I read that this time of year, between Christmas and New Year's Day, statistically there are more suicides than at any other time of year. Isn't that sad? The time when it would seem a person should be the happiest and most excited results in just the opposite…why? It is because of our emotions, our feelings. Over the next several weeks, I want to bring a series of messages entitled, 'Dealing with our Feelings'. We all have them…the difference between you and I and the 'statistics' is in how we deal with our emotions. There are those who would say that we cannot deal with our emotions, we must just 'cope' with them and hope for the best.
I. Feelings or Emotions: Positive or Negative?
A. Some would say they were not to have a prominent place in our lives as believers.
1. They would have us always be solemn and serious in our service to the Lord.
2. They would have us endure our salvation rather than enjoy it.
3. I don't think that is what God intended at all!
B. It isn't what we find when we look at the Scriptures. Note: Deut. 28
1. In v1-2 God promises blessings to His people if they will listen and obey His voice.
2. In verses 3-14, He lists the blessings.
3. Now look at verse 15, "…If thou wilt not hearken…"
4. In v16-44, He lists the curses.
5. Now look at v45-47, "Moreover…all these curses shall come upon thee...Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart…"
6. It seems that God is interested in our emotions, especially when it comes to our service to Him.
7. Apparently, it is as much a matter of choice to serve God with gladness, as it is to serve Him in the first place.
8. Why is that?
II. We are Created in His Image.
(Gen 1:27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
A. Our inward man, the spirit man, is created in God's image.
1. The inward man consists of two parts: spirit and soul.
a. These are both eternal.
b. The soul consists of the mind, emotions, and will.
c. Emotions are part of the soul and thus are eternal.
d. We will possess a sense of humor, experience joy and laughter, and worship God with gladness of heart throughout eternity.
2. Since we are created in God's image, God must also have emotions.
a. This is certainly found to be true in the Scriptures.
b. He is a God of joy, jealousy, laughter, grief, and anger.
c. We know He has a sense of humor, just look around us. : )
B. Why Did God Create Us With Emotions?
1. First of all, emotions are the spice of life!
a. They do not add substance to life, but they flavor it with excitement and enjoyment.
b. And, just like spices, they do not sustain life, but add flavor to life's experiences.
c. For when an athlete scores a goal, the fans react with joy and excitement.
d. This joyful expression does not add any more points to the scoreboard, but it does add enjoyment to the game.
2. Emotions are also the appreciators of life.
a. We respond to the national anthem with a tear, our child taking his first step with a shout, and many forms of entertainment with a laugh.
b. We respond emotionally to situations in life, but the substance of life is in the situation, not in the emotional response.
c. This is where many Christians get off track.
d. They focus their attention more on the emotion than the substance.
e. Peter was caught up in the emotion of the mountain top experience.
(Mark 9:5-7) And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. {6} For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. {7} And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
f. Many Christians today leave the teaching of the Word because they feel it is boring, and they search for emotional services.
g. But this is like trying to live on spices without food! You will have flavor, but no nutrition.
3. Emotions must never take the place of the substance of life.
III. We Are To Be In Control of Emotions.
A. Wrong emotions.
1. Although there are emotions God wants us to enjoy, there are also those He wants us to control.
2. Joyfulness of heart and gladness are to be invited into our lives, but jealousy, bitterness, and fear are not a part of the Spirit-filled life.
3. Psychologists tell us all we can do is "cope" with these negative emotions.
4. But the Lord instructs us that we are to control them.
5. Our answer cannot rest with men, but with God and His Word.
B. We Have The Power of Choice.
1. Jesus told His disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled", and "Fear not".
2. So, fear must involve a choice, or Jesus would not have commanded us not to fear.
3. If fear is a choice, emotions do not have power over us: we have control over them.
4. We not only have the choice to reject the wrong emotions but the choice to accept the good ones!
(Isa 61:3) To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
5. We can choose to put on "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness".
C. Making the application.
(Col 3:8-10) But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. {9} Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; {10} And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
1. If the temptation to lie came to you, would you let it control you?
2. If you had a sudden urge to curse God, would you let it come out of your mouth?
3. The answer to both questions should be no.
4. These are sins, and we would not want to grieve the Holy Spirit by doing either.
5. We have the choice not to sin, and when we choose not to sin, the power of the Holy Spirit will back us up.
6. Anger, wrath, and malice (bitterness) are included in the same list of sins.
7. Apparently, wrong emotions are as much a sin as lying and blasphemy toward God!
Now is the time to choose! How long will we be controlled by our flesh? The longer we wait, the more difficult the deliverance. We cannot control our emotions in our own strength, but by the power of God and His Word we can walk free every day.
(Eph 4:30) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let's learn to deal with our feelings properly that we might not grieve the Holy Spirit.