Key Spiritual Guidelines for... A Clear Mind, Stable Emotions, and a Steadfast Heart
 

By Pastor Dan Kennedy

©2009

www.pastorkennedy.com

pastorkennedy@gmail.com                    

Scripture Reading:  Philippians 4:4-9

Life can be like a Tangled Up Ball of micro-fiber Fishing Line!

Sorting out the tangles of life can be seemingly impossible!  The mazes we seem to twist through are very tight, with unknown endings, sometimes causing endless mistakes and countless unproductive repetitions.  Family disputes, personality clashes, and bruised love coupled with poor or terrible choices can continue to make life seem unbearable.


When, in our frustration and utter defeat, we turn to God, we may still be embroiled in endless disputes with possibly well-meaning people that we might love and who might still love us!  Even having made a decision to turn our lives over to God and accept the forgiveness of Jesus Christ – to untangle the mesh of our contorted ways might seem to be easier said than done, but in Christ, all things are possible!


We have all seen fishermen standing on the side of the river picking at a hairball of fishing line in their hand – we have all been there sometime in our life.  But on the other hand, things might happen on the inside of an enclosed reel, not seen outwardly, but just as humiliating! 


The Hidden Mess Inside

You might have just spent the past several weeks building up this wonderful fishing trip to your kids.  You began the adventure driving in the wee hours of the morning (while the kids are sleeping in the back seat) to your favorite fishing hole.  You get everything down to the edge of the fishing pond and cast the first “test” cast from your child’s shiny new, “easy-cast” rod and reel, only to find that, because of the wrong tension, the fishing line immediately balled up unmercifully, inside the plastic housing of the “no-tangle” reel – on that first cast.  You can’t see the tangled line, but nothing works, so you know what has happened!  You also know that the rest of the morning may be consumed by tangled lines and impatient kids who are whining…

“Have you fixed it yet Dad?”

“When can I fish?”

“I’m hungry!” 


You know it could be an unending day…with little fishing for anybody!  You only hope you have plenty of snacks for the kids! 


Life, on the inside, for none to see, can be like that balled up, twisted fishing line on the inside of that plastic housing.


How Can the Mess Inside be Straightened Out?

How can we consistently enjoy a clear mind, stable emotions and a steadfast heart, even in the toughest of times, or through the most entanglement?  I believe there are at least three interactive cords of spiritual maturity that God allows to strengthen and intertwine within us, through the working of His Spirit, toward the sorting out of the most entangled mess.


1.A Transformed Spiritual Life – Becoming Spiritually Alive

2.A Sacrificial Spiritual Walk – Breaking the Chains of Sin

3.A Prayer-infused Thankful Spirit – Building a Deeper Relationship with God so we can survive the painful experiences in life!


1.A Transformed Spiritual Life – Becoming Spiritually Alive


Without a definite Spiritual Change: new Birth and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, one cannot begin to untangle the maze of depravity that life hands us.


“You must be ‘born again’”, Jesus told the religious leader who came questioning Him one night.  (John 3:1-21)


A.All Have Sinned

To be “Born Again” we must admit that we have no natural hope of eternal life in ourselves, instead we admit that honestly we are sinners deserving of hell.  We confess that we are sinful, we tell God that we want to repent of our sin and we truly desire Christ to be our Savior from sin and we seek eternal life through Him!


Romans 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus….


B.We Receive God’s Forgiveness through Christ Jesus

In New Birth we receive the gift of eternal life from God by personally accepting the Sacrifice that Jesus Christ, God’s Son paid on the cruel Cross, for our sin.  We acknowledge that this is the only means – the only just payment, whereby a Holy God can accept a sinful person into His Holy Heaven…and Him still retain His Holiness!


Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Romans 10:13

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”


1 Corinthians 15

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.


Only through Christ’s Sacrificial Death and Resurrection do we have hope of eternal life!  Those who put their faith in Christ for their eternal life, are promised New Birth, Regeneration into this new life by the Holy Spirit, and Eternal Life!  Because Christ died and offered His blood for our redemption, we do not have to die and experience the “second” death, punishment for our sins and eternal separation from God (Rev. 2:11; 20:6,14; 21:8).  Because Christ rose again, we have the hope of eternal life!


2.A Sacrificial Spiritual Walk – Breaking the Chains of Sin


Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.


One can claim new birth, the filling of the Holy Spirit, eternal life, or whatever else one wishes to claim, but if he or she is living apart from how they know God wants them to live, they will not be able to entrust their life to God for a clear mind, stable emotions or a steadfast heart.  One’s double life gives instability in Spiritual success, if we entertain sin, as a regular entertainer and companion in our daily life!  We must daily die to our sinful selves and live unto a Holy God, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  When we consistently yield ourselves to sin we allow the chains of that sin to wield themselves together with spiritual powers of darkness – causing the chains to be so powerful we may say, “I cannot help myself, I cannot change my disgusting behavior.”  We cannot change without the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  Romans 8:13 makes it clear that we must die to the power of the sin, through the authority of the Blood of Christ – Who Conquered sin and death, and gave His Holy Spirit to those who are born again, to give us the victory over our sinful flesh.  God also uses testing and trial in our life, to make us willing to want to die to our flesh!


Romans 8

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sonsÓ of God.



Four Representative Things that can Bind Us and Make us Spiritually Ineffective:


  1. BulletPride


The deviant attitude that cost Satan his position as an archangel in the Throne Room of God – was pride.


Ezekiel 28

           …“You were the signet of perfection,

                    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13           You were in Eden, the garden of God;

                    every precious stone was your covering,

          sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper,

          sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.

          On the day that you were created they were prepared.

14           You were an anointed guardian cherub.

                    I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;

                    in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.

15           You were blameless in your ways

                    from the day you were created,

till unrighteousness was found in you.

16           In the abundance of your trade

                    you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;

          so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,

                    and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub,

                    from the midst of the stones of fire.

17           Your heart was proud because of your beauty;

                    you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.

          I cast you to the ground….


Proverbs 11

2  When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.


Proverbs 16

18  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.


Proverbs 29

23  One’s pride will bring him low,


James 4:6

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”


1 Corinthians 4

6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?


It is pretty obvious, from the Scripture that if we pamper our pride it is disastrous to our spiritual life.  God has no place for pride, because He is the giver of life and any gifts we may have.  These are given to glorify Him, not ourselves. 


Now, let’s look at several other traps that can bind us and make us spiritually ineffective.


  1. BulletMoral Laxness – Immorality


oImmorality of one kind or another was the primary stumbling block that led Israel into idolatry worship so prevalent in the heathen nations around them, finally destroying them as a nation in 70 AD.


oImmorality of one kind or another permeates our modern societies and has had a disastrous effect on the Church and those who call themselves Christian when lust’s corrupting power is not broken and repented of, through the Power of Christ.


oGod has ordained marriage as the means to honorably fulfill that profound drive of procreation and sexual fulfillment resident in the heart of mankind.  Honorable marriage has a breadth of positive outcomes.  That which is counterproductive either in or out of marriage deviant to God’s designs, will cause a tsunami wave of destruction.


Hebrews 13

4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.


  1. BulletThe Love of Money – Greed


oThe Scripture tells us that the Love of Money is the “root of all kinds of evil”.  That statement is a mouthful!  It shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us though, because we all know that when push comes to shove, the world is most concerned and motivated by the “bottom line”.  When money becomes the driving force in the life of any believer we plummet ourselves to the same baseness as the rest of depraved society since greed is so near the surface of every heart.  We need money to live, and should wisely earn, invest, give, save and allocate what God has given to us, but our “trust”, “love” and “motivation” in life should be in God alone.


1 Timothy 6

6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.


  1. BulletThe Longing for Control and Power – “My way is the only way.”


The fourth vise most prevalent among believers is the personal longing to be “first” – to have power and wield it.  Leadership is necessary in any organization or home, but spiritual leadership does not come with the same emphasis on “power” as that of the world; spiritual leadership should evidence a servant’s heart.  The problem of the longing for power was just as true among Christ’s disciples as it is today.


Matthew 20

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” …


25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”


Hebrews 13

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.


There is the necessity for responsibility, accountability and leadership in God’s Church and in the home, but not “lordship” – there is only one Lord and that is Christ Jesus, the Head of the Church – and the Christian home.  Power is a hammer that can shatter, or a tool that brings security.


The above four representative areas can bind us and make us spiritually ineffective, just as can anything else to which we yield a secret corner of our heart – to be pampered for ourselves and not for God.


Yet, how do we deal with those day-by-day things that have not bound us, but which plague us with their continued taunting presence…such as the anxieties of life, the injustices of life, and the painful, irresolvable relationships in life?



3.  A Prayer-Infused, Thankful Spirit – Building a Deeper Relationship with God so we can survive the painful experiences in life!


All of us can still find ourselves, from time to time, once again entangled in that ball of endless web of potential anxiety; the lure of the world, the flesh and the devil; the painful injustices and awkward, misunderstood relationships with others.


Those who have chosen to put their trust in the risen Savior have experienced Salvation and Regeneration in New Birth.  We know that we have eternal life, because we have the blessed promise from the Lord (1 John 5:13).  We also may be choosing to daily die to our old fleshly selves and live unto God, but we still experience the dilemma of uncertainty in dealing with issue that arise in the family, at church or within ourselves.  How do we deal with these things?


God’s Word, the Bible, gives us key spiritual guidelines in maturing in our spiritual life, so that we can win in this race of life. 

Two of those key guidelines are: 


i.Prayer and Supplication

With Thanksgiving!


Philippians 4

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.


Colossians 4

2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.


We often will spend time in prayer and we do not spend time in Thanksgiving!  These Scriptures tell us we need to do both: 


Communion with God in prayer and supplication – pouring out our heart to Him, seeking His guidance, asking His forgiveness, looking for His empowerment, but also

Worshipping Him, Praising Him and Thanking Him!


Do we want to find relief in the busyness of our day?  Are we pressed beyond ourselves and need relief physically, emotionally and spiritually?  Are we facing things we cannot handle naturally?  Is there no one we can humanly turn to for wisdom and advise, hope or understanding that we need?


The answer is prayer.  Intense prayer and supplication before the Throne of our Heavenly Father…followed by thanksgiving!


Thanksgiving is the Seal on our Prayer, showing our True Faith

There is nothing else like making our faith real. 

Thanksgiving tells God, “I trust You and I am going to Praise You!” 

“I am going to give this [difficulty/anxiety] into Your Hands and praise You that You will handle it the way You want to handle it.” 

“I yield my hope to You, in these matters!  You can certainly make them turn out to glorify Your Holy Name, and You, dear Lord, will take care of me through it all!  I will give thanks to You!”


The Psalmist reveals this faith many times in the Psalms.

He cries out to the Lord and pours out his soul to Him…and then he praises God with thanksgiving – revealing his faith.


Psalm 30

8      To you, O Lord, I cry,

          and to the Lord I plead for mercy:

9 “What profit is there in my death,Ò

          if I go down to the pit?Ò

     Will the dust praise you?

          Will it tell of your faithfulness?

10      Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!

          O Lord, be my helper!”

11      You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

          you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

12      that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.

          O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!




Conclusion


Are you and I interested in a clear mind, stable emotions and a steadfast heart?

If we are, then we need to participate spiritually in:


1.Becoming Spiritually Alive – having a Transformed Spiritual Life through Spiritual New Birth,

2.Breaking the Chains of Sin that may have a hold on us – through a Sacrificial Spiritual Daily Walk,

3.Building a Deeper Relationship with God so we can survive the painful experiences in life – through a Prayer-infused Thankful Spirit!