Psychologists are correct in the sense that we can"t help but be hurt if someone hates us or mistreats us. In the natural, that"s true. Emotions are such a strong force that when something negative happens to us on the outside, there is bound to be a negative reaction on the inside. That is physical truth; that"s the way we are made. But with knowledge we can learn to control those negative emotions. We can learn to manage them. We can harness them just as we harness a horse.
The Bit of the Bridle
Behold, we put bits in the horses" mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
James 3:3 In the physical, I can"t control a horse with my brute strength, but I can control a horse with my superior knowledge. When the Bible says that by putting a bit in a horse"s mouth we turn about its whole body, it is referring to a physical, natural law. This is the way G.o.d made a horse. It can"t do anything without its head leading it.
If a horse is lying down, you can sit on its head and hold that two-thousand-pound animal on the ground, because a horse cannot get up unless it physically throws up its head first, then the body follows. I don"t know exactly why, but that"s just the way it is. If you can hold a horse"s head down, you can hold its whole body down.
Say you are riding a horse that has a tendency to get down on the ground and roll. You don"t have to worry about that happening while you are in the saddle, because the horse has to dip its head before it can go down to its knees and roll over. If you hold that horse"s head up, it can"t get down. It might fall, but it"s not going to get down as long as you hold its head up.
A horse cannot rear up unless it first throws its head up. So if you are riding a horse that tends to rear up, all you have to do is put a tie-down on it to keep its head from being thrown up.
If a horse tries to run away with you, you use the bit to rein it in. If the horse doesn"t respond to the bit, all you have to do is pull the reins to one side. If you pull the reins to the right or the left, you can stop the horse from running away with you. It is impossible for a horse to run straight ahead with its head turned back around toward the rider. It will simply start going into a circle and eventually stop. This is the simple way a bit works on a horse. If you can control a horse"s head, you can control the entire horse.
The same is true with our emotions. Emotions are a powerful force in the natural, but that doesn"t mean we have to be at their mercy. G.o.d intends for us to control our emotions. It is simply a matter of knowing G.o.d"s truths from His Word and applying them to our lives.
G.o.d"s Word is the bit, bridle, and reins that gives us control over our emotions. When we live by G.o.d"s Word, faith comes, and faith (knowing G.o.d) will override and neutralize any negative emotions. Then we can experience victory in our emotions.
That is exciting!
Chapter 3
The Mind and the Emotions.
As Christians, our sense of peace depends not on our outward circ.u.mstances but on our inward thoughts. If we think on the negative things of this world, we are going to be depressed, because the things of this world are depressing. But if we think on the positive things of G.o.d, put our mind on heavenly things, and think about what G.o.d has given us, we are going to be blessed. It all depends on where we put our mind. Christians, our sense of peace depends not on our outward circ.u.mstances but on our inward thoughts. If we think on the negative things of this world, we are going to be depressed, because the things of this world are depressing. But if we think on the positive things of G.o.d, put our mind on heavenly things, and think about what G.o.d has given us, we are going to be blessed. It all depends on where we put our mind.
Where Is Your Mind?
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3 If we really had our mind stayed on the awesome things G.o.d has done for us and has prepared for us, it would be impossible for us to be depressed and defeated regardless of our present situation. There would be perfect peace.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in G.o.d, believe also in me.
In my Father"s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:1-3 Jesus was saying, "Don"t get all worried and upset, just trust in Me. I have everything under control and am working it all out for you." That is also what Paul was talking about when He wrote the following scriptures.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which G.o.d hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 One of the reasons the Lord told us about the future and of the glories He has planned for us is because when we are in the middle of negative circ.u.mstances, we can close our eyes and think on these things. (See Philippians 4:8.) We can think about our glorious future. We can think about the fact that this physical life is like a brief millisecond compared to eternity. And as we begin to think on these things, it will bring emotional peace and joy to us. We will find our peace in who we are in Christ and in what He"s done for us, not in our physical circ.u.mstances.
The Mind Controls the Emotions
Our mind - the things we think about - controls our emotions.
If I were to tell you that one of your loved ones had been killed in a car wreck, there would be a physical, emotional response; there"s no option. Even if what I told you was a total lie, you would still experience the emotions that go along with how you think think about what I said. If you believed me, there would most likely be a reaction of grief, sorrow, or maybe even anger at G.o.d for letting such a horrible thing happen. If you knew I was lying, you would be angry with me, wondering why I would tell you such a thing. about what I said. If you believed me, there would most likely be a reaction of grief, sorrow, or maybe even anger at G.o.d for letting such a horrible thing happen. If you knew I was lying, you would be angry with me, wondering why I would tell you such a thing.
I could tell ten different people the exact same thing, and their emotional reactions would vary, depending on how they perceived what I said to them. Some may believe me, some may not. But they have all, in some way, preprogrammed themselves to respond a certain way.
For example, a person who was totally selfish and really didn"t love anyone but themselves would respond differently from someone who was completely unselfish. If I told a woman who was one hundred percent selfish that her husband had just died in a car wreck, she might think, Well, what about me? What"s going to happen to me? How am I going to pay the bills without him? Well, what about me? What"s going to happen to me? How am I going to pay the bills without him? A woman who was really in love with her mate would think, A woman who was really in love with her mate would think, Oh, I loved him so much! How am I going to live without him? I"m going to miss him terribly. Oh, I loved him so much! How am I going to live without him? I"m going to miss him terribly.
There would be different reactions to the same piece of news, because people are emotionally different. They think differently and emotions follow thought. So if we begin controlling the way we think based on the Word of G.o.d, then we can begin controlling the way we feel.
For example, we can learn to control our emotion of anger by looking at things differently. I have learned that when people are angry at me, it is not physical flesh and blood I am fighting, but demonic spirits. (See Ephesians 6:12.) Satan uses people to get to me. So when someone attacks me, I realize that it is really Satan who is attacking me and not that person. That understanding has helped me tremendously.
I have also realized that what really makes me angry is pride, my own self-centeredness. (See Proverbs 13:10.) If I weren"t so concerned about promoting myself and if I loved other people more than I love myself, then I wouldn"t have such a problem with my emotions. When someone gets angry and then violent, I think, G.o.d, what"s wrong with them? Why are they like that? What is causing them, to be this way? G.o.d, what"s wrong with them? Why are they like that? What is causing them, to be this way? It"s only a very selfish person who gets so angry they become emotionally upset. It"s only a very selfish person who gets so angry they become emotionally upset.
Now you may say, "But it"s hard not to get angry when people hurt you." That"s true. But if we can diffuse that self on self on the inside of us, we can diffuse our anger. As we begin learning these keys through G.o.d"s Word, it changes the way we think and ultimately changes our reactions. It changes us in the emotional realm. We don"t have to go around like a bomb waiting to go off if certain things do or do not happen. the inside of us, we can diffuse our anger. As we begin learning these keys through G.o.d"s Word, it changes the way we think and ultimately changes our reactions. It changes us in the emotional realm. We don"t have to go around like a bomb waiting to go off if certain things do or do not happen.
The Limit of Faith
Today, many Spirit-filled Christians who have heard teaching on faith and how it can change their lives find themselves in situations where it just doesn"t seem to work. They try to use their faith to rebuke the devil, to remove every obstacle in their path, or to get to the place where no one will ever cross them or rub them the wrong way. They try to use their faith to get rid of all financial problems, all physical problems, and all emotional problems. Through faith, they try to change their external environment so they never have an occasion to get hurt. That is the goal some Christians have set for themselves, and I believe that to a degree they can effect it.
For example, I believe G.o.d has provided financial prosperity for us. He doesn"t want us to be financially dest.i.tute - He wants us to be prosperous. (See 3 John 2.) In the area of physical healing, I believe G.o.d has given us the authority to walk in divine health by faith. But I also believe that even if we had our faith working one hundred percent of the time in those two areas, which doesn"t happen overnight, we would still have problems to deal with. I"m not sure anyone ever gets to the place where they can never be touched in these areas. But even if they did - if they had their finances and their health in perfect condition - they would soon discover that there are other areas they do not have complete control over, such as other people and their wills.
We cannot manipulate and control human relationships with our faith. Whether we like it or not, other people always have a choice. We can influence them through our prayers and through our actions, but ultimately other people decide for themselves how they will think and act. Satan has more than enough people around who are submissive to him that he is always going to have someone he can parade across our path, someone we cannot control, and someone who knows how to hit our "hot b.u.t.ton."
The point is, if we are using our faith just to try to change our environment or our outside circ.u.mstances to where we have no problems, we will be sadly disappointed. It will never work. Never in a million years will you work up enough faith to have things your way, because there are always going to be people you can"t control. As long as you are living in this world, you are going to be rubbed the wrong way - someone or something is going to bother you. The devil will see to that!
We are not to change our outward circ.u.mstances, we are to change our inner selves. We must change our emotions, our programming, and our att.i.tudes, so that regardless of what people do to us, we are going to walk in love. We are not going to be b.u.mmed out and we are not going to have a bad day - no matter how other people treat us.
Decide to Rejoice Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the G.o.d of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17,18
Some people cannot relate to this pa.s.sage about rejoicing in the Lord regardless of their outward circ.u.mstances. They say, "Do you mean we can have peace no matter what is going on around us? Is it possible that our emotions can be totally disconnected from our environment to where they don"t dictate to us the way we should feel?" Yes, that is exactly what I mean.
G.o.d is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
Psalm 46:1-3 This sounds like a major calamity, yet David did not fear. He rejoiced in the Lord. I will bless the Lord at I will bless the Lord at all all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalm 34:1). There are many instances of David praising and worshipping the Lord in the midst of his hardships. In spite of everything that was going on around him, he chose to worship G.o.d. He was confident of the fact that even if the earth fell apart, G.o.d was his refuge and his strength and He would see him through. (Psalm 34:1). There are many instances of David praising and worshipping the Lord in the midst of his hardships. In spite of everything that was going on around him, he chose to worship G.o.d. He was confident of the fact that even if the earth fell apart, G.o.d was his refuge and his strength and He would see him through.
We can choose choose to be joyful in the midst of negative circ.u.mstances to be joyful in the midst of negative circ.u.mstances if if we will put our mind on what G.o.d says and focus our attention on the spiritual realm rather than the physical realm. we will put our mind on what G.o.d says and focus our attention on the spiritual realm rather than the physical realm.
This. .h.i.ts at the very heart of what causes so many negative emotions, even in Christians today. With all the communications technology our modern society has available today, we are plugged into the world more than any group of Christians who have ever lived. We are bombarded with events and situations from around the globe: wars, natural disasters, plagues, epidemics, hunger, famine, and tragedies of all kinds. We have developed a whole world perspective and much of it is negative, because that is what most often attracts media attention. If we think think on these negative things, sooner or later we are going to become negative. If we focus our attention on depressing things, we are going to become depressed. That"s just the way it is. on these negative things, sooner or later we are going to become negative. If we focus our attention on depressing things, we are going to become depressed. That"s just the way it is.
Christians today have to make a deliberate decision not to allow these negative things to mold their thinking or determine their destiny. They have to constantly remind constantly remind themselves that even though they are in the world, they are not of the world. (See John 17:11,16.) themselves that even though they are in the world, they are not of the world. (See John 17:11,16.) That doesn"t mean G.o.d wants us to move into a monastery, bury our head in the sand, and try to never hear anything negative again. But it does mean we have to make a deliberate effort to avoid becoming infected by the negative thinking that is so prevalent in the world today. It takes an extra effort on our part to counter the negative things we continually hear and experience. We do that by going to the Word of G.o.d. We must let G.o.d"s Word mold our thinking, rather than what we hear from the world.
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of G.o.d. and find the knowledge of G.o.d.
For the lord lord giveth giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:1-6 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Proverbs 3:1,2 The Word of G.o.d is super-positive. There is an antidote in it for every negative thing we will ever hear or experience. Nothing will ever come our way that G.o.d"s Word does not answer. So we must commit ourselves to the Word by reading it, putting it into our heart, and meditating on it. G.o.d"s Word will rise up with an answer to everything Satan throws against us.
The World"s Way or G.o.d"s Way?
You have a choice: Are you going to see things from the world"s perspective or from G.o.d"s perspective?
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love G.o.d, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 According to this scripture, G.o.d can make all things work together for our good. I believe that because I have seen it happen in my own life. I have things come against me just like everyone else does. Sometimes when I teach about overcoming emotions through faith in the Word of G.o.d, people will come up to me and say, "Well, Brother, you just haven"t had my problem." They discard what I say, because they a.s.sume I haven"t been in their exact situation.
I admit we are different and we all have different circ.u.mstances to deal with day by day, but the Bible says, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13). Satan does not have different tricks that he uses on different people. He has the same trick - he just puts it in a different package, uses a different wrapper, and adds a different bow to it. I have been through the same progression of temptations and have faced the same problems that plague everyone else, and I have seen faith in G.o.d"s Word give me the victory. (1 Corinthians 10:13). Satan does not have different tricks that he uses on different people. He has the same trick - he just puts it in a different package, uses a different wrapper, and adds a different bow to it. I have been through the same progression of temptations and have faced the same problems that plague everyone else, and I have seen faith in G.o.d"s Word give me the victory.
One time we sent a letter to the partners of our ministry, asking them to help us prepay the printing of a Bible I had written. The total cost was $21,000. We received the money, and because we were naive and stupid we paid it all to the printer in advance to get a $10,000 discount on the printing fee. It turned out that the printer stole that money from us and didn"t provide us a thing, so we lost all of the $21,000. That was a big hit for us. Besides that, to get the Bible reprinted we had to come up with an additional $45,000, because that"s what it normally took to get the job done. Our printer had bid low, knowing from the beginning that he was going to steal our money.
If you heard that you had just lost $21,000 and had to come up with an additional $45,000, how would you feel? What emotions would you have? Well, 1 guarantee you, I had a number of feelings and emotions. I was upset and hurt at the same time. I was embarra.s.sed thinking about our partners and the money they had given us in trust, and knowing I had blown it. I had all kinds of negative emotions coming at me, but I also had the Word of G.o.d in my heart to counteract them.
We have seen that being spiritually minded produces life and peace. When these negative emotions came upon me, the first scripture that came to me was Proverbs 6:30,31 which says that if a thief steals something he shall restore sevenfold. he shall restore sevenfold. The Lord spoke to me and said, "That"s nothing but the devil stealing from you and trying to hurt you, but he will have to repay seven times that amount." The Lord spoke to me and said, "That"s nothing but the devil stealing from you and trying to hurt you, but he will have to repay seven times that amount."
I immediately grabbed hold of that word from the Lord. I called my staff together and told them, "This is going to be the best thing that has ever happened to us. It"s the devil who stole from us, and we"re going to rub his nose in it. We"re going to get back seven times what we have lost."
I began thinking positively and focusing on the promise of G.o.d, and that turned our situation around totally. That year was the greatest financial increase we ever had to that point, because I stood and believed G.o.d. I didn"t go to my partners and ask them for more money. I just started believing G.o.d. We did some things on our own, but it was the blessing of G.o.d that caused that year to be the greatest financial year we had ever experienced. Our financial increase that year was nearly exactly seven times what the devil had stolen.
Now some people may not see the miracle in that, but I guarantee you, it could have gone the exact opposite direction. That event could have totally shut us down. It could have ruined our whole ministry if I had conceived defeat through entertaining negative emotions.
When the Bible says in James 1:14 that l.u.s.t, when it conceives, brings forth sin, we often think of sin as adultery, murder, robbery, and so forth. Those things are sins, but unbelief is also sin. Discouragement is sin. Depression is sin. It"s missing the mark, which is the literal definition of sin. It"s not what G.o.d intended for us. And the only way to counteract that sin is by standing on the Word of G.o.d in faith.
Thinking Spiritually
Unbelief, discouragement, and depression are conceived in the emotions. If we refuse to give place to self-pity, anger, bitterness, and hurt, we won"t conceive the failure these things breed.
In our problem with the printer, the Lord brought Proverbs 6:30,31 to my mind. Because of the Word of G.o.d, I started thinking spiritually and G.o.d worked everything out to our good. He will do the same for anyone who keeps their mind stayed on Him rather than giving in to their negative emotions.
As we have seen, emotions are determined by thought. If you will start thinking in line with G.o.d"s Word, He will show you a way to turn any negative thing in your life around so that it works together for your good.
I could give so many examples of people I have ministered to who have seen this principle at work in their lives. A certain single woman I know was raped and became pregnant. It was a terrible situation. She was so upset that she decided to get an abortion. But G.o.d spoke to her and said, "That"s not your baby; she"s Mine. You can"t take her life." She turned her situation over to the Lord, and He began to show her that He could glorify glorify Himself through it. Himself through it.
Now that does not mean G.o.d caused her to be raped. No, it was an attack of the devil, but G.o.d turned it around for good. That woman has become healed emotionally. G.o.d has done many miracles in her life, and she is now seeing other people"s lives changed through her testimony. In spite of her negative situation, G.o.d brought a positive result when she trusted in G.o.d and His Word instead of her emotions.
There"s a positive way to think about everything. You may say, "But I"m going going through a divorce. What"s positive about that?" I"m not saying divorce is through a divorce. What"s positive about that?" I"m not saying divorce is good, good, but you need to look at things in the light of eternity. Recognize that this situation is just for a moment. but you need to look at things in the light of eternity. Recognize that this situation is just for a moment.
Keeping Our Perspective
Some time ago a woman came to me for counseling. She said, "I"m not a Christian like you and these other people around here, but I"m having marital problems. I"m going through a divorce. I need help, and I want you to pray for me."
"Now, wait a minute," I said. "You admit that you understand what being a Christian is, you know you aren"t saved, and if you were to die you would go to h.e.l.l?"
"Yes."
"But you want me to pray for you? You want to ask G.o.d for help in your marriage, but not ask G.o.d for help in the salvation of your eternal soul?"
As she looked at me in silence, I went on to say, "You know, ten thousand years from now after you"ve been in h.e.l.l for all that time, this marriage isn"t going to be all that important. You"re dealing with the most important thing in the world - the salvation of your soul - not your marriage."
All of a sudden the truth dawned on her. "Hey, you"re right," she said. "I need to take care of my relationship with G.o.d." So I prayed for her and she was born again.
Now I"m not saying that marriage isn"t important! It is important. It is probably the the most important decision you"ll ever make concerning this physical life. And if you are facing divorce right now, I"m not saying you"re not in a bad situation. But if all else fails, you can sit down and say, "Father, some day this life will be over, and I will be with You for eternity. Thank you, G.o.d, that marriage is only temporary. This is all going to be behind me then. Thank You, Lord, for such a great salvation. Thank You that regardless of what the devil does to me here in this life, I still have You. Thank You that You love me, that You haven"t rejected me, and that whatever happens to me, I am in Your hands now and forever." most important decision you"ll ever make concerning this physical life. And if you are facing divorce right now, I"m not saying you"re not in a bad situation. But if all else fails, you can sit down and say, "Father, some day this life will be over, and I will be with You for eternity. Thank you, G.o.d, that marriage is only temporary. This is all going to be behind me then. Thank You, Lord, for such a great salvation. Thank You that regardless of what the devil does to me here in this life, I still have You. Thank You that You love me, that You haven"t rejected me, and that whatever happens to me, I am in Your hands now and forever."
As you begin drinking that way, do you know what will happen? You will begin experiencing joy and peace! Not a peace you can find in the world, but a joy and peace only G.o.d can provide. And that peace will give you a fresh perspective and new wisdom about your problem.
What the Lord has given us through Jesus is greater than any problem we can ever experience here in this life. If we will take our attention off of our physical problems and begin to look at what G.o.d has done for us, we will experience joy and peace regardless of our physical circ.u.mstances.
As Christians, we have no excuse for being defeated. We can find many reasons reasons why negative things happen to us, but there are no why negative things happen to us, but there are no excuses excuses for allowing those things to overcome us emotionally. Remember, G.o.d"s provision is always greater than our need. for allowing those things to overcome us emotionally. Remember, G.o.d"s provision is always greater than our need.
But my G.o.d shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
The Outer Man and the Inner Man For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16 The apostle Paul is giving us some background about himself. He is admitting that there are some serious things happening to him in the physical realm. One of these things is that his outward man is perishing - his body is getting older every day. But Paul is talking about more than just his physical body. He is also speaking of the spiritual realm in which the inward man is being constantly made new.