(Free At Last - Part 3) Emotionally Free

talking about freedom from emotional bondages, wounds and hurts.

Emoticons

What's your emoticon?

Are you a prisoner of some deep emotional need - people pleasing, trapped by your need for acceptance, approval, recognition, etc.

Are you emotionally a prisoner of your past - hatred, unforgiveness, hurt, angry at someone.

Are you a prisoner of your yet unborn future - fear of the future, hopeless?

Emotional Problems, Wounds and Hurts - Causes

Several reasons, example:

• Family Environment
• Individual Personality and Cultivated Habits
• Past Experiences
• Emotional Entanglements
• other reasons

Family Environment :

Individual Personality and Cultivated Habits :

Past Experiences :

Emotional Entanglements :

These issues affect Behaviors, Perceptions, Response & Reaction to people and situations, Communication and Choices.

Imprisoned By Our Emotions

What happens when we are in an emotional prison?

• Withdrawal from people because of a sense of unworthiness
• Resentment/anger - angry, feel victimized all the time. Resentment toward men resulting in constant conflict with men at the workplace.
• Inadequacy - Unwilling to take on assignments because of deep sense of inadequacy. Low self-esteem - get easily influenced, struggle to love/accept yourself, can't forgive yourself

• Extreme Competitiveness due to feelings of rejection "I have an awful relationship with my father. He says I'm useless and that I'll never amount to anything." This leads to an embedded sense of rejection. You try to mask it by trying to be successful in business, or extremely competitive. Your aggressive nature is rooted in a fear of failure because you've lived your whole life trying to win the approval of your father through performance.
• Negative Control - control and manipulation of others, intentionally or sometime unintentionally
• Desperate for love and acceptance : (A) A young woman who has a live-in relationship with a boyfriend who has a drinking problem, uses drugs, has frequent unemployment, uncontrolled temper, verbal and physical abuse towards her. The young woman still wants to marry him. She was so wounded inside that she seriously considered marrying a man whose own life was destroyed and who wanted to destroy hers. She most likely grew up in an environment where her emotional needs were not met, she was so desperate to be loved and accepted, lacking in self-esteem, afraid of being abandoned, - she would cling to any relationship even if it brought her pain. (B) Unable to set functional boundaries - let others violate emotional and sometimes physical boundaries and get hurt in the process over and over again.
• Difficulty with intimacy - unable to share your reality, your heart
• Approval Addiction - always wanting people's approval
• Deadly Deceptions : Deadly deception of soulish affections (women, money, fame); of soulish attachments (people, position, recognition); of insecurity and control; of intimidation and manipulation; etc.

DANGER! Explosive Emotions!

#1, Hurting people hurt other people

#2, When your emotions rage - you do "insane" things

James 1:20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Anger led to murder

Genesis 4:6 So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

#3, Wounded emotions cripple us - like a wounded bird - crippled.

Emotional wholeness is ours through Jesus Christ

Jesus restores us

At the root of all shame, guilt and emotional prisons is a deep sense of unworthiness.

Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul;

The Story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)

No matter what your trap, He can bring you out

Psalm 25:15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

No matter how deep your darkness, He will be your light

Micah 7:8,9

8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The LORD will be a light to me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.

No matter how great your backsliding, He will heal you

Hosea 14:4-6

4 "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.

6 His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon.

He turns everything around

Psalm 30:11,12

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Jesus died to make us whole

Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus shows us we are worth everything

Jesus heals us today!

Isaiah 61:1-3

1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

Are you broken - wounded, hurt beyond repair - He heals the broken
Are you in sorrow, regret - He consoles those who are in grief. He gives joy for mourning.
Are you emotionally disfigured - He gives beauty for ashes
Are you overwhelmed, under a cloud of heaviness - He releases you to praise

Jesus empowers us

to forgive, to love, to move ahead

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Receive your Healing

Psalm 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; ....

Romans 10:13 Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

1. Recognize that there is a problem – this is the first step and perhaps the most important. Most of us do not want to accept that we have a problem in our soul/mind/emotions.

2. Embrace the standard and truth of God’s Word – understand what God’s Word says about that area. As long as we accept our attitude or behavior as normal we will not change. We need to see that there is a higher standard – a better way to live, as described in the Word.

3. Renounce the control of negative emotions, the effect of wrong mindsets in your life. Embrace the healing the comes through the Cross. Bring these areas under the redeeming power of the blood of Jesus.

4. Consecrate your mind, emotions, thoughts and affections to God.

5. Welcome God’s Healing work by His Holy Spirit in to your life.

6. Consistently renew your mind with the Word of God – embrace the truth of God’s word and make a decision to live according to His Word. Accept God’s Word and God’s standard as normal.