hungry to be tempted

– Jimsen & Sneha