In the natural makeup of man and in his five senses, emotions play a very important part of who we are. Having emotions are a part of what the Father did in us when He placed us here on earth. Not to have feelings or emotions is as wrong as to allow feelings or emotions to have us. In the natural make-up of the human being is the ability to be able to live in this natural body and contact this natural world.
When we were dead in trespass and sin, and without God in our lives, we lived only in this natural realm. When we were born again by the Spirit of God, we received a new guide and counsel. Many of the impulses we lived by in the past are now contrary to the spirit realm of the Holy Spirit. The most difficult part of walking in the spirit, is not letting the senses or emotions to rule us now and becoming more sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Learning to control (not do away with) these emotions or senses takes being very aware of the leading of the Lord (mostly by knowing His Word). God isn't limited to the written Word, but He will never violate His written Word by leading us wrong. We have allowed ourselves to walk mostly in these senses even after we were born again. Because of the leading of the senses, we have allowed things in the church that disagree with what the Lord wants in our lives. We find that divorce is almost as rampant in the church as it is in the world. Adultery, anger, and unforgiveness are very much alive in the people of God. To be able to control these things in our lives, we must bring them under control by His Word.
Matthew 5:43-44 (Amplified) says that "You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." Verse 44 goes on, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Without bringing your senses into agreement to the Word by faith, this is almost impossible to do. The very fact that he is your enemy already shows that according to the feelings that rule emotions you don't like this person. What Jesus expects us to do is love Him enough to put your feelings under His control and move by faith in His Word. This isn't an easy thing to do in any man's life and without the Word and the Holy Spirit is almost impossible.
We show that in most of our lives the feelings have ruled over us. When we are born again, we have a new nature and a new Spirit. This new Spirit is how our Father will now contact us and fellowship with us. We are still trying to reach God and communicate with Him through the sense realm and Jesus said that "God is a Spirit." If God had been able to deal with man successfully through His flesh, then there would have been no need of being filled with His Spirit.
If you had an old computer that you used just to pay bills and keeping records, then it would serve you pretty well in the realm in which you used it. If you take this computer and hooked it up to the internet, then you must now learn more and have access to much more data. It's not that you can't do the same things you did before, but now you have so much more to work with. When we were only in the flesh, these senses were all that we had to work with. But, now that we have access to the Wisdom of God by His Holy Spirit, we need to learn how to function all over again.
In 1Corinthians 13 (Amplified) we see a very stark contrast between the natural kind of love (or feelings of emotional love) and the God kind of Love that is spiritual. In this chapter of God's Word we see that feelings have very little (if anything) to do with feeling or emotion. Verse 4 (Amplified) says, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious or boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vain glorious, does not display itself haughtily" Verse 5 "It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride) it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it (it pays no attention to a suffered wrong." Verse 6 continues, "It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail."
I don't know where you are in your walk with God, but in my walk I'm always checking my love against His. Mine always seems to be way short of where it should be according to the Word. I still feel anger rise up in me from time to time, and each time it does, I am faced with what I'm to do with it. I have the option of letting the feelings rule me or have the Word rule me. The choice is mine to make. Feelings of the flesh are not wrong unless they are against God's Word.
I have emotions that I allow to flow through me and I have feelings that I simply won't allow to govern me. I learned to be able to discipline my children without anger taking the upper hand. I learned how to treat those who are enemies without animosity. I learned how to not be upset with my brothers in Christ who are walking in a different place than me. I have learned to be patient with the baby Christians and still teach them and forgive them in their mistakes as they grow.
I've found that what I think most, is how I react in this world. As my mind goes, so my body and emotions want also to go. I began to learn how important it really is to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind." You are how you think. You can think on problems and be depressed or you can think on His Word and have the "joy of the Lord as your strength."
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