FAITH TO FEEL GOD
A LITTLE SHOCK TREATMENT: Quite frankly, I do not wish to serve anyone whom I'm never allowed to FEEL, HEAR, TOUCH or SEE or have some kind of emotional connection with . I know we must contact God spiritually with our hearts, rather than our heads, because He is a spirit, However...
ILLUSTRATION: Fred Price (TV evangelist and pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center) and singer Angelo Petrucci are close friends. Once while at lunch together after a church service when Angelo commented that he felt the power of the Lord's presence so powerfully in that mornings service, Fred rebuked him, stating that feelings weren't important, that "we walk by faith and not by sight." Angelo replied to Pastor Fred, "Sir, there's nothing wrong with feeling Gods presence! Yes, we must have faith whether we can feel Him or not, but thank God His tangible presence can often be felt! Sorry sir, sometimes I feel Him and appreciate when that happens!"
One can go "too far" with the faith teaching, saying that it is wrong to FEEL GOD or that we can never expect to feel Him. (This approach reduces our relationship with God to a boring intellectual approach, making Gods Word a "technical" thing.) Likewise one can go too far the other direction by saying that unless one feels God, nothing is happening. (This other approach exalts emotional hype over Gods Word!). HOW ABOUT WE SEEK DEAD-CENTER instead of any extreme!
When I use the terminology FEEL GOD, it is more like SENSING HIS TANGIBLE PRESENCE because it's not always PHYSICAL, but DEFINITELY REAL TO THE HUMAN HEART. And that reality OFTEN affects one's PHYSICAL EMOTIONS. I would hate to think I am not allowed to weep or rejoice or laugh or feel good when I sense Him!
1. EXPRESS YOUR LOVE TO HIM OFTEN - "I love you Father. I love you Lord Jesus! I love you Holy Spirit." ...BECAUSE AS YOU EMBRACE HIM WITH YOUR LOVE, YOU WILL OFTEN FEEL HIM EMBRACING YOU BACK.
Song of Solomon 2:16 (KJV) - My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
Song of Solomon 2:4 (KJV) - He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Jeremiah 31:3 (MSG) - ...met God out looking for them!” GOD told them, “I've never quit loving you and never will.
Expect love, love, and more love!
2. REPROGRAM YOUR MENTAL IMAGES OF GOD! What do you see when you look at Jesus or the Father while PRAYING or WORSHIPPING? You will sense His presence more often and more intensely if your INNER IMAGE of God's predisposition to you is correct. Mental images either ASSIST in your fellowship with the Father or RESIST you being comfortable in His presence.
- Doesn't look like an old man.
- Doesn't have a long white beard.
- Isn't mean or cranky looking.
- Isn't leaning atop a crooked staff.
- IS SMILING at you at all times.
- IS WELCOMING & WARM towards you.
- Is not some kind of OGRE-looking person who cannot have any fun.
- His hands are outstretched towards you and His embrace is firm but tender!
3. LEARN TO SENSE HIM "DOWN HERE!" ...IN YOUR BELLY REGION! LEARN TO YIELD TO THAT STIRRING DOWN THERE!
Proverbs 20:27 (KJV) - The SPIRIT of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the BELLY.
4. CAPTURE SOMETHING SAID OR SOMETHING READ! Feelings follow revelations. Feelings follow understanding. Feelings come after HEARING from God!
5. DEVELOP YOUR SON-CONSCIOUSNESS IN PLACE OF SIN- CONSCIOUSNESS. (Stop focusing on your flesh and weaknesses and concentrate more on WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!)
1 John 3:1-3 (KJV) - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. [2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. [3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
6. OBEY THE SCRIPTURAL COMMANDS CONCERNING HIS PRESCRIBED WAYS TO PRAISE & WORSHIP even when your emotions and feelings betray you! God knows that your mind and your emotions often "give you fits!" So He tells us how to use our bodies to PUT UNDER our bodies and negative emotions like singing, lifting our hands to Him, shouting praise, dancing before Him, clapping our hands on victory, etc.. |
