To Be Led By Emotions Or By The Spirit?

Today was one of “one of those days” for me so I chose to listen to Podcast by one of my favorite Pastors where he talked about emotions and being emotional. In summary he was saying emotions are real and have their place in our lives but they must not run our lives. He discouraged believers from responding to life or circumstances emotionally or based on emotions and insists that no one can fulfill their destinies by living life like that. Interestingly, I found that even my dictionary aligns with him. It says to be compassionate is to be touched by the pain/difficulties of another, to empathize and desire to do something about the difficulty of others. Whilst, to be emotional, is to be excessively affected by emotion rather than reason or an insincere and effusive demonstration of sentimental friendship and an involuntary physiological response to a situation, based on or tied to physical state and sensory data which in bible parlance is flesh. So that when our lives are based on emotions, it is based on flesh or the sinful nature. Such believers often stir up emotions to gain attention and those who respond to them emotionally often end up helping them cripple their lives just like the onlooker who feeling the pain of the butterfly as it struggles to get out it’s cocoon, breaks the cocoon thereby inhibiting the butterfly for life not realizing that God in His wisdom had worked things out such that in that process, the butterfly is strengthened to fly and fulfill its destiny. Unfortunately, that quick relief would cripple the butterfly making it impossible for it to fulfill its destiny which is the fate of many believers today.

 

Romans 8: 8 “That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.”

It is so easy to want to live by emotions. It is such a cheap and easy way to get by in life and very often, it seems to work for us. When we appeal to emotions, it is easier to get people who would be sympathetic to your cause without considering the merits and/or demerits of it. Unfortunately, we often albeit unwittingly, give the devil room in our lives when we do this and even those who think they help us by responding to our emotional tirades or appeal often like the onlooker in the butterfly story help us ruin ourselves. The truth though is that we all owe ourselves a duty to be honest with ourselves because unlike the butterfly, we can think and know when we are appealing to people’s emotions. Indeed, some of us get very frustrated when people resist responding to our emotional outburst so it is just easier for everyone to let us have what we want especially if it doesn’t hurt them and then they can move on with their lives. I admit that our intentions are often not to cripple or facilitate the crippling of a believer but that is the ultimate result. Sadly, the fact that you did not know your assistance will ultimately cripple the believer, does not change the consequence.

Romans 8: 6 “So letting you sinful nature control your mind leads to life and peace.”

 

I am not by any means suggesting that we are not emotional beings. Jesus was full of compassion and had emotions; He also could be emotional like when He wept for Lazarus but He was not guided by emotions so that He always did the will of His Father despite how He felt. Indeed, going to the cross was so tough but despite the strength of the emotion that overwhelmed Him as He thought on the pain of the cross, He yielded to the will of the father. He put all the emotions aside and did what He had to do. If His decisions were based on emotions, we probably won’t be saved today. Emotional people often do not go the long hull. Going wherever their emotions go, they must leave whenever they feel hurt or run out of steam. Such people are often whimsical and life is all about them and how they feel. Often very selfish, they smolder you with what they insist is love and which it isn’t, unwittingly crippling you making it impossible for you also to fulfill your destiny and that is for as long as they feel like doing so.  They struggle with divine counsel and don’t listen to the voice of reason because they are overwhelmed by emotions and every person who does not agree with them is wicked and mean or at best, too tough on them. This is the height of selfishness but I guess it is hard to face up to one’s own weaknesses. Such people prefer to forget that all men are mortals and also feel like giving in to their feelings; it is always a fight not to do so. They act like they are the only ones built with emotions. We all have emotions but we must refrain from letting them determine our responses. The price we pay for that is too much.

Romans 6: 12 “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.”

We often delude ourselves arguing that being compassionate is being emotional which is not correct. Both the bible and my dictionary affirm this. It is good to be compassionate but our responses must be divinely guided or carefully thought through at the very least. Even smart unbelievers would listen to the voice of reason so that though they may not be led by God, they often provide reasonable responses even garnering help from others where they think they are unable to individually provide all the necessary help not caring who gets the glory. Emotional people, believers or unbelievers, will respond according to their feeling not thinking of the ultimate impact. Of course when such people are caught up on this emotional ride, they don’t reason and the word of God is furthest from their minds so they do not adequately assess the situation before they swing into emotional activity assuaging their emotion and/or conscience. We have to get used to turning to the Holy Spirit, who is the best teacher and guide. e is the best and most sincere guide and/or support but we sometimes do not even want to hear His truth. I realize that the easiest thing is to feed people’s emotions and everyone is happy but maybe when we start to look beyond ourselves to the crippling effect of our fleshly responses to situations in the lives of others, we will see the compelling need to turn to the Holy Ghost for appropriate responses.  

When Women Pray …. Saturday 10th October

If you are a follower of this blog then I am certain you know that the place of prayer is the place of communion with God. Sometimes I am afraid that I have worn you out with this topic but please accommodate me because that is our one sure battle ground, that place where we would ultimately always win. God already empowered us to win every battle fought on this turf as long as we do all that we need to do. Beyond that though is the fact that every believer should long to commune with God and prayer is that place of communion. So whenever God is meeting with man, it is prayer taking place so that one form of prayer or the other ought to take place consistently in our lives. Indeed in spiritual warfare, one is still meeting with God but in warfare, God joins forces with God to enforce victory against the enemy. Whether it is worship, thanksgiving or joining forces with Him to enforce the victory He already won for us; it would be prayer in various forms. It could even be God speaking whilst man listens. The point is man is communing with His God. Prayer is therefore, that place where man rubs mind with God allowing his mind to be influenced or impacted by God. Hence it is impossible for any man who prays very often to remain the same. He is constantly being changed; becoming more and more like God.

 

2 Corinthians 10: 3 “We are humans but we don’t wage war as humans do.”

 

God expressed a strong desire to enjoy communion with man in Jesus shedding His blood and ensured that every regenerated man has in his DNA a yearning for communion with His maker and/or Father. So our God is never tired of hearing us as some would like us to believe; He longs to commune with us. I am aware that we often make fun of people who we think pray too often; we act like believers don’t need to pray to make good success of their lives and fulfill their destiny but the truth is, it is only to the extent that one communes with God that one is able to enjoy the benefits of the victory that Christ worked for us by living and dying on earth. Every step forward for a believer is evidence of victory because there is an enemy whose job it is to frustrate our every move forward in life. The times we live in are tough; only those who know their God can do exploits. Prayer does get tedious sometimes, even just “busyness” and challenges of life make it difficult to pray; but these are all tricks of the enemy working through our flesh to keep us from our Father and the place of strength.

 

2 Corinthians 10: 4 “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” 

 

Moreover, for a believer to operate in dominion, as is our mandate, we need information that only God can give us. Our relationship with God gives us the added advantage of accessing privileged information known to God alone and cannot be accessed by the ordinary man but would put us far ahead of the ordinary man if correctly applied. Countries are known as powerful because they are well informed and use the information they have to their advantage. Spending time with Him sharpens our hearing making it easier for us to receive all the information we need to facilitate our greatness so the devil works to frustrate that communion using our flesh. Sometimes we are even deceived into thinking we can resolve our issues faster than God would so we would rather try resolving ourselves instead of praying. Such thoughts are suggestions from the enemy. These are all distractions, meant to frustrate us and kill our desire to commune with our maker. 

 

Luke 18: 1 “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.”

 

We need to pray now more than ever before. There are things happening even in this Country that make it compelling to call on He who alone can deliver us. God has already started a work that needs to be perfected but He always desires intercession. Women, as scriptures show, have been an integral part of God’s move; it remains the same today. When women sincerely and deeply commune with God, heaven has not been known to remain unmoved. So please come out to God’s Favorite House on Saturday 10^th October from 9qm – 3pm so that together we can, on a Pentecostal platform, call on God concerning our families, nation and society. God’s Favorite House is behind Wesley Methodist Church, immediately after the 2^nd Lekki Toll gate which is in front of Chevron on Lekki-Epe Expressway. Please come and bring a friend too.

Lessons From The Life Of Samson Part 3

Yes, it is Samson again. I am sorry if you would rather talk about something else but there just seems to be so much to learn from this man’s life that would help us succeed in this present day. Indeed there is nothing new under the sun. The things that happen, obviously, happened before but maybe under different circumstances. The lessons we need to live successfully, are the same hence the bible is always relevant despite changing times. The word of God is indeed always a present truth.  It is true that we have regrets in life; things we feel we ought to have done or not done that we did and shouldn’t have done; but it will be sad if at the end of a believer’s life, he is sorrowful and full of regrets. So full of regrets and pain that he would desire to end his own life. Though he killed more people in death than in life, could he have been destined to take his own life? It was clear that at that point Samson was not thinking like he should have; obviously, the pain and shame he felt at that time was to him worse than death. Once more the grave received another who was yet “full with his purpose.” It does not have to be so for us.

Judges 16: 30a “he prayed, let me die with the Philistine rulers and all the people.”

Maybe this means nothing to you but unless one goes through it, one can only imagine the pain that betrayal causes: that kind of betrayal where your friend who was your best man at your wedding marries your wife instead. Such was the pain of Samson whose companion whom he took with him to his wedding ended up marrying his wife. At no time did Samson tell his friend that he was no longer in love with her and we are not told that anyone contacted him to find out if he still wanted her; not even the friend. Isn’t it sad that that those closest to us sometimes hurt us the most? Indeed the arm of flesh would surely fail. Man, even at his very best, is man and has the potentials to fail anyone. We must watch out for ourselves that we don’t get carried away. I am sure the friend gave himself all the reasons in the world why it was not bad for him to have married Samson’s wife as we often do when we do wrong so we don’t feel bad. He would have all the best arguments in the world for what he did. The truth is our trust must always be in God otherwise we would suffer unnecessary pain and disappointment.

Judges 14: 20  “So his wife was given in marriage to the man who had been Samson’s best man at the wedding.”

Jeremiah 17: 5 “This is what the Lord says: cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.”

Unfortunately, anger is also a terrible thing when it becomes consuming. The bible says we can be angry but we should not let it go on to sin. Samson was so upset he stayed away from his wife for too long which is contrary also to biblical counsel. God rightly counsels us that anger should not last for long. He was so angry he returned to his parents after the wedding, without his wife. When he finally calmed down, it was too late because he already lost the wife. Though he was angry, he apparently still cared about her because when he was returning to her, he even took a gift with him; he obviously felt that his anger had gone beyond reasonable limits after all the people had threatened to burn his wife’s family. Obviously, his father-in-law was ashamed that his daughter who had been given out in marriage was abandoned and he thought he was making the best decision in the circumstance. Being overly emotional is not wise. Anger is an emotion which must not overcome us. We must have self-control.

Ephesians 4: 26 “And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.”

Another lesson we learn from this story is that we have to pray for our families. If a member of your family that you care for has a problem, you also have a problem. You can’t be happy when they are in trouble. Indeed, it is a good way for the enemy to distract one. When the enemy tries to reach or pull down a believer and is unable to, he would attempt to touch a weak member of your family. It is of utmost importance that we pray for our families. Also, don’t leave your spouse behind as you improve on your walk with God. You don’t need a weak link. It is best when everyone grows together. When they could not reach Samson, they went for his wife and threatened her life and that of her family. Of course, she wanted to protect her family so she made Samson tell her, the solution to the riddle. It was either that or she and her family would perish. She became the weak link in his life. We must pray for our entire family and especially for the salvation of every member of our families.

Judges 14: 15b “Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father’s house with you in it.”

Finally, sweetness does indeed come from the strong. The strong may be strong physically or have a position of power. Every believer is strong. Even the weak are admonished to say they are strong. As believers, sweetness should flow from our strength just as with our God. It may not be sweetness that is appreciated immediately but at the end of the day, it would be called sweetness. While Samson was trying to get the honey, he may have been stung by bees but eventually sweetness flowed. At the beginning, it may not seem like sweetness but the testimony concerning us must be that the outflow was goodness even if it does not seem so at the beginning to the person at the receiving end. Our strength whether physical, material, knowledge or even office should ultimately work good for those that encounter us. Just like the lion, until we die to ourselves, or our flesh dies, sweetness cannot come out of us. Death precedes sweetness.

Lessons From The Life Of Samson Part 2

Isn’t it interesting how we sometimes are determined to succeed at something but using a particular method which we use repeatedly despite that we are failing consistently yet God has not insisted that we use that one method? I often wonder why we do that. I know it is sometimes because we have a problem with change but I have seen people who embrace change fall into this trap so I wonder if perchance it could be because of plain stubbornness or too much pride to admit that one is wrong or could it be that we lie to ourselves that this next time some factors are different and the little difference is enough to give us a different result? I have found that lying to ourselves about anything won’t change the result; the sooner we tell ourselves the truth and make the required adjustments, the sooner we can move forward. Samson yielded to pressure and told the lady he was in love with the answer to his riddle and she told her kinsmen. This led to him having to stake his life to get foreskins of Philistines. Yet he did it again and this time with a prostitute which was even worse; he told her the secret of his power and lost his power as a result of which he subsequently lost his life. We need to learn from the mistakes we made. He should have learnt a lesson from the first one. Any one slow to learn from their mistakes will suffer untold loss and such loss may even include loss of his life. The sooner one learns the better.

Proverbs 1: 22, 24 – 27 “How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simple minded? ... I called you so often but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you.”

We must not take anything precious to us for granted, you would most likely lose it and this includes even relationships. What can be more precious than the gifts of God? Very often, we take the benefits of the privilege of being children of God for granted and because we don’t seem to suffer any immediate apparent loss, we go on and on. We often assume that despite the word of God, we can carry on as we please and as some argue “God is merciful and will forgive” which is indeed true; but there are consequences for actions, some of which may indeed be costly. A lot of the time we assume that the consequences will be taken away because the sin has been forgiven but I have found that they are two different things and I have seen people endure the consequences of their wrong sometimes, despite that we all know that the sin has been forgiven. Samson took the power of God in His life for granted. He had gotten so used to it that he assumed he could do just about anything and it would always be there. Though Samson was sorry, his hair had been shaven and so, he had lost his power which was never restored until his hair grew up and in the interim, he suffered greatly in the hands of his enemies. I believe it was the mercy of God that caused his hair to grow back as fast as it did; what if “your hair never grows back?” We must be circumspect. We must stay away from presumption.

Judges 16: 21–22  “So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in prison.”

Pride is a destroyer. Samson had gotten so many victories that he became proud. At some point he had even removed and taken away the gates of an entire city which must have been strong because it was it was used to keep out enemies and their soldiers; so he must have been strong. It is so easy to get carried away and we all have the tendency to do that so we must watch out for ourselves. He was certain that no one could capture him but unfortunately for him God, who was the secret of His strength, resists the proud. Indeed, pride opens a door into our lives which the enemy never misses and always takes advantage of. The truth is, it lures one away from the covering of God making us easy prey for the enemy. It is something we must watch out for even in us. God won’t take away the pride, we have to decide to put it away so that we can then take on the nature of God. Please note that pride has nothing to do with how rich or poor one is; we have seen poor people that have been so proud you almost don’t want to have anything to do with them. It is a problem of the human race.

Proverbs 11: 2 “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom”

James 1: 14 – 15 “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”

Samson was ultimately destroyed by himself and not really by the enemy. He was endowed with all he needed to live and fulfill his destiny and heaven was certainly on his side but he seemed like a man that was bent on ruining his own life. Very often we are like that but then we blame it on all sorts of spiritual problems but we must remember that the “enemy within” is more powerful than the enemy on the outside. If we can conquer self, no matter how sweet it appears to be, then we can live that fulfilled and successful life that God ordained for us. Sometimes we don’t realize how damaging self is when it often presents itself as sweet and lovely, dreamy and silly but it is. Anytime self is in control of your life, you run the danger of destroying your life and that, no matter how sweet it appears to be.

Lessons From The Life Of Samson

I am one of those that believe one does not have to make the same mistakes that people you know or have heard of, made. I didn’t always know this but as I got older I learnt that it is a waste of time. I realize that I could reach my goal faster if I learnt from other people’s mistakes that were slowed down by their mistakes so I don’t have to be slowed down by the same thing. When I see people younger than I am who are close to me making the same mistakes they either saw me make or I told them about, I get really frustrated. I find it so hard to believe that they actually fell into the same “ditch” after all I had told them and that is because I already know what it would cost them. I am convinced that one of the reasons we made some mistakes is so that those coming after us would not have to make them but I am also learning that if they insist on doing so, they have the right to. So, as you would have observed if you are a follower of this blog, I look at the bible characters from time to time so I can learn from their lives and avoid some mistakes they made. Samson is in focus in this blog.

 

1 Corinthians 10: 11 “These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.”

Samson, like Jesus and John the Baptist, is born with a definite purpose. Indeed, just like Jesus and John’s mothers, his mother was visited by an angel who announced his coming and purpose; the angel also told them what he should do or not do. Unfortunately, Samson died not fulfilling that purpose. Certainly, being chosen of God for a purpose comes with privileges but also, a price. Samson’s parents, like Jesus and John the Baptist parents, played their part well through the time he was in his mother’s womb but unlike John and Jesus, Samson failed to play his part because he did not learn discipline. He was not prepared to pay the price that greatness cost. He only wanted the privileges. He decided to do his own thing instead of the will of God. As God would usually give man a will whilst hoping that man would exercise that right of choice in His favor, God allowed Samson the right to exercise his will and despite knowing all he was meant to be, he preferred to do all his own pleasure. Nobody ever succeeds in life doing only and all, his or her own pleasure.

John 4: 34 “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.”

Judges 14: 2b – 3 “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her to me. His father and mother objected. Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry? They asked. Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife? But Samson told his father, get her for me! She looks good to me.”

There is no doubt that God had marked him for greatness and was with him. God’s favor was certainly upon him like several other people before and after him but he was obviously so spoilt that he used it for his own gain only. Truly greatness comes with a price; a price which anyone that has not learned self-discipline cannot pay. I dare to suggest that since he was an only child at least for a long while, his parents must have thoroughly spoilt him. Even from his discussion with his father about the girl from Timnah above, it is obvious that he got whatever he wanted from them.  There is no doubt that he was self-centered. Self-centered people would sacrifice anyone and anything to have their way. Samson sacrificed even his tribe, he was sent to deliver, when they were in the way of getting what he wanted though he wanted. A self-centered person cannot attain to the heights God ordained for them. As long as God’s will suits them, they go along with it, but as soon as it begins to conflict with their will, it has to be abandoned. They are only concerned about their lives primarily and every other thing is secondary; for Samson his primary assignment became a secondary concern.

Galatians 5: 17 “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the Spirit wants. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”

Galatians 5: 24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”

Whatever a man sows, he shall truly reap. Samson pandered to his flesh so much that he reaped the benefit. If we get everything we want, we often don’t realize that we are also making the flesh stronger. It would be lacking in discipline and unable to accept being denied of anything. We think we are making ourselves happy by getting everything we desire even at the cost of other people or God’s will for our lives but we suffer the consequences; one of which is an undisciplined flesh which could cost one any and everything. It eventually cost Samson his life. He wanted a prostitute so badly that he told her the secret of his power and she shaved his hair so he lost his power and was captured. He later committed suicide. Whilst it is true that he killed more people in his death than in his life, he still died shamefully and before he was meant to die. Denying one’s self is not something one learns to do suddenly; it is a result of practice. If we cannot deny ourselves in little things and in our everyday lives, then it cannot happen suddenly when one is faced with a big issue. Self-discipline is a learned behavior. As we deny our flesh, we crucify it.