Steps To Peace With God

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

You Need To Be Careful With Them “Smart Phones”

I was watching a documentary a few years ago that explained the rise of Social Media, and so called “Smart Phones”. They really exploit the users to get rich off of your information. The Social Media founders know all about Dopamine. God made us so that, when we are frightened, excited, happy, that our bodies release a substance called Dopamine into our brains. It is Dopamine that gets people addicted to drugs and alcohol. It is Dopamine that tells your brain “pay attention to this” or “this is important” or “do this again” or even “DON’T do this again”. Dopamine is released when something is rewarding, novel or new, surprising, or motivationally significant (whether good or bad). It’s like a spotlight in your brain.

And it is addictive.

In his article “Is Phone Addiction Really That Bad?” Pastor and Author Patrick Miller writes:

“The consequence of dopamine abundance is addiction. To understand how this works, Lembke says it’s helpful to imagine your brain like a seesaw. On one side is pleasure; on the other side is pain. Your brain wants to retain equilibrium, to keep the seesaw flat. … But when you live in a society awash with dopamine factories—social media, pornography, gaming, high-calorie foods, alcohol, online gambling—you face a constant, pathological temptation to press the seesaw on the pleasure side. The problem is that the more you repeat a dopamine-releasing behavior, the greater your tolerance becomes. This applies to social media—a proven dopamine-releasing substance—which was designed to be addictive.2 Thus, if it took only two TikToks to spike your dopamine the first time, it will take four the tenth time, and dozens the hundredth. Whatever your drug of choice, you need more and more of it to get the original high and more and more of it to reduce the psychological pain you experience when you come down from your high.”

It’s all about mind control. Social Media is big business. In 2025 Social Media brought in $307-341 billion in annual revenue. The Facebook and Instagram platforms made $160 billion. The YouTube platform generated $36 billion. Those “free” services that you use are not free. They sell advertising – but they also sell your information. Do you know why you get scammers calling you, trying to get you to get the “New” Medicare Card, or telling you “This is Transunion Credit, and you owe $$$$ for tolls on the New Jersey turnpike”? It’s because these Social Media platforms have sold your information (name, address, likes, dislikes, etc) to bad actors who will rob you if they can.

I recently enlisted the aid of a company called Cloaked because I was being covered up by scammers and salespeople. Cloaked found 1340 records with my information on the Internet – and removed them. They’re still looking, and still finding data breaches.

If the fallen world can control your mind, they can control your wealth, your health, your political sympathies, even your religious persuasion.

The devil is into mind control – and he’s found a great tool in media. The devil blinds our minds the the Gospel of Christ:

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NKJV) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

The devil wants your mind, to keep you from the life that Jesus wants you to have. The world wants your mind so they can make merchandise of you. The Bible speaks of false prophets – but these people are not just preachers, but businesses and groups that want not to help you, but to rob you. The Apostle warned:

2 Peter 2:1-3 (LSB) But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned. 3 And in [their] greed they will exploit you with false words, their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

The Devil Wants Your Mind, The World Your Money

The Apostle knew that the battle for your soul begins with your mind. This is why we are told to “think on these things”. To control where our minds go. To guard our minds, by being careful what we watch, what we flood our minds with. Do not let the world take control of your life, Beloved of God. Remember always that Jesus is with us. Jesus is with us.

The devil uses mind control. The attacks us at our weak points. How did the Devil attack Jesus?

Before Jesus preached His first sermon, God Himself led our Savior into the wilderness.

Matthew 4:1 (LSB) Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

How would the Devil tempt Jesus? I believe the reason that God the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness was to show us HOW TO DEFEAT THE DEVIL’S MIND GAME. The Spirit specifically led Jesus into the wilderness – not to teach Jesus – but to teach US. How do we guard our minds from the devil’s influence? How do we prevent the world from taking over our lives?

We’re going to look tonight at how the Devil attempted to influence Jesus. The Devil did not come to attack Jesus immediately. Note that Jesus was in the wilderness for FORTY DAYS AND NIGHTS, eating nothing (though He had water).

Day after day, no Devil.
One, two, three days … no Devil.
Four, five, ten, fifteen days. No devil.
Thirty, thirty-five, thirty six, 39 days. No Devil.

Jesus is made like us, but without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus’ body produced Dopamine, just as ours does. Day after day, Jesus is getting hungrier. When He hits the fortieth day, the Bible says “Jesus THEN became hungry”. The Dopamine kicked in. He’s HUNGRY. And comes along just as the Dopamine kicks in?

Chef and Theologian Extraordinaire, the Devil!

Matthew 4:3 (LSB) If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

When you’re HUNGRY Dopamine activity increases in your brain circuits, demanding that you seek food, look for food, work for food. The hunger hormones (Ghrelin) increases when you haven’t eaten, increasing your desires. How did our Lord deal with the Devil’s temptation, and the release of Dopamine in His body?

Jesus Examined The Situation: Is It True?

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true {alēthēs}

When the Devil comes to tempt you, He will come when your flesh is hurting. He will come when you’re FAMISHED. He will come when you’re HURTING. He will come when you’re LONELY. He will come when you are at your weakest point. This is what the Devil did with Jesus. The Bible says that

Matthew 4:3 (LSB) And the TEMPTER {peirazō} came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

Word Study: The Devil is called the “TEMPTER”, the Greek peirazō which means “the One who examines for quality or genuineness, the assayer who checks the purity or the quality or a person or a thing, a refiner. The Devil is testing the genuineness of Jesus. Is He truly the Messiah? Is He truly the Son of God, or is He just another Jewish savior? The Bible tells us the Spirit of God led Jesus to be tested. The Devil is testing Jesus – but God is using the Devil. Our God is the Ultimate Refiner, the Ultimate Tester. The Bible says:

Malachi 3:2-3 (AP) For our God is like a REFINER’S FIRE …. He will purify His people and refinbe them like silver and gold …

Proverbs 17:3 (AP) The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests our hearts.

How does the Devil start out testing our Jesus?

Matthew 4:3 (LSB) And the tempter came and said to Him, “IF You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

The Devil asks Jesus, “Is it REALLY TRUE you are the Son of God? Prove it to me. Feed Yourself. Satisfy your cravings.”

The Devil did the same thing to Jesus three and a half years later when our Lord hung on the Cross.

Matthew 27:39-42 (LSB) And those passing by were blaspheming Him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who [are going to] destroy the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking [Him] and saying, 42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

If it’s TRUE, then FEED YOURSELF, Jesus. If it’s TRUE, then COME DOWN from that Cross. Show us that it’s true, and THEN we’ll believe (says the devil and his followers).

What the Devil did with Jesus, he does with us. He tempts us. He tells us, “If you are REALLY who you say you are, THEN do this. Dance to my song! Please ME. Satisfy ME. THEN I’ll believe”. Our Lord Jesus never played their game. He said:

Matthew 11:16-19 (LSB) But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other [children], 17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Jesus refused to be controlled by the Devil. Before He did anything, He asked the question to Himself:

Is it TRUE? Am I TRULY the Son of God? Do I need to do ANYTHING to prove that truth? Yes. IF I AM THE SON OF GOD, I WILL FOLLOW TRUTH, NOT SATAN’S SUGGESTIONS!

Christians get on Social Media trying to win the war and to battle the lies spoken. Jesus didn’t debate Satan. He ignored what the Devil suggested. He asked Himself, “Is it TRUE?” Is any part of it true? Beloved, do you want to know what TRUTH is? It is what God has said. Before Jesus went to that Cross, He prayed for His Church.

A Christian or a Church BOUND to this world and its pleasures cannot be BLESSED.

John 17:15-19 (LSB) I do not ask You {Dear Father} to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 “Sanctify {hagiazō, dedicate them to that which is Godly} them BY THE TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH. 18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. 19 “For their sake I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also MAY BE SANCTIFIED {hagiazō, dedicate them to that which is Godly} IN TRUTH.

What is the truth for Jesus? Jesus is God. He is the Son of God. Jesus could have easily spoke, and stones could have been made bread. The Scripture says:

Colossians 1:16 (LSB) For IN HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.

That Bible text tells us that ALL THINGS were created in Jesus. This tells us that even the DEVIL was created by Jesus. Think about this. You have one of your children come to you, and say, “Mama – Daddy – you say you’re my mama or daddy. PROVE IT!” How are you going to do something in the flesh to “prove it”? You don’t have to prove it. The only home that child has ever had is the one you provided. You have given them life, and fed them. You would be very foolish to attempt to prove something so foolish in itself!

When the Devil comes to us tempting, even if we’d get a Dopamine rush from it, we need to stop and ask ourselves “Is It True?”. The truth is what the Word of God says. Jesus told that old Serpent:

Matthew 4:4 (LSB) “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'”

Jesus went to the Word of God, the Word of Truth. He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, the Holy Scripture, and relied on the truth of God’s Word. When He did, the Devil didn’t go away – but he stopped that particular temptation.

We need to live by the Word of God, not by the word of this world. God’s Word is always true. The Scripture tells us:

Psalm 119:160 (AP) All Your Words {O God} are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Proverbs 30:5 (AP) Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him

Though God incarnate, Jesus did not use His own power to defeat the Devil. He spoke the Word of God, the Truth, to defeat the enemy. He proved He was the Son of God by referring to the Word of God.

Does It Honor God? Is It Righteous? Is It Pure?

We don’t just stop with “Is it TRUE?”. Tempted by the world and the Devil, we put ourselves into neutral and ask …

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are TRUE, whatsoever things are honest {semnos}

Word Study: Is it HONEST? The word rendered “HONEST” is the Greek semnos, which means “to be honorable and serious”. The word semnos is not just an action, but an action that comes from the heart.

Those who serve the Lord are to be serious in honoring Him.
Is what you are going to do honoring to the Lord?

Our Lord Jesus had His heart set on honoring the Heavenly Father no matter what might come. We have peace with God when we honor God – not just outwardly, but from the heart. Though Jesus rebuffed the devil with the first temptation, the Bible says that the devil didn’t stop. We read:

Matthew 4:5-6 (LSB) Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle {pterygion} of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON [their] HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'”

Word Study: The Devil is very methodical. He took Jesus to the “pinnacle”, the pterygion or the very highest place he could take Jesus on the Temple. Why?

When God had Solomon build a Temple for Him, after Solomon prayed and dedicated the Temple the Bible says “a Cloud filled the Temple, for the Glory of the Lord filled His Temple” (1 Kings 8:10-11). God did not live in the Temple, for the Lord said “Heaven is My Throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the House you will build for Me? Where will My resting place be?”. The Temple was not where God resided. But The Temple existed to glorify God, just as the holy City Jerusalem existed to glorify God.

Satan took Jesus to the VERY TIP TOP of the Temple, ABOVE the glory of God, and said “Glorify Yourself! Throw Yourself off of the Temple, for the Bible says the Father will protect you”.

Oh, how many have been down this terrible path! The Devil twisted scripture, twisted the truth of the Word of God to get Jesus to make it all about Himself. Had Jesus done so, then He would have been no fit Savior. The Savior came to “lay His life down for the sheep” (John 10:11, 14-15). Before doing anything, even though Satan said “Now, this is TRUE”, Jesus asked:

Does the action glorify GOD, or does it glorify Me?

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are TRUE, whatsoever things are HONEST, whatsoever things are JUST {dikaios}

Word Study: But beyond honoring God, “Is it RIGHT or RIGHTEOUS”? Jesus didn’t put Himself on the pinnacle of the Temple, above the glory of God. Would jumping off the pinnacle, expecting the Father to save Him, be spiritual. The word translated “JUST” is the Greek dikaios, which means “that which God has deemed righteous, in keeping with His commands”. Spirituality begins in the heart. Jesus chastised the Pharisees, because they had an OUTWARD spirituality – but no relationship the Spirit of God. Jesus told them …

Matthew 23:28 (LSB) … you also outwardly appear RIGHTEOUS (dikaios) to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Those who love the Lord will live for the Lord. God will never ask you to do something outside of the written Word of God. I’ve had people say,

“I feel like God wants me to do this”. (or)
“I had a VISION God wanted me to do this”.

Your visions and feelings are cute – but are they RIGHTEOUS? The Prophet Jeremiah was often confronted by false prophets. God told Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 14:14 (LSB) Yahweh said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a vision of lies, divination, futility, and the deception of their own hearts.

God will never tell us to do something unsupported by the Scripture. If it violates His Word, it is a lie. Jesus told the Devil:

Matthew 4:7 (LSB) Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'”

Again, Jesus quotes Scripture. It is true that Jesus is the Son of God. It is true that Jesus will not die until the appointed time. Jesus knows that if He puts the Father to the test, His action would not glorify God but dishonor Him. Jesus refused to play the devil’s game.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are TRUE, whatsoever things are HONEST, whatsoever things are JUST, whatsoever things are PURE {hagnos}

Word Study: Those things that are PURE {hagnos} are those things that “show reverence to God as opposed to satisfying the flesh. Things that are Christ driven, not flesh driven. Is what you feel led to do self satisfying, or God satisfying? The Bible says:”

James 3:17-18 (LSB) But the wisdom from above is first pure {hagnos}, then peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, without doubting, without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Do Your Actions Please God?

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are TRUE, whatsoever things are HONEST, whatsoever things are JUST, whatsoever things are PURE, whatsoever things are LOVELY {prosphilēs}

Word Study: The word rendered “LOVELY” is the Greek prosphilēs, which means “acceptable or pleasing to God”.

The Devil wasn’t done with Jesus. We read:

Matthew 4:8-9 (LSB) Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

God has said “You shall have NO OTHER GODS before Me” (Exodus 20:3). You are not to be god. You are not to worship any who profess to be god. You are only to worship the God of the Holy Scripture. God is not pleased when we worship anyone other than Him (Isaiah 46:9; Deuteronomy 6:5). Jesus told the Devil:

Matthew 4:10 (LSB) “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'”

As we close our message for tonight, let’s focus on one more admonition:

Word Study: That which is “OF GOOD REPORT”, the Greek euphēmos, means “that which is well spoken of”. If God doesn’t say He likes it, don’t do it! Paul ends with:

Philippians 4:8 if there be any VIRTUE, and if there be any PRAISE, think on these things.

“VIRTUE” {aretē} is thinking that leads to moral and spiritual excellence. “PRAISE” {aretē}is thinking that leads to commendation from God. That’s what should be driving us. Not social media, not the network news, but that which honors the Lord Who saved us. We are as Christians to be lights in this present darkness. Let us live so as to lead others to Christ.