It’s true. We do, indeed, have an enemy who is on the prowl looking for some oblivious person on whom he can work his deceitful magic. This should not cause a believer in Christ to be afraid at all.
However, it should actively propel us to being alert, being watchful and being sobered by the possibility that the enemy has targeted one of us.
I believe that one of the fraudulent tactics that the enemy has been successful at is this: convincing Christians to build a life based on feelings rather than on a belief system. Emotion-driven living has become a plague even within the church.
I speak with so many women who liberally pepper their speech with the four-word phrase, “Well, I just feel…”
This phrase may be rearranged to include fragments such as “If you want to know how I feel…” or “I feel strongly that…”
When a woman who has chosen to place her trust in Jesus Christ speaks to me in that manner, I have to stop myself from interrupting her with these aggressive words, “You know, it’s really not important what you feel! Tell me what you believe!”
Sadly, even Christians are more aware of their duplicitous feelings than they are of the principles of their faith. One must have an immovable and highly active belief system upon which they make decisions, choose speech patterns and determine feelings. Your belief system should dictate your feelings on every matter in life rather than your feelings determining what you believe.
With this in mind, what do you believe? Do you even know what you believe? Are you convinced that you have built a life upon the promises and theology found in the Word of God? Or have you wondered in the murky land of emotions and counterfeit sentiment?
I have decided to obey this truth-telling Scripture from 1 Peter and to be sober in my dealings with my emotions and affections. I have determined to limit the usage of the phraseology that might begin with those four nonsensical words, “Well, I just feel…”
Instead I have resolved to build a dynamic life upon those things that I know to be truth. Let me share them with you in the hope that you, too, will catch the sobriety that has enveloped me in the quest to live a life of principle rather than unbridled passion. I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
—I believe God has given us free choice to choose Him or not.
—I believe I don’t have—nor will I ever have—a better idea than God.
—I believe in the power of forgiveness.
—I believe kindness can change the world.
—I believe it is possible to choose joy no matter what you are going through in life.
—I believe God hears us when we pray.
—I believe God is good all the time and He works all things together for good. All things.
—I believe when God says, “all,” He means “all”! {eoa}
Carol McLeod is a best-selling author and popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. Carol is a prolific author and loves digging for truth in the Word of God. Her early books include, The Rooms of a Woman’s Heart and Defiant Joy!
For more of Carol McLeod’s powerful teaching on emotions, listen to the podcasts included with this article.
Janet Perez Eckles 
Shawn Akers 
Abby Trivett 
