What connection do faith and feelings have?

God’s Word says,

“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love.” Ephesians 3:16,17

We are being filled by the Holy Spirit for the indwelling of Jesus Christ in our hearts, and this should take place through faith. Jesus said,

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

It is necessary that we always carefully pay attention to this. Why? The core of faith is trust. I trust what Jesus has said. He said of His Father,

“Your word is truth” John 17:17

Ellen White said, “Faith plants itself on the promises of God, and claims them as surety that he will do just as he said he would.” Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, May 22, 1884, par.3

Trusting God means relying on His Word. This is the foundation of a strong faith, not trusting in our feelings. Our feelings have their place but it cannot occupy the place of our faith/trust.

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY FEELINGS?

How is it when I act according to my feelings? Then I am trusting in something in myself. Roger J. Morneau, whom God saved from Satan’s church, opens our eyes,

“The [demonic] spirits would encourage people to listen to their feelings instead of the word of Christ and His prophets. In no surer way could the spirits obtain control of people’s lives without the individuals realizing what was happening.” Roger J. Morneau, A Trip Into the Supernatural, (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1999), p.43

We are not searching for a mystical-emotional experience.

We don’t need to “trash” our feelings but they are far from being trustworthy. If you would listen to your feelings you would almost never workout or even keep a diet that is compatible with longevity! Faith has a lot to do with trusting in the process or doing what is right because it is right, and not because “I’m feeling like doing it”.

TRUST IN GOD’S WORD AND PROMISES

Faith means trusting in God and His Word, upholding the Bible as binding for our lives and not merely an ingredient or garnish. Many argue that we cannot obey God’s Word in our own strength. That is true for carnal Christians. But whoever lives with the Holy Spirit has Jesus in their hearts and is equipped to obey God’s Word. Romans 8:4 says,

“That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

DEEPER EXPERIENCE

Trusting God and experiencing how His promises are fulfilled in our lives will strengthen our faith in Him and gives us deep roots in His love. Ultimately this love of God satisfies the deepest needs of our hearts. It is like a small child in his father’s arms experiencing comfort and safety. The child’s feelings can change since he is still immature. But when the child’s feelings change, this doesn’t automatically change the father’s love. As we mature in God’s love, we realize that our superficial feelings cannot give us any certainty about our relationship with God. Our feelings are unreliable because they are unstable. Our assurance comes from our trust in God and His constant Word.

We don’t need to desperately search for empty feelings. When Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit, then the fruit of the Spirit will increasingly develop in us. These are gifts of deeper emotions from the Holy Spirit. Joy has a clear part there,

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

In a life of faith, joy will not come up short, but rather will be strong in us through our life with God.

It is crucial for us to differentiate between discipleship by trusting God and discipleship by feelings. The great tempter will show us wonderful things, even about Jesus, but behind this revelation is enticement through feelings and mysticism. It will go so far that people will seem to have wonderful “faith experiences” and come to completely rely on their feelings instead of God’s Word. They may even think that they don’t need God’s Word, since they see themselves as spirit-led through their emotional experiences. Jesus’ words spoke clearly against this in Matthew 7:21–23,

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven [according to His Word]. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Don’t rely on your feelings. Listen to God’s Word – like the song used to say,

Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.

QUESTIONS FOR MEDITATION & DEVOTION

1. How to deal with the duality faith and feelings?

2. Why do demons encourage people to listen to their feelings instead of God’s word?

3. How God’s work can provide a better platform for us to understand and deal with our feelings?