Feelings are NOT Faith, What do we really follow?

FEELINGS are NOT FAITH!

There has been a great deal of talk regarding how people feel. This has crept so much into the Church and man’s doctrine that it has taken on the air of scriptural authority. There is only one trouble. It is NOT in scripture.

Please do not mistake me, but God really doesn’t care how we feel. He knows that if we will keep our eyes on Him, then our feelings will change. That is exactly what feelings do anyway; change. One minute we feel one way. The next minute we feel another way. It has no bearing on how we live or reality in Christ Jesus, unless we focus on our feelings.

If we are concerned on how we feel, how some teaching makes us feel, what someone says that bothers us, we will be more concerned on our feelings than whether or not what was said was from the Lord. In fact, we will not know what is from God at all if we are concerned about our feelings. IF we base anything, any idea, any “discernment”, any decision on our feelings, we are NOT walking in faith, nor are we being obedient to the Lord.

How can we consider our feelings if we have denied ourselves? Why are we so upset if our feelings are hurt in some, if we are already dead? Since we have no rights, what does it matter how we feel from one minute to the next? I would really like to see the scriptures that tell us we are to pay any attention to our feelings. I have not seen one yet.

However, I have seen verse after verse that says >>>>

Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].
Mat 16:25 For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].


Mar 8:34 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
Mar 8:35 For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel's will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God].
Luk 9:23 And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].
Luk 9:24 For whoever would preserve his life and save it will lose and destroy it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death].


Phi 2:5 Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]
Phi 2:6 Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
Phi 2:7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
Phi 2:8 And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
Phi 2:9 Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
Phi 2:10 That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Phi 2:11 And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


Col 1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things--
Col 1:10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
Col 1:11 [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
Col 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.


Eph 1:16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.
Eph 1:17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,
Eph 1:18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),
Eph 1:19 And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength,
Eph 1:20 Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places],
Eph 1:21 Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come.


Eph 3:14 For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 3:15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name].
Eph 3:16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
Eph 3:17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
Eph 3:18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
Eph 3:19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
Eph 3:20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]--
Eph 3:21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).


Please forgive all of these quotes, but I believe them necessary to this discussion. Where do the scriptures say anything about paying attention to our feelings? I can find none. In fact, according to Phil 2 above we see that Jesus not only laid down all of His own power, authority, abilities, want, desires, etc, but He laid down an right to determine His own course of life, DESPITE what He felt while living. His feelings had no bearing on anything He did or decided. He ONLY said what God told Him to say and did only what He saw God doing. He never talked about feelings.

If we are concerned about how someone is treating us, are we denying ourselves? If we make decisions on the way we feel, have we laid down our wants and desires, have we denied ourselves?

We are told that whatever we do, it must be from faith, NOT FEELINGS. Nothing about feelings at all. Basically, if we consider our feelings, we have not denied ourselves and we keep ourselves from ENTERING HIS REST. We will not understand it nor will we comprehend what it is we are to do. We will not be walking by faith. For feelings and faith are opposites. If we follow our feelings, we will always be shipwrecked. But if we let go of those feelings, lose our right to feel good, forget about whether or not something brings about an adverse reaction of negative feelings in us and walk by what the scriptures say and the Lord commands, then our feelings will always come into live with that faith!

As long as we have not denied ourselves, which includes our feelings, we will NEVER ENTER HIS REST. Therefore, I bring this question to all>>> Are you concerned how some teaching makes you feel or are you concerned if it is scriptural? Your answer tells you what path you are on, the narrow, which leads to TRUE righteousness or the broad, which takes into account feelings, how others treat you, and makes decisions on what we are feeling at the moment. You decide where you want to be.

A bondslave in Christ Jesus, Dirk

Yes you are right feelings do not matter or they shouldn't, but hate to say it they do. I see it all the time. But, I know above all else I have to put Jesus first above my feelings or what is going on around me or to me. Yes, I have my feelings hurt many timesm but the Lord is always there to pick me up amen. He is the one who is faithful through all things, the storms and the mountains. Yes we can be dead to ourselves, but we are human God made us that way. For example we feel love is that not a feeling? I also know it is a action word too. I know I die to self everyday I pray all I want is Jesus and more and more of Him. We need to all pray Lord let there be no more of me just You. Amen