Lesson 5—Responding to God through Emotions

The prompting of the Spirit.

It is through the Holy Spirit that we experience emotions from God. There is no real clear way to know when God is calling you to do something through an emotional response, but He certainly does do it. Take these two examples from before:

“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36.27).

“He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things” (1 Chronicles 28.12).

There are several questions that should be asked in order to validate the Spirit speaking to you through emotions.

1. Is it biblical? Really get into God’s word and see if what you are feeling lines up with God’s standards and God’s plan. If it in any way goes against it, then God did not call you to it. You can be certain that God would never call you to sin.
2. Do I have the resources? Are the doors open? Remember ‘where God guides, God provide.’ When we are called, we act according to God’s strength and provision, not our own.
3. Are there circumstances which would prevent it?
4. Is it contrary to the purpose of the local church? Many neglect the fact that God works through the local church. It is uncommon that someone would be called out of one local ministry and into another. I constantly hear people saying that they feel like they are suppose to move somewhere else. This is a lye that the devil tells us; that moving will solve our problems. Make sure if what you feel like you are being called to do does not remove you from local fellowship and ministry unless you are absolutely certain God is calling you away.

We have talked so much about answering God’s calling as a way to worship. I just want to clarify something though. Often it is not a call to something great which we need to be watching for. We are not watching for the call to missions or the call to pastoral ministry. God will confirm those things in time. I am more talking about when God prompts you to share the gospel. Or simply when God prompts you to swallow your pride and raise your hands to honor Him with praises. What about an ‘Amen’ during the service? God wants our praise and we ought to give it to Him. It is usually through our emotions that we are led to do this and it is only by acknowledging those emotions that we are able to do this.

DISCUSSION

This final discussion could go any number of ways. Since it is the last lesson, it is good to review and ask questions about the previous lessons. If you want to stick to the theme of this lesson, I would talk about times when we felt called into some sort of service and identify that as worship. I would also ask them to be vulnerable and share experiences when the felt God’s love so much that they humbled themselves in worship. This could be closing of eyes while singing praises or raising hands. It could be tearful prayers or prostration. Encourage them to share and encourage them as they share. If possible, end the time by singing praises to God.

(Don’t forget to download the Worship Lesson 5 Worksheet.)