When Emotions Compete with the Holy Spirit.

Let's have some Star Trek fun with the topic at hand.

Note: I thought I would have some fun with this post.

Within many sections of the Body, and especially within the Charismatic faith, emotions have been given a place to influence people and ministries in a negative way. As a result, people have taken a black and white approach to dealing with the issues. They either train the people to ignore criticisms, allowing everything to take place, calling it Holy. Or they work to shut everything down, calling it sinful or demonic.

No Christian can flourish and grow in a top-down, controlled environment. The pressures we need for growth is from learning to live in the fallen world and how the Holy Spirit guides us through it. In scripture, trees are often symbolic of people and ministries. Tall, straight trees do not grow in an open field, but in a forest of other trees. We all rub against each other, bringing small corrections.

There are many within the Body who have no idea how to take correction. They make excuses, defend or evade the subject, demonstrating their current immaturity. I’ve known many. And it’s horrible to see this attitude in leadership; it’s even worse to serve under it.

You can only teach what you know, and no student is above his teacher. The true goal of Christian education is not just knowledge but wisdom and application. That can only happen when the teacher teaches the student HOW to follow the Holy Spirit. Consider this: “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.” 1John2:27

Once you have the evidence of the anointing, the teacher needs to wean you off human education. This may sound reckless to many, but it is the goal. Consider the Apostle Paul, who learned the Gospel of Jesus by way of revelation. ( Galatians 1:11-12 ) This is why so many “modern prophets” fail and end up resorting to faking prophetic words… they have not learned to walk with Him.

The failure to grow Christians up leaves them as little children, wanting more and more for entertainment. They remain unstable, double-minded, and highly prone to sudden emotional decisions. These trainwrecks are often justified under the banner of “being in the Spirit.” These believers produce very little spiritual fruit and feel compelled to always “look up” (AKA worship) at the man of God in the pulpit.

This is the core of MUCH of the silliness in the Charismatic body of the Lord right now. Little kids running around in big boy boots, claiming to be adults.

Culture can be a valuable tool to preserve the Christian way of life as seen historically over the last two thousand years. However, it can also hinder and completely destroy The Way and replace it with a counterfeit life. Regardless of the denominations, substitutes are plentiful and can be found in every corner.

How many churches have at the core the phrase “Can I get a witness?” that is often yelled from the pulpit? How do you bear witness? Can such a thing be trusted in an emotional environment? Are you not training your people over and over again to replace the witness of the Holy Spirit with the witness of emotions?

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3

There is a real reason the Bible says the younger should learn from the older, and you should not be “unequally yoked.” All these scriptural passages and more are encouraging you to GROW. A garden can not be abundant and bless many if it’s struggling under the weeds.