Can we trust our feelings or mind for Guidance?
Pastor Maselo Mosomane
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14
Every born again person has the Spirit of God living in his or her spirit. God’s Spirit came to live in us in order to lead us to God. Before we were born again, the soul and the body ruled our lives. In fact; they would fight for supremacy. We depended on our feelings and reasoning.
Can we trust our feelings to lead us? Can our feelings lead us to God? No; every time our feelings assume leadership they always lead us opposite the way God. Our feelings can sense everything except God. Can our minds lead us to God? No; the mind cannot for “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14
Did you know that our feelings are reactionary? For instance; the body does not know that pepper is hot until you taste it. The body cannot know that fire burns until it is burned. Can you see this? Something must first happen before feelings can be triggered to interpret. Feelings are always late and it would be risky to try and depend on them. The same is true with the soul (mind, emotions and will). These faculties, important as they are; depend on stored data. Our minds depend on the information that is already stored in it to function. Our will functions the same way. For one to make a decision, he needs a lot of information in his hard drive. What about the emotions? Same! Emotions express how we feel about information deposited in our minds.
I think we can safely come to the conclusion that we cannot entrust our future to the soul or the body since they both function only through the past and the present data. The mind analyses the past information. Emotions express present feelings while the will makes decisions based on history and present facts. From time to time emotions go back into the archives and dig rotten stuff and brood over them.
As soon as we receive Jesus, our dead spirit is born again. Our dead spirit is raised from the dead and reconnected with God as it was purposed at creation. The bible uses the word ‘reconciled’. “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself” Colossian 1:19.
Through new birth we become children of God. God’s Spirit comes and live in us. Remember Jesus said the Spirit came to guide us. What can we say about this? Since the Spirit of God knows the past as the present and the present as the future; I think we can rely on Him for guidance. With Him I feel safer than with my feelings and my intellect put together. My spirit functions better with this kind of companion. The Greek bible calls Him the Paraclete. He is one who is sent to walk me through this passage of life. He walks side by side with me. Praise God I am not alone!
The Amplified Bible addresses Him with many names. Hear what it says; “but when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He [Himself] will testify regarding Me” John 15:26. Friend; I think someone with this kind of attributes is more qualified to be your tour guide. Don’t try anyone else. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14
Men and brethren, what shall we do? “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. Acts 2:37-39
The Holy Spirit is a gift which everyone gets when he or she receives Jesus as Lord and Saviour. We don’t earn a gift – we receive it. Realize also that the gift is promised. It is promised to people of Peter’s time and their children. Not only those; but also to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. My friend this includes you and me. We too can have the Spirit of God in us. What gives us more confidence is that He is given to people as a gift. We don’t have to earn Him; Just by accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the gift is conferred to us.
You say; “but Preacher, it’s too simple”. You see my friend that’s where the problem is. People want gifts but they prefer it difficult. They want to spend nights on the mountain looking for the gift. They want to go to dip rivers to search for the gift. They want to go to the grave yard to receive the gift. Friend the gift is free and the gift is simple. Believe in Jesus and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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