(Matthew 4: 1 – 11)
There are at least three broad types of discipline – mental, moral and physical.
1. Mental discipline: This relates to mind. The mind is the center of thought, consciousness, volition and feeling and it also deals with attention, memory, concentration, and intellectual powers. Mental discipline is extremely important to our success as Christian disciples because the thoughts of our mind can impact us positively or negatively. It has been said by someone that “watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become habits. Watch your habits for they become your character, and watch your character for it becomes your destiny. What we think we become.” Below are two Biblical examples of mental discipline:
A. Conversation between Eve and Satan (Gen. 3:1 – 6)
In Genesis 3: 1 – 6, there was a conversation between Satan and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When Satan came to Eve, he arrested her thought by saying “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Eve responded by saying the words “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Then her words led to action (v.6) “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” From that time, Adam and Eve formed the habit of disobedience which in turn produced the character of sin, and followed by a destiny of death in mankind. Satan appealed to three areas of Eve’s life – lust of the flesh (good for food), lust of the eyes (pleasant to the eyes), and pride of life (desired to make one wise). This is according to I Jn. 2: 15 – 17). He tempted Jesus the same way and he is still doing the same to us.
B. Conversation between Jesus and Satan (Matthew 4: 1-11)
In Matthew 4: 1 – 11, there was a conversation between Jesus and Satan in the wilderness. Satan suggested a thought to Jesus like he did to Eve by saying “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (v. 3). Jesus responded by saying the words “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. (v. 4). Satan came with two other temptations but Jesus overcame him with words. Immediately after being tempted by the devil the Bible says “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. Jesus formed the habit of publicly preaching and teaching the word of God which revealed the character of Righteousness and destiny of life in Him.