The Power of Emotions

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The Power of Emotions
REASON
EMOTIONS
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Do Emotions Rule Your Life?

• For most people, decisions are made on the basis
  of what we think and how we feel about it (e.g.,
  Song of Solomon)
• There are times when emotions should have no
  involvement in our decisions (learning the truth
  in Bible study Isaiah 520 558-9).
• Yet, for many people, emotions are not secondary,
  but the primary force in life.

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• How do you deal with your emotions?

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Emotions are Powerful!

• Our ability to experience emotions comes from
  God. (Genesis 127)

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Examples of emotions we have in common with God.

• Joy / Gladness (Ps. 10431 / 2 Jn 4).
• Sadness / Sorrow / Grief (Ps. 7840 / 2 Cor.
  27).
• Anger (Exod. 3210 / Eph. 426).
• Zeal / Excitement / Enthusiasm (John 216-17 /
  Rev. 319).
• Similar to Gods emotions, the feelings we have
  can be powerful, whether for good or evil (e.g.,
  Gen. 45ff. Acts 541-42).

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Examples of emotions that we do not share with
God

• Fear / Afraid (Mat. 826).
• Anxiety (Luke 1226)
• Despair / Hopelessness (Job 3).

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Emotions can cause us to
move.

• Emotion from the root word motere (Latin), a
  verb meaning to move the prefix e - to move
  through or out.
• Each emotion we have can cause us to move or act
  a certain way (e.g., Acts 1214 2 Cor 710 Mark
  35 Acts 1629).
• Emotions can be beneficial Helpful to our
  survival, motivates us to be courageous, and
  helps us to endure loss and move forward.

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Emotions can overpower reason.

• When emotions run high, they often rule over
  reason.

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Example Anger often hinders our judgment.

• James 120 (NASB) for the anger of man does not
  achieve the righteousness of God.
• Prov 274 (ASV) Wrath is cruel, and anger is
  overwhelming

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Emotions can overpower reason.

• How we feel about a situation can be far from
  reality (e.g., Gen. 3735).
• Emotion such as fear can lead us to inaccurately
  judge others (1 Sam. 1724).
• Emotions can often lead to impulsive and foolish
  behavior (Prov. 116a)

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• Overwhelming emotion can lead to irrational
  behavior.

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Proverbs 1417 (NASB)

• A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man
  of evil devices is hated.

13
Matthew 2525 (NASB)

• I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent
  in the ground see, you have what is yours.'

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Emotions, if uncontrolled, can be very
destructive (Prov 1412).

• Anger or rage unleashed can lead to many
  horrible, hurtful words and deeds, even violence
  against others.
• Intense joy can deceive us into thinking
  something is right when it is not.
• Sadness or depression can impair our judgment
  severely.

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The powerful emotions of others can greatly
affect us, for good or bad.

• Do we understand just how contagious the
  emotions of others can be?

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Revelation 316 (NKJV)

• So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither
  cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
  cf. Rev. 319 Titus 214b

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Proverbs 2224-25 (NASB)

• 24 Do not associate with a man given to anger
  Or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 Lest you learn
  his ways, and find a snare for yourself.

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Ephesians 414 (NASB)

• As a result, we are no longer to be children,
  tossed here and there by waves, and carried about
  by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of
  men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming - cf.
  2 Tim. 43

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Emotion vs. Reason

• Emotions are important.
• Emotions can help facilitate positive actions in
  our lives (e.g., Phil. 44 2 Cor. 710 Mark
  35).
• Yet, emotion is not our guide in religion,
  reason is (Gods word).

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Reason (Gods Word)
is our guide.

• Isaiah 118 (NASB) "Come now,
  and let us reason together," Says the LORD
• Eph 517 (NASB) So then do not be foolish, but
  understand what the will of the Lord is.

21
1 Timothy 41 (NASB)

• But the Spirit explicitly says that in later
  times some will fall away from the faith, paying
  attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of
  demons, - cf. Rom.
  814 2 Tim. 316-17

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• Those who follow their emotions and turn a deaf
  ear to Scripture are
  fools,
  no matter how zealous they are!

23
Proverbs 1215 (NASB)

• The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but
  a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

24
Proverbs 1521 (NASB)

• Folly is joy to him who lacks sense, but a man
  of understanding walks straight.

25
Romans 102 (NASB)

• For I bear them witness that they have a zeal
  for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

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How Emotions Can be a Blessing and not a Curse.

• Be honest about how you feel.
• Self-awareness or recognizing our emotions as
  they occur is critical.
• This is the key to understanding ourselves,
  whether we are walking by faith or walking by
  feelings, whether we have a good attitude or a
  bad one (2 Cor. 135 / 1 John 18).

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Psalm 13923-24 (NASB)

• 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart Try me
  and know my anxious thoughts 24 And see if there
  be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the
  everlasting way. - cf. Heb. 412

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How Emotions Can be a Blessing and not a Curse.

• Be honest about how you feel.
• Manage your emotions appropriately
• Continual negative emotions (e.g., fear, anxiety,
  wrath, depression) makes for a very miserable
  life.

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Proverbs 1722 (NASB)

• A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken
  spirit dries up the bones.

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Manage your emotions.

• There are things we can do to increase positive
  feelings or have emotion which is appropriate.
• Prov. 1225 Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs
  it down, but a good word makes it glad.

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A good word makes it glad

• The study and meditation of Gods word (Phil.
  48 Ps. 198).
• The worship and praise of God (Ps. 425).
• Faith in the Lord and His promises (Phil. 44 1
  Pet. 18-9).
• Keeping company with those who build you up, not
  tear you down (Rom. 1419).
• Bodily discipline (diet, exercise, and sleep) is
  valuable to physical health (1 Tim. 48a 523)
  and can help us emotionally too.

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Manage your emotions.

• We need to develop the fruit of self-control
  (Gal. 523 1 Cor. 925).
• Emotions can cloud our judgment in which we
  commit foolish, even sinful acts (e.g., Acts
  2611).

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We must learn to hold back the emotions that may
hurt others.

• Prov 1429 He who is slow to anger has great
  understanding, but he who is quick-tempered
  exalts folly.
• Prov 2911 A fool always loses his temper, but a
  wise man holds it back.
• Self-control of our emotions is important for
  the unity and peace of the home and church (Eph
  41-3 533).

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Do we have a right to feel how ever we want?

• Mark 834 (NASB) And He summoned the multitude
  with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone
  wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself,
  and take up his cross, and follow Me.

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How Emotions Can be a Blessing and not a Curse.

• Be honest about how you feel.
• Manage your emotions appropriately
• Choose your emotions

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Emotions dont just happen!

• Emotions are like the wind. They come and go
  suddenly, often leaving havoc and debris in their
  path. Some days we feel great. Nothing can defeat
  us. Other days, we can't seem to do anything
  right. Emotions are feelings. They aren't
  logical. They just happen. They are telling us
  what is really going on inside us - even if we
  don't want to know. The Cry of the Soul
  How Our Emotions Reveal Our Deepest Questions
  About God by Jonathan Falwell

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Choose your emotions.

• Sometimes physical factors have its effect (e.g.,
  diet, exercise, sleep, medicine, weather,
  chemical imbalances in the brain, etc.).
• Personal temperament (e.g., Melancholy, Sanguine,
  Choleric, Phlegmatic) may influence our tendency
  to express certain emotions.
• Yet, despite all these factors, our emotions
  remain largely our CHOICE!

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• If emotions were not a matter of choice, then why
  these commands of God?...
  

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Ecclesiastes 79 (NASB)

• Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for
  anger resides in the bosom of fools.

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Ephesians 431 (NASB)

• Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and
  clamor and slander be put away from you, along
  with all malice.

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Isaiah 4110 (NASB)

• 'Do not fear, for I am with you Do not
  anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I
  will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
  surely I will uphold you with My righteous right
  hand.'

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Matthew 1028 (NASB)

• "And do not fear those who kill the body, but
  are unable to kill the soul but rather fear Him
  who is able to destroy both soul and body in
  hell.

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Phillippians 44, 6 (NASB)

• 4 Rejoice in the Lord always again I will say,
  rejoice! 6 Be anxious for
  nothing, but in everything by prayer and
  supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
  be made known to God.

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• Despite our circumstances in life, we can still
  choose the right emotion or attitude.

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Proverbs 1814 (NASB)

• The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but
  a broken spirit who can bear?

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Philippians 411-13 (NASB)

• 11 Not that I speak from want for I have
  learned to be content in whatever circumstances I
  am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means,
  and I also know how to live in prosperity in any
  and every circumstance I have learned the secret
  of being filled and going hungry, both of having
  abundance and suffering need. 13
  I can do all things through Him who strengthens
  me.

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• Bodily appetites/ fleshly desires do not force
  us to do evil we can choose the right
  emotion and attitude regardless of how our body
  may feel (Rom. 86 e.g., 1 Thes. 43-5 Mat.
  2641).

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• Knowing the truth is quite liberating, that we do
  not have to be a slave to our sin or our
  emotions! (Jn 831-32 2 Pet 219b)

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How Emotions Can be a Blessing and not a Curse.

• Be honest about how you feel.
• Manage your emotions appropriately
• Choose your emotions
• Empathize or respond to the feelings of others.

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Proverbs 1513 (NASB)

• A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when
  the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.

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Empathizing

• Listening to not just what is said, but how it is
  said and taking note of the emotional condition
  and countenance of others.

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Pay attention to
the feelings of others.

• 1 Cor. 1226 (NASB) And if one member suffers,
  all the members suffer with it if one member is
  honored, all the members rejoice with it.

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How Emotions Can be a Blessing and not a Curse.

• Be honest about how you feel.
• Manage your emotions appropriately
• Choose your emotions
• Empathize or respond to the feelings of others.
• Seek to influence others for good by the emotions
  you choose to have.

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Your attitude and the emotions you display does
affect others!

• Maintain a joyful attitude and invite others to
  rejoice with you (Phil. 217-18).
• We mourn over sin so that others may see it as a
  serious matter.
• We do not laugh at sin or find it amusing (James
  48-10).
• We express anger over sin and false doctrines
  (Mark 35 Rev. 149-10).

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• Speaking to others with grace and love (Col. 46
  Eph. 415a) Warmhearted, not cold or callous, in
  the manner in which we speak.

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The Gospel is the Greater Power That Guides
Christians.

• The gospel is even more powerful than our
  emotions (Rom. 116 Eph. 113 John 1717 Heb.
  412).

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Romans 1017 (NASB)

• So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the
  word of Christ.

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Acts 2032 (NASB)

• "And now I commend you to God and to the word of
  His grace, which is able to build you up and to
  give you the inheritance among all those who are
  sanctified.

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The Gospel is the Greater Power That Guides
Christians.

• The gospel is even more powerful than our
  emotions.
• In day to day decision-making, we are to follow
  Gods will, no matter how we feel about it.

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Ephesians 515-17 (NASB)

• 15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as
  unwise men, but as wise, 16 making the most of
  your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then
  do not be foolish, but understand what the will
  of the Lord is.

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Obey Gods will, no matter what your feelings may
be.

• There are commands we must obey, responsibilities
  we must fulfill despite our emotions (e.g.,
  1 Thes 517 Heb 1025 1 Cor 134-8 2
  Cor 413).
• In time, the proper emotions or feelings will
  follow (e.g. Mat 510-12)

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The Gospel is the Greater Power That Guides
Christians.

• The gospel is even more powerful than our
  emotions.
• In day to day decision-making, we are to follow
  Gods will, no matter how we feel about it.
• Our eternal salvation depends on obedient faith
  to the gospel, not on how we feel about our
  salvation (Acts 236-38 Phil. 212 Rev. 210).

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1 Timothy 416 (NASB)

• Pay close attention to yourself and to your
  teaching persevere in these things for as you
  do this you will insure salvation both for
  yourself and for those who hear you.
• Are we paying attention to Gods word or only
  how we feel?
• NASB

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Remember!

• Our ability to rejoice in salvation is not based
  on our personal feelings, but on the promises of
  God and our faithful response to Him (Rom 1513
  1 Pet. 13-7).

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• Emotions Can be a Blessing When We Exercise Them
  with Care and Make Gods Will the Number One Rule
  of Life.