The Benefits of Emotions

 

Thoughts and emotions are not the enemy of our spirit or of the Spirit of God. God puts His desires in our heart, and uses negative thoughts and emotions as red flags to alert us to unmet needs and unresolved conflicts in our life.

As we take these issues to the cross, we gain God's perspective on them, and His wisdom and truth on how to overcome or to fulfill them, until His peace rules in our heart.

The word "emotion" comes from the Latin word "exmovere" which means "to move out". Our emotions motivate us to feel, and then to do something about them.

Emotions energize us, express how we feel, arouse our passions, spice up our life and restore our soul. Living without emotion is to live in a mental world of clinical, analytical thoughts without expression.

Embracing our emotions is healthy and fulfilling. Denying them is clinical and unhealthy. We block off a part of our self that is very much like our God, who exhibits emotion in so many ways.

Usually, an emotional person is empathetic, not weak; compassionate, not unstable; child-like, not childish. Emotions are very vital to our psychological and physiological well-being.

Emotions influence our attitude about our self, our world and other people. They also impact our actions. We think thoughts and then feel feelings.

Our personality influences our emotions and our emotions affect how other people perceive us. Owning our feelings without blaming them on other people is a healthy activity which allows us to effectively control them and to submit them to God's Holy Spirit to perfect them and to make them more like His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Prayer:

Father God, unto You I lift up my soul. My soul often grieves because of the cares of this world. Only You know how to best renew my mind with Your Word, restore my emotions to true joy and peace, and return my will to following after You.

You are my heart, and my soul rejoices before you. You set my feet to dancing the dance of joy, and I acknowledge You in all of my ways. We attest to the fact that all glory is due to Your name. You alone are worthy of all of our praises (Ephesians 3:4; Psalm 25:1, 29:2).

Thought for the Day:

Our soul is our personality. It contains our thoughts, our choices and our emotions. Faith brings light to our soul, and helps us to think before we speak, so we do not trip over our own words.

Dividing the Soul and Spirit

 

Scholars across the ages attempt to mingle the concept of spirit and soul as one entity. However, Bible truth differentiates between these two realms within our human essence.

Our spiritual union with Christ takes place in our spirit, which is Born Again at Salvation (John 3:5-6; Romans 8:9, 16; Acts 26:18). Then the Holy Spirit spends our lifetime sanctifying our soul - our thoughts, choices and emotions.

Paul makes this clear when he refers to the entire sanctification of body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). God’s Word will actually divide the soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12). The more we submit to His holiness, the more fully we partake in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

Prior to salvation we lived for our self. After salvation, we are crucified with Christ and receive a whole new life with a new pliable heart (Romans 6:4, 6; Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

As we live in Christ, our humanity decreases and His life in us increases (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9; John 3:30). God writes His laws on our heart (Hebrews 8:10). He sees us as perfect in Christ (Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 12:23).

God's Spirit renews us day by day (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23). We live in the righteousness of Christ within us, resisting by Jesus' strength, the devil's temptation to sin (Romans 6:11; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 2:1).

Christ in us changes us from sinner to Saint (Romans 5:19, 8:9; Ephesians 4:12). We are dead to sin, slaves to righteousness and Christ reigns as Lord and Savior in our life (Romans 6:2, 11, 17; 1 John 3:8).

Prayer:

Father God, we thank You for the fact that our authentic Christian identity is no longer rooted in our personality, but in Christ. Our fleshly desires have less and less control over our soul as we walk in our union with Christ in us (Galatians 5:17; Romans 7:25-8:5).

Our desire is for Your divine character, power and authority to completely take over our body, soul and spirit. We thank You for redeeming us through Christ’s sacrifice and for filling us with Your Spirit, so we can walk in Your will each moment of the day.

Thought for the Day:

As God reveals a sin or negative leaning in our character or an idol in our life, we willingly submit it to His Lordship; then His Spirit cleanses us from these sins and replaces our defective human character with His fruit.

- 1 John 1:9; Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:22-23

 

A New Nature - Obedience and Faith

 

Jesus learned obedience through the things, which He suffered, just as we do (Hebrews 5:8). He dealt with the common curse of His pesky human flesh all the way to cross, just as we do (Hebrews 4:15).

He laid down His human life on Calvary’s cross and came forth from the grave in His immortal glory, just as we will, once He returns for His Bride (1 Corinthians 15:54).

We receive our redemption through His blood, and we gain the indwelling of His Holy Spirit through His resurrection and ascension. We are dead and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

When we come to intimately know the living Lord, we start to experience eternal life right here on this earth (John 17:3). He gives us the love, which God gives to Him (John 17:26). We live in this world, just as God sent Jesus into the world, to accomplish God’s will for our lives (John 17:18, 20).

At the same time, Jesus gives us a new nature and makes us holy (John 17:17-19; Colossians 3:10). His Spirit teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live disciplined, holy and Godly lives - not by our own self-efforts, but through Christ Jesus within us (Titus 2:12).

When Christ is foremost in our thoughts and we pray about His order for our day, even cleaning the house, tending the children, working in the secular world, ministering at church, preparing meals and spending time with our family is the result of a spirit-filled life.

Prayer:

Father God, You continually give us exceedingly great and precious promises of salvation, for the purpose of us partaking in Your divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). You sanctify our heart of flesh and give us Your Spirit to perfect us.

As we keep our focus on Your glory within us, we are transformed into the likeness of Christ with ever increasing holiness, which comes from the sanctifying work of Your Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:2). Thank You for including us in Your family and for providing for all of our needs.

Thought for the Day:

We have the potential of becoming spiritual beings in a carnal world, because of the divine power and authority of Christ in us. - 1 Corinthians 15:48

Tucked Securely Under God's Wings

God created us in order to share with us His awesome blessings and provision. He gave us Paradise to enjoy and will once again restore the whole earth to this euphoric condition (Revelation 20-21).

The message of the gospel is senseless to those who are lost without Christ as their Savior. In their pride and rebellion, they condemn themselves with their unbelief (John 3:18).

However, for those of us who trust Christ's redemptive work on the cross, it changes our lives (1 Corinthians 1:18-19). God's love gives us a secure foundation on which to place our faith (John 3:16-17).

As we experience and come to understand God's love, we are filled with adoration, gratitude and love for Him (1 John 4:8). As branches, we are nourished through the Vine of Christ by His love, which is our foundational roots (John 15:5).

God inspired the writers of the Bible to relate both the successes and failures of His Saints. By their examples, we learn hope, reassurance and patience (Romans 15:4).

He fills us to overflowing with the presence of His Spirit (Ephesians 3:19), which replaces our carnal nature. We gradually experience His spiritual fruit and divine nature infiltrating our thoughts, choices and feelings.

We need not fear the terror of night or the arrow that flies by day (Psalm 91:5; Ephesians 6:16). In Him we rejoice always, pray continually and see the seed for a miracle in every adventure through which He leads us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Prayer:

Father God, we cannot help but shed tears of overwhelming joy as we sit in Your presence. Your love encompasses us on every side (Romans 8:35-38). Your wisdom protects us in every decision (Proverbs 4:5; James 1:5). Your Spirit guides our thoughts, words and deeds (John 16:13). Your angels carry us so that we do not even stub our toe (Psalm 91:12).

Thank You for the fellowship of Your Body and the guidance of Your Word, which comfort us during this life of affliction. Thank You for making us heirs with Christ of Your entire Kingdom. Eternity is not long enough for us to have the time to give You all the praise and gratitude, which You deserve.

Thought for the Day:

We are secure in every circumstance as long as we trust God and are tucked safely under the covering of His wings; even in sickness and death He gives us wisdom, provision and protection. - Psalm 91:4