Biblical Posts

Feelings Vs The Word

Feelings Vs The Word

What do you do if you're praying but you're starting to feel discouraged because you're feeling or receiving anything?

The enemy is the one who brings doubt, confusion and discouragement. He wants you to start to believe him and when you do so you're allowing him to bring doubt into your life and cripple your faith.

As Christians, we shouldn't rely on feelings. Feelings aren't always true. I can feel some days like God isn't hearing me but does that mean I should just stop praying? The result of listening to my feelings will cause me to begin to backslide.

When you go before God in prayer, we shouldn't limit it to feeling chills and getting emotional. We can desire a touch but it shouldn't be the main point why we are praying in the first place. It's about growing that intimacy with God. It's about communicating with God.

If your thoughts are "I feel God so I'll pray or I don't feel God so I'll just give up" you're building your faith on sinking sand. When the enemy blows wind and begins to fight you'll give up very easily and begin to lose your faith in God.

We as children of God can feel these things because we are humans but when they happen we replace them with the word of God. The word of God says God hears (John 9:31, 1 Peter 3:12) the word of God says His faithful to forgive when we confess our sin (1 John 1:9), the word of God says He is near to the broken Hearted (Psalm 34:18).

The word of God isn't always meant to be aligned with our emotions because they shift all the time. One day we feel over the moon, the next day we feel insecure and alone. All because one can feel doesn't mean God is now a liar and He is truly far.

It takes faith to say "I don't feel this but I won't believe it either. I know you're here even when I can't feel it"

And this is what pleases God because you're choosing to trust Him over your emotions. You're choosing to trust Him over what the enemy is whispering.

Similar to the garden of Eden. The enemy combated them by basically saying God's a liar. If he was able to let them question their faith, and question what kept them from disobeying God then he had the advantage.

The enemy can lie but it takes us to choose to believe his lies as truth.

Daniel once did a fast where he sought the Lord. Only later on did he receive the message that God wanted to send him. God sent His response on the last day but during this time of fasting and prayer, spiritual warfare was going on. The angel was being blocked to give God's message by a principality. God eventually, in His faithfulness sent another angel to help this angel.

But we can wonder. Maybe halfway in the fast Daniel could've said "wow, where is God?". Maybe on day 15, he wanted to give up desperately. Maybe on day 17, the doubts could've come.

But sis what starts marking maturity in Christ is when despite the odds against us, despite the fire in front of us like it was for the 3 Hebrew boys, despite the den like it was for Daniel and despite the prison, as it was for Joseph, we decide to believe God's word above all.

We always believe in something. We can believe the enemy over God, our feelings over God or even our idols over God but the only true solid rock is God Himself who is His word.

Everyone has those moments where God can feel cold, too far and distant but that's when our faith is tested. This is when we grow from babies to mature in Christ. A mature believer stands on the solid rock of God's truth where they don't need to see to believe.

I might not always understand what He is doing but I can trust it will work out for good (Romans 8:28) and that He is with me because He promised He is (Matthew 28:20). He also said that He is not a man He should lie (Numbers 23:19) so unless God is a liar (which He isn't!) I'll believe He is with me even if it doesn't feel like it. Either God is the liar or my feelings are but because I know the word of God, I know God isn't a liar so I won't listen to lies of the enemy and my feelings.

My encouragement to you is that you need to open your eyes and see where you are. What are you choosing to believe? Choosing to trust God's word is a daily decision because we face daily battles.

It takes perseverance to say "God here I am" every time. It takes perseverance to not give up. It takes perseverance to say I trust you. It takes perseverance.

Like Daniel, keep speaking. Yes, you can feel silly or you can feel like a fool. I've been there too but keep praying anyway. Keep worshipping anyway. God sees you because He said He does. God is listening because He says He does. God will reveal Himself to you. He will speak to you, He is speaking to you and you'll feel that touch again but it often comes with perseverance because sis, if you doubt then there is no faith and where there is no faith you'll sink easily.

I want you to go before God in prayer and continue prayering. Continue to say to God, day in and day out, night and afternoon that you want to feel Him again and that you desire more of Him.

Every time those thoughts (lies) come to your mind, recognise what is the source and hold it captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and say "I'm not going to believe your lies Satan"

Combat the lies of the enemy and rebuke them and continue fighting the good fight (Timothy 6:12).

-etty