BE MOVED BY EMOTIONS THAT ARE PROPELLED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD
Mark 1:40-42 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing” he said. “Be healed!” 42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.
Conversations among Christians often circle the phrase “don’t be led by your emotions”, but the truth is, we are emotionally moved by the things of this world because God made us to have emotions.
The question is are we compelled to react as the world would react or the way God would want us to react?
When you see a homeless person, how do you feel about them? Are you judgemental or do you feed them?
When you see an injustice, how do you react? Do you mind your own business or step up to advocate for the weak?
When someone is in need, what is your first reaction? Are you too busy or do you make time for them?
Renewing our minds in the Word of God, helps us to understand the heart of God, it encourages us to live with greater love for one another, and shows us how Jesus himself acted and reacted to the people and circumstances around Him.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Philippians 4:8-9 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
As Christians, we have the, promised Holy Spirit dwelling within us, helping us to react in Godly ways, and not in ways that please the flesh.
Galatians 5:22-25 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
1 Peter 1:13-15 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
If we are called to live differently than the world lives, if the Holy Spirit lives within us, if the Word of God, is in our minds, hearts, and lips, then OUR EMOTIONS CHANGE! Our reactions change. Our actions change. Our perceptions change. Our expectations change. Our faith changes. The way we see circumstances change and the way we see people changes.
We are then moved from:
Fear to peace
Hate to love
Anxiety to courage
Selfishness to servanthood
Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.