Free From a Tormented MindSample

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT).

Often what we see, hear, and/or feel doesn't reflect reality.

Feelings are treacherous because they typically result from misguided thoughts. And bad thoughts are sown into the mind by the devil, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.

Our mind is a battleground. The devil fights to possess it. Why? Because the mind precedes our actions: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”, Proverbs 23:7. Let's look at some biblical examples.

When Job suffered under the lash of misfortune, the devil sent a messenger to inform him that he had lost everything: “Fire from God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants…”, Job 1:16 (NASB).

Was the fire really sent by God? Absolutely not! The news was intended to stir up in Job a bad feeling that would ultimately lead him to rebel against God. Fortunately, that titan of faith did not fall into the devil's trap and never entertained wrong thoughts.

One might feel that everything is fine when in reality nothing is fine, as happened to the rich man in the parable, Luke 16. He felt secure because his wealth seemed to provide security here on earth and also in heaven. And how do we know? By the great surprise he had when he woke up in hell. Guided by his own misguided feelings, he ended up in a place different from where he thought he was going. And so it happens often. People who are governed by their deceitful feelings walk straight into hell believing they are going to heaven.

Don't let your emotions or feelings control you. What good is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?