Kingdom Emotion: Our Spiritual Armor

We have been looking at the ineptitude of our spiritual enemy and examining the potential access points our negative feelings make available to him. Today we will consider several Scriptures to learn more about the armor God has provided to keep us safe in battle.

While we may have been tempted to think our feelings are not a big deal, we are learning that living into kingdom emotion can be a matter of life and death, or at least health and sickness. In fact, these heavenly feelings are actually what protect us in our spiritual battles and cause us to overwhelmingly conquer. For out of what does Scripture say our spiritual armor is made?

Feelings That Guard Us

We understand that most often the battleground is our minds and hearts. According to First Thessalonians, we prepare for our spiritual warfare with a breastplate of faith and love, and a helmet of hope (1 Thess. 5:8). Not to mention feet shod in peace (Eph. 6:15).

Just as we saw that the entry points for our enemy are negative emotions, now we see the converse of that is also true. Positive, godly emotions actually keep us safe from harm. These Scriptures tell us the armor which protects us from attack covers our thoughts and feelings. Love is the piece of armor which covers our hearts. Hope is the helmet which defends our minds. Peace is what shields our feet.

From head to toe we are clothed in holy emotion and that is what protects us. Indeed, we know that it is the peace of God that guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:7).

Feelings that guard us? Emotions that protect us? What an amazing revelation!

Science Agrees

Yet this is exactly what the latest scientific studies are confirming to be true.

In The Science of Changing Your Mind, Dr. Joe Dispenza writes, "Recent estimates indicate as many as 90 percent of the people seeking medical care are doing so because of a stress-related disorder."

Similarly, Dr. Joseph Mercola states “Even the conservative Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that 85 percent of all diseases appear to have an emotional element, but the actual percentage is likely to be even higher.”

Stress is an emotion. It is the opposite of being in the kingdom emotions of peace and joy.

God tells us in Nehemiah 8:10 that it is His joy that is our strength, demonstrating the powerful connection between emotional and physical health. Scripture discusses this mind-body correlation again in 3 John 2: “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”

Not only does God want us to be emotionally healthy, He explains how living in His holy feelings makes us physically healthy as well. To the degree that our soul prospers, our physical health prospers. They are connected and one affects the other. It is very difficult to experience health in our body if we are broken emotionally or spiritually, as many times our body is an outer reflection and expression of the inner health of our soul.

Sounds of Laughter

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the dwelling of the righteous (Ps. 118:15). Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost are the kingdom of God (Rom. 14:17). In a kingdom of joy, what is the official language spoken? Laughter! In God’s presence is fullness of joy and a joyful heart is good medicine (Ps. 16:11; Prov. 17:22). What do joyful hearts and fullness of joy sound like? Yes, laughter!

When we see Jesus as He is, we become like Him (1 Jn. 3:2). According to Psalm 2:4, He is sitting in heaven laughing at His enemies! When our eyes are fixed on Him and our hearts set on things above, we are able to relax too. We can be still, let go, and laugh as well, knowing that He is God, and that’s all that really matters (Ps. 46:10). He is our Shepherd, and that’s all we want.

Who Won?

Since we know that the Most High, our heavenly Father, rules over the realm of mankind, we have nothing to worry about (Dan. 4:32). We don’t have to struggle in our warfare, because the war was won at the Cross. We stand strong in Christ’s victory when we live in peace and joy, faith and love. These powerful feelings protect and guard us, and when we choose these kingdom emotions we live free and fearless.

We finally understand that we don’t have to struggle and strive in our spiritual battles. We see ourselves seated with Christ in heavenly places, ruling and reigning with Him (Eph. 2:6; Rom. 5:17). We don’t need to fight for victory; we only fight from it. Living to that truth is most of our battle. Now that we see it for what it is, we can experience the triumph in which Christ always leads us (2 Cor. 2:14).

We are living in Him, and He has already won.