
Managing Your Emotions 2024 – Part 4
Part of Managing Your Emotions 2024
November 23, 2024
- Emotions can be confusing and overwhelming at times! “My emotions are out of control.”
- The world tells us that emotions rule us, dictate us, and control us; but is that true?
- It can be true if we allow it, but we don’t have to allow this!
- We can manage our emotions by understanding their purpose, their power, and how we can benefit from them!
- “I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and dominate them.” Oscar Wilde
- Emotions – a complex state of feeling that results in physical and psychological changes that can influence thought and behavior.
- Emotions are a part of your human biology or makeup.
- Emotions have an important function. They are signals delivering a message.
- Emotions function to guide us to survive and thrive.
- Most people think their emotions can’t be controlled, but that’s not true!
- Emotions are God-given with a powerful purpose, therefore:
- They can be controlled, not govern or control our lives.
- They should be used for good. They should be effective.
- Instead of living in a way where our emotions deal with us, we are going to deal with them!
- Our emotions are feelings on the inside caused by circumstances trying to move us in a certain direction.
- Heb 4:15–”For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
- Jesus experienced feelings – painful, difficult feelings.
- Even though He did and was touched with all feelings, He did not sin.
- He couldn’t allow His emotions to control Him or His destiny would have been derailed.
- He was able to experience and manage His feelings instead of them managing Him.
- Mark 14:33-55 – AMPC – “And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed. And He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! Remain here and keep awake and watch. And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the (fatal) hour would pass.”
- Jesus was struck with terror and amazement, deeply troubled, and depressed.
- We don’t think of our Savior in this way!
- He was human just like you. He felt just like you. He had emotions just like you.
- Important lesson: What did Jesus do?
- Decision: Go to the cross, Shed His blood, Be the world’s sacrifice, and Usher in the New covenant.
- His emotions came to try to stop His decision, but what did He do?
- He went forward. In other words, keep going in the direction God wants you to go no matter how you feel!
- Just an important moment: Talk to GOD when you feel overwhelmed with your emotions.
- So often, we run to, talk to, and listen to everyone but God!
- Attack often comes when you are standing close to your destiny!
- Part of the curse that came when Adam and Eve sinned à curse of being an emotionally-ruled person.
- It is not a curse to have emotions. It is a curse to be ruled by your emotions.
- You were created to express emotions, and have passion!
- Sin and satan came to pervert our emotions and subsequently pervert us.
- Ex: – How did you end up in adultery? Your emotions took you there.
- How did Jesus rule His emotions? He had the character to deal with the feelings, and His character carried and sustained Him, so He reached His destination.
- Chart: What you’re exposed to –> creates what you think –> What you think creates your emotions –> What you feel dictates decisions you make –> Decisions create actions you take –> Actions create habits –> Habits create character –> Character creates destination.
- Reverse is true: If you want to change your destination, change your character. If you want to change your character, change your habits, etc.
- Let’s go to the very beginning: You will never have the character to sustain you and manage your emotions unless you have control over your mind/thoughts.
- Last week, talked about how what we are exposed to affects our thinking.
- Pr 23:7 – As a man thinks, so is he. (so is his reaction, his decisions, his character, his destiny…)
- Thoughts: Can you control them?
- Hagin – “You can’t stop birds from flying overhead but you can control them from building a nest in your hair.”
- II Cor 10:4-5 – “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
- Strongholds – houses of thoughts that reside in your mind, fortresses in your mind.
- Thoughts that lead to you being emotionally-ruled.
- Bring into captivity every thought that takes you away from your God-given destiny.
- You have the ability to deal with your thoughts.
- How? Count 1-10 in your mind…Now shout your name!
- What happened when you shouted? Thoughts stopped!
- How do you cast down arguments? Open your mouth and speak the Word of God!
- You exchange negative thoughts with the Word by speaking the Word!
- Chart: What you’re exposed to –> creates what you think –> What you think creates your emotions –> What you feel dictates decisions you make –> Decisions create actions you take –> Actions create habits –> Habits create character –> Character creates destination.
- Your thoughts, which begin with your exposure, if dealt with will lead you to emotional health so that you have the character to sustain and reach your God-given destination!
Truth about your emotions:
- 1. He resisted the negative emotions. How? He understood His God-given authority over His feelings.
- 2. He kept going. He went a little farther.
- 3. He kept praying.