View Site Map

Hooked on a Feeling from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

I feel this, I feel that I feel, I feel, I feel. Feelings rule our society today, and unknowingly shape our attitude and actions. When we begin to speak our feelings, our tongue begins to steer our life. James said it like this:

(James 3:3–6 NASB)  Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

A large ship can be controlled with a small rudder. A horse weighing over a ton can be controlled by a tiny bit in its mouth. And our lives can be controlled by our tongue, which is often driven by what we happen to "feel."

* "I just don't feel like reading the Bible"… So you don't.

* "I don't feel like they love me anymore"... So you start thinking of an exit strategy.

* "I don't feel like..."

He who controls the rudder controls the ship. We need to control what comes out of our mouth before it gets us into more trouble. Feelings are a smokescreen that brings confusion and cover up some really dumb excuses, and they later influence our decisions. It's tough to argue with feelings.

Then there is faith, affirming what God has said in His Word about a subject. When our lives, actions, and decisions line up with His Word, things begin to happen, and our faith increases. Our faith grows as we live through life's victories and defeats. In short, we need to live a disciplined life based on the Word of God and set our mysterious feelings to the side.

His Word, our faith, and our feelings have to line up in that order. While Jesus was fasting, the devil tried to get Him to turn some stones into bread so He could have something to eat. Jesus did not think it over and say, "Well, I do feel hungry..." He told him, "IT IS WRITTEN."

(Matthew 4:1–4 NKJV)  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

(Matthew 4:7 NKJV)  Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ”

Put the feelings aside and God's Word front and center in your life. God's Word is truth, His Word is our anchor, His Word brought the universe into existence. We demonstrate true faith when our mouth and actions line up with the Word of God. Our feelings must take their proper place at the end of the line, the least important of all.

We can become hooked into feelings of doubt, unbelief, self-pity, various lusts, fears, worries. They can begin to control us and grow into mountains we cannot see past. We have to let those feelings go in order to move on with God. We need to put the Word of God first, our faith second, and our feelings last.

You cannot reverse this list and put your feelings first, then expect to live an overcoming life. If you feel like God does not love you, you will begin to act like it, and a distance will grow between you. What is written in His Word overrides our feelings. You cannot measure how much God loves you by your emotions, for they will lie to you. We have to stand on what is written in His Word.

Keep your "feelings" in check and do not speak them if they are negative, for your own words will be used against you by the enemy. You prophesy your own future. Keep your speech positive, and instead of venting a feeling, quote scripture that counters it. That is the way Jesus did it.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please set a guard over my lips and make me aware of the things I speak. Help me to keep my feelings in check and learn to trust You completely. Restore my hope, in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!