As born-again Christians, being saved gives us authority on multiple levels, and one of those levels is our emotional state. God blessed us with emotions, but sometimes they can get the better of us when we are influenced by the flesh. Our feelings can either work for us or against us, depending on whether we’re trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit or in ourselves. Because of what Jesus did, we’ve been empowered to take charge over our emotions.

Negative emotions include depression, anxiety, fear, and anger, and the enemy uses these against us. The devil’s will is to destroy our lives by causing our feelings to spin out of control, and he uses everyday situations to stir up any negative emotions he can. God’s will is for us to enjoy an abundant life until it overflows. We can agree with him by truly believing he wants the best for us in every area of our lives and rejoicing in that, regardless of the way we feel at the moment.

Exercising authority over our emotions gives the control back to us, but we’re incapable of exercising that authority without the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. What we feel and think determines our behavior, which in turn determines the quality of our lives. Thoughts can flit through our minds all day long; studying and meditating on the word of God gives us the power to accept those thoughts that build us up and reject the ones that are painful to us.

Losing our temper can cause trouble and strife, and it brings consequences we don’t want or need. Understanding our emotions and what triggers them keeps them from taking us to a place where we don’t want to go. Knowing how to apply this knowledge is a sign of true wisdom.

Prayer:

God, you gave us authority over our emotions so that we have the power to maintain emotional control in any situation. You also gave us the freedom of choice to decide which emotions to embrace and which ones to cast down. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit to guide is in this area. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Matthew 16:19

John 10:10

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Proverbs 23:7

2 Corinthians 10:5

Proverbs 15:18

Proverbs 4:7