Emotional Deliverance, Part 1

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Pro 25:28


The Gospel is a Deliverance

This series is called Emotional Deliverance because of the need for Christians to understand that through the Gospel, God has deliverd us from the power of our fleshly nature which is the source of most of our emotional difficulties. In fact, all of Salvation is a deliverance; a deliverance from death to life, from unrighteousness to righteousness, and from the power of darkness to the Kingdom of God.

Col 1:11-14 (11) Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (14) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Why Do We Suffer?

We suffer because our problems are real, we suffer because we have an Enemy that hinders our life, and we suffer because we have not learned how to be healthy in the midst of our problems. For example, the person who learns how to be emotionally healthy, learns how to enforce emotional boundaries; they learn to draw emotional lines they will not cross. They have learned to protect themselves. They will not allow circumstances or people to make them crazy, depressed, or hopeless. They will not allow circumstances to poison their spirit. They refuse to hate life and they refuse to walk in the bitterness of injustice. They refuse the need to be validated or defined by people, or more commonly, by their accomplishments.

The healthy person understands the accomplishments of Christ are spiritual, and by far, outweigh any possible achievements of their own, hence, they are defined and validated by the accomplishments of Christ. Christ defines them through their New Identity and the Cross is their validation. The Cross is their purchase price for every blessing from God. In short, healthy Christians see God as their Father, Christ as their Savior, and their lives being directed by and lived out in the context of the Gospel. They see themselves as empowered by the promises of God's Word. If healthy, they understand that Christ has a grand purpose for them, and the problems they now face, are working for their good.

If we define and see our life through our problems, rather than through Christ, then we will have emotional and spiritual difficulties. Our limited perception and understanding simply cannot see the big picture; to be healthy, we have to see with God's eyes. The Lord sees our life perfectly and what does He say? The Lord says to not worry, that no problem will be too big for us for He will provide the strength and grace we need. Our problems, while in His hands, are working for our ultimate good. We have to remember, though we live on Earth, we are citizens of Heaven, and our life is not about the blessings of this world, but about the blessings of Heaven. Our life is about Christ and His redemptive victories. There is a future day of no tears, but here, on Earth, we have many tears, and, the Word says, every single tear is working for our good. Our challenge, as we live in this world, is to keep our faith, keep our joy, and keep our sanity!

Our New Identity is our Emotional Deliverance

In the Gospel we have:

  • A new identity
  • A new heart
  • A new spirit
  • A new family
  • Complete forgiveness
  • Complete reconciliation
  • Perfect love
  • A Perfect Friend
  • A Perfect Counselor
  • Indwellling Holy Spirit
  • Victory over our human nature
  • Victory over all the power of Darkness
  • Citizenship in Heaven

Power, Love, and a Sound Mind

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We learn to possess the promises of a sound mind just as O.T. Israel learned to possess the Promised Land. The land was given to them by God, and it was given by promise. But there were a few minor problems: it was full of giants, it had powerfully built walled cities, and they (Israel) were greatly outnumbered. Most of us can relate. Yes, the most dysfunctional and unhappy person reading this, if you are a born again Christian, you have been given the promise of a sound mind, which means that emotional and spiritual health belongs to you, but the promise also means you will have to conquer the emotional giants that oppose what is rightfully yours. We have been promised a sound mind, but to possess our soundness, we have to kill the giants and tear down their walled cities. Yes, we have to destroy them, otherwise, they will not go away! The question is not, do you have the strength, no, the question is, are you willing to live by faith and use the strength God gives. His weapons destroy the emotional and spiritual giants that keep you fearful, depressed, and hopeless? If we are willing to fight we cannot be defeated. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pullling down of strongholds. We lose only if we refuse the weapons God gives. God's people learn, if they are going to put on the New Man, they will meet a Goliath, and like David, they will have to use God's power to take his head.

Darkness Does Not Care What We Know, Only How We Feel!

Pro 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

It's Not What You Know, But How You Feel! If Darkness can keep you depressed, fearful, and hopeless, then what you know has no value. Darkness targets our emotions for their aim is to keep us from possessing the promises of our New Identiy! If Darkness can keep us fearful, depressed, and hopelesss, then they have a spiritual foothold, through our emotions, which can keep us from possessing what we know to be true . If we haven't learned to control our spirit, then what we have learned is not spiritually useful. If we have not learned to defeat emotional giants, then our life is like a city broken down, and without walls. Self-Control

We confront fear, depression, confusion, hopelessness, etc. by the Sword of the Spirit, we say what God says. We speak the promises of God over our life. See Warfare Prayer As we speak God's Word over our thoughts and emotions it becomes our principle weapon against the lies of Darkness. Our emotions reflect our perceptions, i.e. how we see ourselves, how we see God, and how we see our problems, etc.. Our perceptions are translated into feelings, meaning we not only have an opinion of how things are, but we have a corresponding feeling. As we speak the Word of God, we begin to see life differently; as we begin to see life differently we begn to feel differently. As we say what God says, our perceptions are renewed, and our emotions begin to reflect our new insights. This is using the Word to renew our mind. We want to see life as God sees life. By seeing as He sees, and saying what He says, we put to death the spiritual and emotional giants that constantly oppose our emotional and spiritual health. Jesus expects us to possess His redemptive victories and walk out the spiritual and emotional wholeness graciously given to His people.

Peace is the Measure of our Spiritual Health


PS 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

PS 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Every Christian should be alarmed if their life is characterized by a chronic lack of peace. No excuses, and no hedging, are you in peace? The Scripture tells us peace is one of the evidences that the Holy Spirit is ruling within our heart.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:

  • love
  • joy
  • peace
  • longsuffering (right attitude when under pressure)
  • gentleness
  • goodness
  • faith
  • meekness
  • temperance (self-control)

Scripture defines our fleshly nature as the source of our problems. We do not need to blame injustice, bad parents, poverty, abuse, generational curses, or the Devil. For sure, these all have a part in our struggle, but it is our fleshly nature that puts out the welcome mat. Through Christ we have victory over our flesh, and because of that specific victory, we have victory over every other power that depends on our flesh for their welcome. Because our victory is complete, we are told to "put on" the New Man."

Our emotions are a gift of our creation that we might enjoy and love the Lord. He is our fulfillment, He is satisfaction, He is our peace, and He is our joy. Healthy emotions are essential to our relationship with the Lord, and by our emotions, we can experience and enjoy the Beauty of His Person.

2pet 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

See Emotional Deliverance, Part 2

Psa 139:1-24 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 1 5My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

2Thess 1:7-8 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Psa 119:135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

Psa 119:140-142 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. 141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts. 142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

Psa 119:143-144 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. 144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

Psa 119:146-149 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. 147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. 148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. 149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.

Psa 119:151-154 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. 152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. 153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. 154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.

1Tim 4:1-6 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

1Tim 4:8-11 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11 These things command and teach.

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