The Battle Begins in the Mind

The more I reflect on it, the more I’m convinced that I focus too much on the action I take regarding temptation — both good and bad. While that’s certainly worth considering, it seems the real root lies in the thoughts I entertain long before any action ever takes place. What’s curious is that those thoughts often begin with innocent intentions, but if I’m not careful, they can quickly spiral out of control.

For me, those initial thoughts are generally tied to curiosity and intrigue. But the longer I let them take root, the easier it is for them to grow into lust and desire.

For instance, let me share my love/hate relationship with social media — and yes, there’s a strong emphasis on hate (kidding… but not really). As The Lion Within Us strives to reach as many men as possible and encourage them in their discipleship journey, I’ve found that utilizing different forms of media is an effective way to connect. The issue arises when I start thinking about the type of content we should create, because that often leads me to consuming what’s already out there.

That’s when things take a turn. I’ve noticed that when I flood my mind with too much of other people’s information, my self-criticism intensifies. Suddenly, I find myself stuck in a continuous loop of consumption, comparison, and condemnation. The more aware I become of others’ success, the more cynical I grow toward the work I’m producing.

And yet, the temptation to disengage from these platforms altogether can feel overwhelming — as if it’s beyond my control. I often have to take purposeful pauses and redirect my thinking, and perhaps this is where you can find a helpful shift too.

If it’s true that conscious self-criticism causes us to stumble, then imagine what might happen if we devoted that same mental energy to conscious self-reflection on God’s Word. The very thoughts that once pulled us into defeat could become the very battleground where God builds our victory.

Perhaps starting here is the right place when wrestling with the topic of temptation. Trying to address every temptation men face would be impossible — what’s a snare for one man might not even register for another. Yet, one truth remains: our thoughts are the mechanism that sets everything into motion.

The Apostle Paul hits this head-on in Romans 12:2 as he recognizes the incredible power that exists in the mind of every believer. Simply put, the battle is often won or lost in our minds long before it ever shows up in our behavior.

Something worth remembering is that renewal doesn’t happen by accident — it happens with intentionality. Every time we choose to replace a sinful thought with Scripture, we’re training our minds for battle. Temptation may lurk around every corner, but when we consistently feed our minds with His Word, we don’t just resist the enemy — we advance God’s Kingdom within us, one thought at a time.

Reflection Questions:

• What thoughts most often lead you toward temptation?
• How can you begin renewing your mind daily with God’s truth?

Christian Leadership Assessment

Before you move forward, take a minute to assess where you actually stand as a man, a leader, and a follower of Christ.

Every man ends up in one of three places:
Striving. Isolating. Or Leading with Trust.

Most guys don’t slow down long enough to recognize which one is shaping their decisions, their habits, and their spiritual health.

This 5-question Leadership Assessment will help you identify:

• Where you’re leading in your own strength
• Where you’re avoiding the hard things
• Where God is building real, steady, anchored leadership in you

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness.

Because a man can’t lead his family, his team, or anyone else if he isn’t leading himself well first.

Take the assessment and step into the next level of leadership God is calling you to: https://thelionwithin.us/assessment/just-a-guy/temptation/