Craig T. Owens

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Since the children have flesh and blood, [Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil…. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. … Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus…. (Hebrews 2:14, 18; 3:1)

Jesus defeated every temptation as a Man. He didn’t use His prerogatives as God to defeat the devil’s temptations; He faced them as we do: as a Man in the flesh.

Therefore, I need to fix my thoughts on Jesus. 

[Think carefully about Jesus in the New Living Translation] 

Jesus defeated—destroyed!—the devil by His death. Did God die? No! But the Man part—the human part of Jesus—died on the Cross. Then God raised Jesus from the dead. Was God dead? No! The Man part of Jesus was dead, and the Man part was resurrected.

Therefore, I need to fix my thoughts on Jesus. 

[Thoughtfully and attentively consider Jesus in the Amplified Bible] 

Jesus alone is able to help me. I cannot defeat the devil or his temptations on my own. Jesus defeated the devil’s temptation by His total reliance on the Father, and I can gain a victory over temptation by no other means.

Therefore, I need to fix my thoughts on Jesus. 

[Look carefully at Jesus in the God’s Word translation] 

Jesus suffered through temptation, but He was victorious and without sin. I too suffer through temptation, but He is able to help those who are being tempted! He can help me be victorious too!

Therefore, I need to fix my thoughts on Jesus. 

[Fix your eyes and mind upon Jesus in the Greek Dictionary] 

Where are your thoughts today? If they are on what you can do to defeat temptation, you’ll be disappointed in the outcome. Fix your thoughts: turn your full attention to Jesus!

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