Battling Unwanted Feelings
David Wilkerson teaches how to battle unwanted feelings through faith and Scripture.
David Wilkerson addresses the challenge of battling unwanted feelings that can deceive and rob believers of their peace and joy in Christ. He emphasizes that these unsettling emotions are often tactics of the enemy, meant to lead us into despair and fear, even when we are walking closely with God. Wilkerson encourages believers to recognize that their feelings do not define their salvation or relationship with the Lord, and stresses the importance of arming oneself with the Word of God to combat these negative thoughts. He reminds us that God has given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, urging us to turn doubts into opportunities for praise. Ultimately, he calls for believers to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
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Your feelings certainly do not affect your salvation or your relationship with the Lord. They may try to deceive you or rob you of your peace and joy in Christ; they may even harass or accuse. But it is time you recognize some unsettling feelings are messages from the enemy, intended to bring you down into despair and fear.
You may be walking in the Spirit, reading your Bible, praying and loving the Lord with all your heart when suddenly, unexpectedly, troubling feelings flood your mind and spirit. Wicked principalities buffet you with unwanted negative feelings when you least expect them. If left unchecked, your emotions can drag you down and distort your vision.
People may throw around theology and simple formulas, such as, "You shouldn't feel like that! Where is your faith? God wants you to live in victory and constant joy." But God wants to teach you some powerful lessons about feelings and how to deal with them -- and it is vital that you arm yourself with the Word of God.
"For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). Your loving Father did not give you feelings of fear and doubt; instead, his gift to you is a perfectly sound mind.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal ... casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
These downcast feelings are tactics of the enemy that cause you to question God's faithfulness. But God isn't the author of them! Today you can turn the temptation to doubt into an opportunity for high praise as you cast down negative thoughts in the name of Jesus.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding the nature of feelings
- The impact of feelings on our faith
- Recognizing the source of unwanted feelings
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II
- The role of the enemy in our emotions
- How feelings can distort our vision
- The importance of arming ourselves with Scripture
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III
- God's gifts versus the enemy's tactics
- Transforming doubt into praise
- Taking thoughts captive
Key Quotes
“Your feelings certainly do not affect your salvation or your relationship with the Lord.” — David Wilkerson
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” — David Wilkerson
“These downcast feelings are tactics of the enemy that cause you to question God's faithfulness.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Recognize that negative feelings can be tactics of the enemy and not reflections of your faith.
- Arm yourself with Scripture to combat unwanted emotions and maintain your peace.
- Transform moments of doubt into opportunities for praise and worship.