Emotions
As you mature in God, you'll learn to trust Him even when you don't understand Him, and develop faith that's not dependent on your emotions.
John Follette emphasizes the journey of faith and maturity in God, acknowledging the challenge of understanding God while highlighting His perfect understanding of us. He encourages a deep love for God even in times of difficulty and lack of emotional response, stressing the importance of paying a price for spiritual growth without expecting constant blessings. Follette teaches about learning to walk with God without always feeling His presence, moving beyond emotional dependency and devotional routines to truly develop faith.
Text
Sometimes I have a test of faith as I mature in God. He doesn't ask me to understand Him. but He under-stands me perfectly. I don't always understand Him. but I love Him anyway. Sometimes He is very difficult to understand, and I say. ,Lord. don't look at my tears. please, look at me, in here. where l'm saying. Yes. Lord. Yes, Lord."
The Lord has a right to leave me without a touch of His Presence for weeks or months at a time. I have my contact without my emotional reaction. If He wants to leave for China for three months, it's all right if I don't get blessed in three months, or even sing a little song while at home walking around. -- I pay a price for every last thing I get from God. I pay a price for it, and I want to. He is not going to baby me. -- We have to learn that, and that isn't pleasant. -- But God is doing something inside of me like a tornado. Then out of that I come out with: "The Lord is wonderful! -- He IS wonderful!"
The further we go on in God, the less He is going to honor that field of the emotions. We have to learn to walk with the Lord without His conscious Presence, which is very terrifying. Less and less are we dependent on our old devotional patterns that served for our living. How can faith develop if He is going to humor us along all the time?
In those difficult places we will never be able to synchronize the state in which we are moving with our fluctuating emotions. They will not always flow together. We are trying to let our emotions run parallel with our experience.
Sermon Outline
-
I
- Faith matures through trials and tests
- God doesn't ask us to understand Him, but He understands us
-
II
- Emotions are not always a reliable guide
- We must learn to walk with God without His conscious Presence
-
III
- Faith develops through dependence on God, not emotions
- We must let go of old devotional patterns
Key Quotes
“He is not going to baby me.” — John Follette
“The Lord is wonderful!” — John Follette
“We have to learn that, and that isn't pleasant.” — John Follette
Application Points
- You must be willing to pay a price for every blessing you receive from God.
- Faith develops through dependence on God, not emotions.
- You must learn to walk with God without His conscious Presence, which can be terrifying but ultimately leads to greater maturity.