Controlling our emotions

Foundational Scriptures: John 10:103 John 2

Jesus said that an abundant life has been made available for everyone. He also exposes that there is a thief. We will see through the word how our emotions can steal the promise of an abundant life.
John reveals that it is the will of God for us to be healthy and prosperous.
Money does not define abundance or prosperity – Abundance includes everything in life. God's will is that you are abundantly blessed in every area of your life.
Your prosperity does not depend upon your job or the economy of your country.
Your health is not based upon your family health record.

• To prosper and be healthy depends on the condition of your soul.

Your soul is made up of three compartments – your mind, your emotions and your will.

• Control your emotions and you will control your destiny.

The condition of your soul determines the destiny and outcome of your life.

Emotions defined

Emotions are feelings on the inside caused by pleasure or pain that try to get you to move in a certain direction.


Uncontrolled negative emotions will allow discouragement, despair and depression to gain access into your life.
In order to prosper and be in health, your soul must undergo some changes through the Word of God.
The Word of God is the will of God. The Word is the source and the beginning for all prosperity and abundant living:

• The Word of God determines your thinking.

• Wrong words bring wrong thinking. Right words will frame right thinking.

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

Therefore, Revelation truth from the Word develops true thinking according to the will of God.
Avoid people and associations whose negative words can influence your thinking.

• Your thinking will determine your emotions.

Remember, emotions can lead you in a certain direction. So if Satan can get you to have wrong emotions, he will be able to lead you in a direction that is out of the will of God.

Wrong emotions can destroy visions and bring you to the wrong conclusion and destinations.
God created us with emotions. However, He never intended for our emotions to control us. In order to change the condition of your present situation, you must learn to control your emotion and make them fall in line with the Word of God.

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2

God desires your soul, which is your mind, emotions and will, to prosper and be healthy.

• Your emotions should not be leading your life.

As children of God – WE ARE NOT EMOTIONALLY LED BUT SPIRITUALLY LED.(Romans 8:14)

Jesus is our perfect example

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

Jesus had emotions but He did not allow His emotions to control Him. He understands our emotions when we go through difficult situations and challenges but we must follow His example.

There are three traditional lies about pain and suffering in the body of Christ:
1. God's children are not to suffer pain.
2. If I hurt, there must be something wrong with me.
3. If I hurt, there must be something wrong with God.

As believers, we will go through challenges and will encounter storms of life. In order to experience abundant life, to prosper and be in health even in the midst of adversity, we must control our emotions.

Jesus our perfect example
The shortest verse in the Bible is 'Jesus wept' (John 11:35). This proves that Jesus had emotions but never allowed His emotions to dictate the outcome of His life. Notice that He did not weep for four days; rather He controlled His emotions and went back to the spiritual in order to perform the will of God. Mastering your emotion does not mean that you no longer express your emotions.
Miracles, healings, deliverance, blessings, prosperity and peace of life are evident in Jesus' life and ministry because He controlled His emotions. Acknowledge that we have emotions but learn how to align them with the Word.
In John 11, Jesus' emotions were apparent but by finding the right balance between faith and emotions, He miraculously raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus did not allow His emotions to dictate His decisions.

How did Jesus control His Emotions?

Notice, He groaned in Himself which means that He begun to pray (Romans 8:26).
Prayer is not an emotional weapon but a spiritual weapon.
In the Garden Gethsemane, His spirit became heavy and depressed. Satan attempted to cause His spirit to become heavy so that He cannot perform God's will. We must realise that Jesus knew Isaiah 53 and therefore knew the perfect will of God concerning His life, ministry and death. Even though He knew what was ahead of Him, He pressed on and did not allow His emotions to dictate the course of His life. Again notice that Jesus had emotions but He controlled them through prayer. Had Jesus allow His emotions to control Him, He would have never fulfilled the perfect will of God.

• You emotions will determine your decisions.
• Your decisions will determine your actions.

No matter what you face emotionally, go forward and pray through it as Jesus did.