Emotions

[Sue D.]

I'm back for the time being -- we're waiting for a locksmith --

The fruits of the spirit are those characteristics which become part of a person when they accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. -- love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, etc. In other wards a person who processes Christ as their Savior Will possess those characteristics in their lives.

It's Not emotions we're talking about.

There was no knowledge Of sin per se until God gave them / us the Ten Commandments.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating of that fruit -- they gained the Knowledge of both good And evil.

They received the Propensity For sin and passed That on to future generations.

The 1st thing they instantly understood is their physical nakedness. And they attempted to cover themselves with leaves. They lost their innocence and hid from God.

Okay -- they experienced fear. A lot of people experience 'fear' without being guilty of anything. A person fearing fire for instance, they might simply have a healthy respect for keeping a healthy distance From fire. They're more careful to put out their camp fire.

Paul was talking about his desire was to please God, but he finds himself Not carrying through with that desire.

As mentioned earlier -- we All have the Propensity for sin.

Becoming emotional does Not constitute having an emotional problem.

Let me ask you -- have you experience the loss of a loved one? And how have You responded to that.

 

[Sue D.]

@Sue D.
Dear Sister,
Realizing that he is with the Lord, can be comforting, but doesn't take away from the loss.
Those years together meant much and created a bond few get to realize. With that comes
a flooding of emotions. Great full that he is with the Lord, but conflicted for not having his presence with you.
My heart and prayers go out to you and those who share your loss.
In the name of Jesus Christ.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
<><

Thank you -- that's appreciated.

 

[regibassman57]

Hello again Sue D,

It seems we are pretty much on the same page at this point.

I do agree that everyone that comes to Christ receives that character of the fruit of the Spirit, which we must learn to put on. If we do not put on Christ’s character, we will continue in the character of the old nature base on the character of good and evil; which is emotional. Though we have not taken the victory over emotions, we walk by faith and confess that we are more than conquerors in Christ over them. We do not justify them. We continue to fight against them and use God's grace "as we fall" in order to get back up.

I liked when you said: “It's not emotions we're talking about.” It seems you were referring to the Fruit of the Spirit.

You said: “There was no knowledge Of sin per se until God gave them / us the Ten Commandments.”

There actually was knowledge of sin, but God was not imputing sin; because there was no law.

Rom 5:13 For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

It seems you agreed that good and evil entered through Adam’s transgression. Are you also saying, this is the beginning of emotions in man?

You said,
Okay -- they experienced fear. A lot of people experience 'fear' without being guilty of anything. A person fearing fire for instance, they might simply have a healthy respect for keeping a healthy distance From fire. They're more careful to put out their camp fire.

I can only say what 2Timothy says:

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

I God did not give us the spirit of fear, we cannot justify it.

I also agree with you when you said, Paul was talking about his desire to please God. The point that I was demonstrating using Romans 7:23 was, Paul was struggling emotionally; this is why he said, “I see another law in my body warring against the law of my mind. Paul was not fighting against his self, but as scripture teaches us, he was fighting against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. Satan comes to us as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. All temptations come from the devil. God cannot be tempted with evil and He does not tempt any man (James 1:13).

I do agree that being emotional does not constitute a person to have a emotional problem. I would not say that. We all are struggling in this warfare, but we all have an end game.

I have lost several close friends and family. Some I’ve lost when I had no knowledge of the truth and the pain was devastating. The more I started understanding God’s word, I knew that it was not Him tempting me and causing the pain I felt. I also knew it had nothing to do with me desiring to hurt that way. My conclusion came when I understood who the tempter was (Matthew 4:3). Satan comes to steal our peace and to destroy us by any means necessary.

 

[regibassman57]

Sue D,

You asked me in one of the last post where I got the four foundation of evil emotions from? I just read scripture.

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

G4448 (greek definition for “fiery”)
poo-ro'-o
From G4442; to kindle, that is, (passively) to be ignited, glow (literally), be refined (by implication), or (figuratively) to be inflamed (with anger, grief, lust): - burn, fiery, be on fire, try.

The wicked being talked about here is Satan or his kingdom. The fiery darts are defined as “anger, grief and lust” being kindled and ignited in man. Satan uses these emotional characteristics to steal our peace so we can walk according to his leading; instead of the Spirit of God’s leading.

The forth foundation is fear which I put in the last reply. We know that God has not given us the spirit of fear. I believe there’s no need to explain.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 

[Sue D.]

You're obviously free to believe whatever you want to.

God created Adam and Eve as complete individuals which includes emotions. We are created to be social people -- interacting with each other. We are Not robots which would make us emotionless beings,

Jesus, Himself showed emotions when He wept when Lazarus died. And Jesus Christ was without sin, so,

You commented that upon the death of those close friends and loved ones that at first you were devistated, but that after having studied for a while -- time was passing. I've seen in myself that the initial grief Was devistating, but that gradually it Is becoming less and less that way. Tears are a wonderful healer. I really disagree that That has anything to do with satan causing those feelings and is out to destroy our inner peace.

While it IS true that satan is out to destroy the testimony of Christians by any means possible. And some people Do have problems with anger. Just like some people have problems with gluttony or sex. Eating itself is necessary for life and sex was created by God for both our pleasure when married and for procreation. EXCESS / Misuse in either of these is sin.

Following your reasoning -- joy, laughter would Also be wrong. So, joyfulness under what circumstances -- what is it that we're laughing at. Those would be choices we're making. The emotion itself is part of being the person God created us to be.

Each person grieves in their own way and time does heal.

And -- each person is free to believe what they want to.

 

[regibassman57]

Hello Sue,
The reason Jesus showed emotions is because he came in the likeness of sinful flesh. He came like a man in order to identify with man in their times of tribulations; which he did. Jesus was tempted in all points as we are yet he was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Then He took the likeness of sinful flesh (that old man) to the cross and crucified the nature, (the nature of sin along with its characteristics), and gave us a new nature and and character.

The new nature is the character of Love, "Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

In these characteristics we do not see anger, lust, fear or any other characteristics of the sin nature. The love of the world is not the love of Christ.

We have been told not to love the world. The love of the world is an emotional love. This is how 1John describe the love of the world, which we are warned not to love.

1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Lust is the love of the world and the emotional motivation to desire vain things. Emotions are about self, they point to us. We should be seeing Christ’s character in us; not the character that is one with this world and that we've known since birth. This is the same character as an atheist. Unless we learn to stop justifying emotions we can never take the victory over them; fear, sadness, anger, lust and every other characteristic that point to how we feel contrary to peace.

If a believer is or becomes emotion in life, and they believe it's not a problem and they are walking according to the truth of Jesus Christ, it’s not an issue as long as they put on Christ and bring forth 30 fold, 60 fold or 100 fold fruit/character in Christ (Matthew 1323. I believe that peace is the key to contentment in Christ; it is the place for us to rest our souls. Unless the peace of Christ, the peace that surpasses all understanding keeps us continually, we cannot and will not abide in the rest which Jesus promised to us.

Our choices in Christ define our daily outcome in life. If we desire peace, we must first believe we can have it; and then we will learn to rest in Christ.

Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls.

This promise will give us rest from any emotion that will seek to take the peace of Christ from us.

The emotions of this world cause a person to react to situations. The character of Christ is rational through peace in all situations.

Sue, I have a few questions for you:
Do you believe that born again believers die to their old nature when they come to Jesus Christ?

Do you believe born again believers are new creations in Christ and old things are pass away?

Do you believe that unbelievers and believers should have the same characteristics?

Do you believe that the Fruit of the Spirit in Love is the same as the love of the world?

 

[Hekuran]

The emotions of this world cause a person to react to situations. The character of Christ is rational through peace in all situations.

But of course we have plenty of records of Jesus responding emotionally to situations: 'Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”'

In fact, the gospels show Jesus with an extraordinary range and depth of emotion - from profound grief to exuberant delight. It's difficult to imagine an emotionless person being fully human.

 

[regibassman57]

That is correct, Jesus showed compassion, reached out and touched people healing them, etc but it was the character of the old man. Atheists have compassion, they help many people, they are doctors, nusrses and every beautiful things we want them to be until the evil side of the nature of good and evil enters. In Christ there is only the character of Righteousness.

Jesus was the word of God made flesh; that came in the likeness of a fallen man. The fallen man is not how Adam was created. Adam was created in the character of the Fruit of the Spirit; the image and likeness of God.

When Adam sinned the character of the Fruit of the Spirit left Adam and Satan's character entered him and became his god.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Once we become born again, we are still harrased by the god of this world, but God has given us direction on how to follow Him and what to look out for.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Satan is a spirit and we cannot visually see him naturally outside of ourselves, but we feel and see Satan's character and influence within ourselves emotionally when we are acting contrary to the Fruit of the Spirit of Peace. The word of God visually gives us direction because we understand the knowledge of what is being said when we read it. This is the same reason the law was given. Through reading we have a way to get the spiritual understanding of a spiritual world into a physical existence.

 

[regibassman57]

Hekuran,
One thing I didn't mention that I think is important to understand, Satan comes to us as an angel of light (2Corinthians 11:14). He does this to decieve us. For instance; He presents the good, (through the temptations of how we feel), just to set us up for the evil. For instance; It's a beautiful thing to expect wonderful things is life, any type of good news, we're getting a raise on the job, just drafted into the NFL or any other leauge, etc. It's a high of emotions and we ride it "feeling" on top of the world. Then we get the news. we're sorry, we've chosen to opt out and go in a different direction. It does not matter what it is that we are worldly overjoyed about, the let down is harsh. This is the lust of other things entering in, which causes some believer to fall away, especially if they've not truly learned and understood God's word. Or if they're tired of the fight and quit trying to endure the temptaions. This is the love of the world.

Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it become unfruitful.

The fire is the temptations that proves us. This fire is emotional, and unless we stay in the fire (in obedience to God's word) acclimating ourselves to it, just as shadrach meshach and abednego did, we will not be proven as victors; and our faith is false. We must overcome the emotional trials and tribulations of life and rest in the peace of God's character.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 

[Fragrant Grace]

Fear is usually the cause of some of the most powerful emotions in our lives

Given a chance devil that liar and deciever will get a foothold........
What if this happens
You are not going to get through this
Nothing can help you......
You are going to fail
You are going to die

And so forth

But as Christians we have the unfailing Word to grasp and rejoice in..

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.
Isaiah 26:3

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:1

 

[regibassman57]

Hello Fragrant Grace,

I definitely agree that fear is the greatest and most powerful emotions in Satan’s arsenal; and everything in him stems from his fear. Satan is as a roaring lion seeking to devour a believer, he can’t do it through intellect because we have perfect knowledge to turn to. We can read God’s word to understand things and get clarification if necessary. But when it comes to emotions, it is still not thoroughly understood in science, because it’s spiritual. Christians, however, have insight if they say what God’s word says and do what He says, the Spirit of God will reveal the understanding.

I believe anything contrary to faith is of Satan, whether it’s how we think, or conduct ourselves in life. God has told us whatsoever is not of faith is sin (meaning of Satan’s kingdom).

Rom 14:23 And he that doubt is damned if he eat, because he eats not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

In this life Satan has a foot hole as soon as we are conceived while in our mother womb. In most cases we are born in Satan’s camp, (every child is not sanctified by the parents; 1Corinthians 7:14) and are at his mercy. We are born in a fragmented world, (the nature of good and evil), and in most cases to fragmented parent; because they don’t really understand who Christ is and what His will is.

I mean when we look at the fragmentation of Cain and Abel, they both came from the only perfect parents ever created, but the first thing we see about Cain is emotions. God had to tell Cain, Satan is at the door; just like Jesus told Peter, “Satan desires to sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). This is all about emotion. We know how Peter handled it, because he was a serious emotional being and strong-minded.

Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why are you wrathful? and why is your countenance fallen?

Gen 4:7 If you do well, shall you not be accepted? And if you do not well, sin (Satan) lies at the door. And unto you shall be his desire, and you shall rule over him.

If Cain would have listen to God, we would have had a completely different story as it pertains to him. God told Cain that he could rule over Satan! This is because the gift and callings of God are without repentance. God created man is his image and likeness. God did not take back the "will" that He created in man. God created man above Satan, but when Adam sinned, man became blinded to the will of God and how to resist the devil. Now that we've received life through God Spirit; we have direction again; we have the word of Truth, God's word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalms 119:105). Now we can follow God's leading without having to get lost. We may get stuck every once and awhile emotionally, but if we're willing, we have assurance we can find our way if we believe.

Like you said Fragrant, “But as Christians we have the unfailing Word to grasp and rejoice in.”

When we go through the tribulations of life, as you said, “He will keep us in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3); as well as, (John 14:1 Philippians 4:6-7).

 

[Gigiloveslife]

That is correct, Jesus showed compassion, reached out and touched people healing them, etc but it was the character of the old man.

I'm confused by this. You also said in another comment something to the effect that Jesus only experienced grief because He came in flesh. What about all of the many times God is shown to clearly be an emotional God in the Old Testament? He was sorry (or grieved) that He created man before the Flood. He hates liars and the proud. He laughs. He loves. He relents and changes His mind. He has compassion toward us, He is slow to anger, abounding in love. Slow to anger obviously shows that He does get angry.....and remember this is all pre-incarnation.

No one could convince me that God is not an emotional God or that emotions are a result of the Fall. I love that out of all the characters in the Old Testament, David - probably the most emotional Biblical character - was a "man after God's own heart". David poured out his heart and soul to God, he danced, he grieved, he never suppressed his emotions and I believe that part of what God was saying about David being a man after His own heart was an affirmation and declaration that David did well - very well - in the way he handled his emotions. He was a strong, godly man who was not afraid to weep, be vulnerable, dance in what others would deem as a humiliating experience, own his sin and repent and go to battle when it was time.

In the New Testament, we are commanded to rejoice always, to weep with those who weep and to rejoice with those who rejoice -- oh, and we're commanded to "be angry and sin not". (Something few Christians really think about -- that we are actually commanded to be angry....) Abhor evil (abhor, that's a pretty strong word).

Please know that I'm not up for a debate on this because I am really firmly set in what I believe here. However, I will say that I believe the enemy would love nothing more than to try to convince any of God's children they are somehow "less than" or not "strong enough" - or whatever other terms he will throw at us - if they have emotions. It's his game, after all -- condemnation and accusation. Do we have to be ruled by our emotions or fears or anxieties or anger? No, I do believe emotions can start to rule us rather than the Spirit of God -- however, I still maintain that emotions, in and of themselves, are not wrong. And, on the contrary, can even lead us to a higher level of living. I think of how righteous anger motivates people to fight for change in the world (slavery, abortion, abuse, etc.). Trust me, behind every good and hard-won battle that has been fought in any major arena like this, there have been individuals who have had a holy anger rise up in them that would not let them sleep until they had done their part.

Ah, well....anyway, I have spoken/typed too long.

 

[regibassman57]

Hey Gigiloveslife,
I have no problem with dialogue, as a matter of fact, the more conversations I have the better. I’m not going to get too involved with this because it’s too much information to chat about. I’ve written plenty information about emotion on this site, so I can only say if you believe God gave man emotions, every man must bear his own cross; I know what's possible because I’m walking in His peace and believing that, in Him, all things are possible. Jesus died for fallen man’s character and reconciliation to God. Man no longer has God’s perfect character in manifestation, but we are learning to robe ourselves with His Righteousness and the fruit of God’s Spirit is our inheritance. There are no other characteristics in His Spirit created for man but what His Spirit teaches in Galatians. Man is not everything God is. He is a small part created for earth.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

I believe once God brought forth a son of Himself, Jesus became an independent manifestation of the God-Head agreeing in one (1John 5:7). In Heaven God has never experienced the warfare of Satan tempting Him emotionally or any other way. Jesus had to come in the likeness of sinful flesh as a man in order for Him to experience the evil torment of man’s trials and tribulations emotionally (Hebrews 2:17, 18; 4:15).

Jam 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted (with evil), I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man:

Jam 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

It is impossible for the God of Heaven to be tempted and drawn away of His own lust (emotion) and enticed by the devil or man. Scripture teaches us that God cannot be trouble and agitated in heart or mind. This is why He teaches us not to let our hearts be trouble neither be afraid. Man is not God (perfect in character) and has fallen from the place of perfection from his first estate. All God’s decisions in judgment are rational, unlike emotions which are reactive. God is not a reactive God, He’s all knowledgeable and has all understanding; He cannot be troubled out of His Righteous character; He is not a fallen man.

 

[regibassman57]

As you said Gigiloveslife,
The Spirit commands us to be angry. But the Spirit also commands us to get rid of it, “put anger away” from us. Putting it away is not justifying it.

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Be angry and don't sin; then learn to put it away from you as you grow in Christ:

Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

The Spirit knows when a man comes to Christ; he or she does not know how to be without the emotions (they are babes). The emotions of anger, grief and lusts or any other emotional characteristic from Satan which takes our peace from us. It is God’s grace that is sufficient to cover us as we learn to walk in His peace.

Col 3:8 But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

God is not selective in character when it comes to the old man. The old man is the man that was born in sin and shape in the character of Satan as we were molded from infant to adulthood in this life. Atheist have all the characteristics of Satan’s based on the nature of good and evil; put off that old man.

Maybe you didn’t read some of the other posts, but I did put these scriptures in them. The Spirit tells us where anger, grief and lust come from.

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (the devil).

The fiery darts of the wicked are “anger” in the different forms; “grief” and all that it entails; and “lust” in its many variations. Scripture specifically tells us it’s from the enemy, which can only be from the devil.

This is the Greek definition of “fiery darts” which the devil uses against believer. These do not come from God; but from the fallen nature.

G4448 (the fiery darts of the devil)
poo-ro'-o
From G4442; to kindle, that is, (passively) to be ignited, glow (literally), be refined (by implication), or (figuratively) to be inflamed (with “anger, grief, lust”): - burn, fiery, be on fire, try.

This is what Satan kindles and ignites in man in order to spark us to “steal, kill, commit sui1cide, etc. These are the weapons of his warfare. These are only based on the nature of good and evil. One sinful natrue.

We know that God has not given us fear, this should be obvious according to scripture.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

A sound mind is a peaceful mind; a mind of self control. Self control comes from peace.

G4995 (sound)
so-fron-is-mos'
From G4994; discipline, that is, self control: - sound mind.

This is why God told us, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” It is our responsibility to learn not to let another man cause us to become agitated and lose our peace. It’s our responsibility to trust God as our comforter. If God wanted us to have emotions, He would not comfort us through those devastation times we desire to die because of how we feel emotionally. What God will take away at the end, is how it was at the beginning when He created Adam.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The former things of the sin nature will be taken away; anything contrary to peace and the Fruit of the Spirit. The spirit of anger, fear, lust and grief has never been in man until the fall of Adam. The covenant that God established with Adam, at that time, was an everlasting covenant; a covenant of peace, this is why Jesus had to come and re-establish it. God’s word cannot come back unto Him void (Isaiah 55:11); nor is God a liar.

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: has he said, and shall he not do it? Has he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

The character God created for man is the Fruit of the Spirit. This is not all God is, but it is all the ways of man in Christ. There are no other characteristic in Christ for man but the Fruit of the Spirit.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

It's important to remember:
The love of the world is not the love of God. (1John 2:15-17)
The Joy of the world is not the Joy of God. (Luke 8:13)
The peace of the world is not the Peace of God. (John 14:17)

Joh 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

Whatever is in the Spirit of God which He has created for man, is in our inheritence through the Spirit within us. The promise of what God will take away at the end, is already in the our Spirit now. We must put it on, and that can only happen if we believe and with time. But until then, "we walk by faith, and not by sight" (2Corinthians 5:7).

Mar 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

 

[regibassman57]

The peace of the world is not the Peace of God. (John 14:27) (my last post I wrote John 14:17 in error)

 

[regibassman57]

Gigiloveslife,
How do you understand the old creation and the new in character in Christ?
What would you say the difference is between the old man of sin, and the new man in Christ?

 

[Gigiloveslife]

I don't think lust is an emotion, it's sin.

I've done my own personal study on the several different words used for anger and wrath in the New Testament. It is my understand from that study that righteous anger is not a sin but it is when we turn that anger into trying to get revenge or we begin to hate someone - that is what I believe is sin and seems to me to be clear in the verse in Ephesians that tells us to be angry and sin not. The first anger that it discusses is different than the second. I think this verse actually gives us permission to get ticked off and exasperated with things that are done to us. But what we do with that is what determines whether we sin or not. Do we use that to propel us to speak truth and bring truth to light and expose the darkness and advance the kingdom of God or do we turn it into hatred and bitterness and devise ways of getting even or taking our own revenge?

I wonder if God got angry with Satan when Satan rebelled against him....just thinking out loud at all the different thoughts that pop up as I process this topic and respond.

Jesus in the temple. Man, that was premeditated anger. He was angry and took the time to fashion a whip to drive out the money changers in the temple. There are several verses that talk about Jesus being angry at the Pharisees. Just the language he used with them shows this. He was exasperated with his disciples as well.

I believe that the peace we have as believers is different than what the world says. It's not some stoic peace but rather a deep, inner, abiding peace that is still present even when we are angry at those who have sinned against us or others, or when we are in deep dark overwhelming grief.

One thing I can tell you is that my narcissistic soon to be ex-husband had a great way of remaining completely stoic and using that against me in our marriage for 25 years. If I showed any emotion he used it against me by trying to make me feel bad for being an emotional being.

As God started showing me the reality of the emotionally abusive relationship, He also began to confirm and show me that emotions are not wrong. He set me free from feeling like I was not a strong Christian if I had emotions. On the contrary, He taught me to let my emotions drive me to Him. But never in an "emotions are wrong" way but let's let the emotions drive us to God to get the full truth about a situation and then walk in truth as the Spirit leads from there. Emotions are God-given and beautiful.

I'll take a relationship with an emotional person any day over a stoic person who is suppressing and denying their humanity in an effort to appear as if they have life all figured out. Please know I'm not accusing any poster of this, I'm sincerely speaking from experience of the relationships I have had in the past and currently have. My relationships are much deeper, more authentic and real -(no masks) with those who are comfortable being a human with emotions.

 

[Sue D.]

@ 'Gig.' -- thank you very much for your post. You're comment about 'soon to be ex-husband' -- ah, you're a Woman. And I agree with everything you're saying regarding relationships -- emotions and all.

With my husband's background, growing up, Viet Nam, etc. he found it difficult to allow Real closeness. Way back 46 yrs ago I didn't realize that. And I Do know that God put us together. We had been very different personalities --up-bringings
and maybe it was because - in spite of a somewhat rocky road -- neither of us believed in divorce. He'd grown up in a divorced home -- one of nine kids. His middle name was 'poverty'. I nearly left him once , but we had four kids and he wasn't doing anything 'wrong' -- our life was simply Extremely frustrating. And once he nearly left Me, for entirely different reasons. But he didn't really want to leave us in the same situation that his father had left his mom and 9 kids in.

I've been finding that Now -- upon his passing -- those 46 yrs feel like they've flown by. I never expected to be in the catagory of widowhood.

Being able to talk about Most Anything would be a priority in any relationship now. He'd had PTSD and there were more and more subjects that he couldn't / wouldn't talk about. He had lots of emotional boundaries. Self protection from inner emotional hurt.

But - now -- his emotions are completely healed. / his body is also completely healed. No more aches and pains.

 

[regibassman57]

Hey there Gigiloveslife,

You wrote about some things that I didn’t address, but I would like to in another post because I think it’s interesting. For now though, this is what I’ve written.

I do understand your conversation and view in life. You haven’t experienced the things i've been talking about in my posts; and you don't seem to desire the peace that I talk about, therefore, I know you do not see where I’m coming from. That doesn’t make you more or less in Christ and it doesn’t make me more or less in Christ; but two different beliefs based on the benefits in Christ and the experiences. That's okay because we’re living for Christ; learning how to love one-another.

Please do not take this wrong, it’s just an example of two different ways of looking at life. As you know when Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and Sadducees they didn’t see eye to eye; but someone was benefiting. What you’re speaking, you’re speaking because you understand your position and how you’ve married the natures of good and evil into one and you’re good with it. That is something I can no longer do. I’ve done it for many years before I understood Christ; and many more after, so you know what I’ve been through emotionally; because it’s what you go through today.

We’ve all been to hell and back emotionally, I've made a choice not to accept the lack of peace in my life anymore; this is why I present this type of knowledge for others to have this peace if they desire it. It’s the freedom that Christ has been speaking about from day one (John 8:36). Man’s problem, is we don't have rest in our souls; this is where emotions reside and where the warfare is. As I’ve posted before, Jesus came to give us rest in our souls; I’m not accepting anything less.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

As you said, you define different words. The word “laden” or “heavy laden” is defined as “spiritual anxiety” this is all about emotions. Christ has come to give us rest from it. The term “rest” alone is a great study. It really opened my eye to see what Christ has promised.

When we rest in Christ, it relieves the suffering we go through in this life. A time can and will come for those that believe, to rest from the sufferings in this life; but it takes a person’s will to continue to believe and willfully resist the temptations; which are emotional.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walk about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, “after that ye have suffered a while”, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.

God is not talking about making us perfect, establish, strengthened and settled in Heaven, He’s talking about in this life. We are casting all our cares upon Him in this life. Christ is talking about resisting the devil and resting in this life. In this life we desire to have peace. We don't need it in the world to come. Our character will be perfect and without flaw. We have afflictions now, now Christ has given us the power to overcome the devil (Ephesian 6:10-18). If we do not believe Christ has given us the victory over the devil, it is an impossiblity to be free. The power is in us through God's grace.

Phi 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

God is a rewarder to them that deligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). If we act and humble ourselves according to God's will and His word through obedience, He will increasee us (James 4:6). The reason Joshua and Celeb were the only ones to enter the land of Caanan out of everyone that came out of the land of Eygpt, is because they believed what everyone else said was impossible (Numbers 14:27-30).

If the peace of God is keeping our hearts and our minds through Christ Jesus, how can Satan cause us to feel anything emotional that is not based on the peace and character of the Fruit of God’s Spirit?

 

[regibassman57]

Rom 13:8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law.

Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not kill, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness, Thou shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.

Rom 13:10 Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

If a person does not do these things, whether or not if they have emotion, their walk is suspect.