I think everyone functions just about the same way as I do. We get busy and involved with our day, and then things happen that cause us stress or pain. Many times it is just a whole series of little things that after many hours amounts to something big. Many times it is cares, worries, or negative thoughts triggered by something we saw or heard.

When this happens these small troubles, problems, and painful experiences start building up inside of us. Then we feel like a tea kettle that is put onto the stove to boil. As the fire continually heats it, the water inside begins to boil, and then the pressure from the steam builds up until the steam begins to come out with force.

That is how we people are, and then we need to find a way to rid ourselves of all of that inner pressure before we explode. That explosion can be very messy as we spew all of that toxic mess onto the people we care about or love. So it’s far better to find a way to let that pressure escape in an innocent and harmless way.

Many people choose exercise, talking to a friend, watching TV or surfing the net, spending time in prayer, or as I mostly do as I begin to write in my journal, or in a blog post. I sit down, recline, and I begin to write and create something of value. I feel much more relaxed now just having written the words that you are reading.

What does this have to do about being a disciple of Jesus Christ? A whole lot really. Our attitude is very important. We need to keep it in a good position so as not to act or to do something that brings a bad testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ. It also keeps us from suffering burn out.

We are ruled by our feelings and our emotions. When we feel happy and excited, we are acting in a very positive way, and we are very productive doing whatever we need to do during our day. But when we are troubled, depressed, angry, or in some other negative mood, we are easily offended, hurt, find it difficult to perform well in our work or activities, can’t keep our mind focused on what we need to do, and are apt to be mean to other people.

So we need to discover how to get through these times and over them. And how to turn out thoughts and emotions back to positive ones as soon as is possible. I have discovered that when I go to God in prayer, and I stay there until my emotions change for the better, that the change always comes to me. It never fails, but I first need the resolve to stay in prayer and not leave it until this change takes place.

Sometimes it can take hours to do so. I also pray in a combination of audible prayers prayed by me aloud to God. Other times I pray through writing in my journal. This can be very effective at times. The thoughts and the feelings flow out of me as I write, and I find that Holy Spirit keeps putting new thoughts into my head, and I just write them.

In the midst of this God is speaking to me and showing me what I need to see and to do to change these feelings. It is a wonderful arrangement that God created for us to use. First of all though we have to get through the negative feelings that do not want us to pray either verbally or in written form. Also many times we are temporarily blinded by the devils and we cannot remember what we need to do.

For this very reason it is so important to forge and develop new habits to pray every day no matter what. I usually start my day writing a quota of 20 paragraphs of 4 lines each in my journal on Word Press. I have gone months now without even once not accomplishing that quota. Some days I felt emotionally in such a way that I hated almost every second of the writing.

On other days it is all such a great pleasure to do. Just like writing this blog post today is a great pleasure for me to do. Yet the emotions inside of us are like a rollercoaster ride. There are ups and downs, there are mood swings, and we have to deal with them all or by default we will be ruled by the negative feelings that we experience.

What else Lord? I just asked him this question because I came to the end of anything that I had planned to say. Then the prompt inside pointing to this question, and that here is the way to go now. It is great to be Spirit led, and not to lead ourselves. I leads me to so many new adventures, and to learn new things that I did not previously know. I am comfortable with doing what Holy Spirit directs me to do on the inside.

This is also so very important for a disciple of Jesus Christ to be very good at. We need to know the voice of Jesus and to ignore all other voices. He said,

John 10:1-5 King James Version

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

² But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

³ To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

⁴ And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

John 10:26-29 King James Version

²⁶ But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

Hearing the voice of the Father clearly and without any error is extremely important to a disciple of King Jesus Christ. How will you know his will or what to do if you can’t hear his voice properly? It is also important because it can save your life. Let me tell you a story.

About 4 years ago Father God clearly told me and dealt with me about leaving everything behind to follow Jesus. I was not to take even a change of clothes with me. After a few weeks of deliberating with this clear voice, I determined that it indeed was the voice of God. I was not being deceived by myself or by the devils.

At the time I was living in a mobile home in the Ocala, Florida area. I was so convinced God told me to do this that I left all of my things inside of the mobile home, tossed my house keys on the floor, and locked the door and shut it behind me. The location of this mobile home was out in the forest miles away from civilization in Ocala.

I walked out to the street and I began to hitchhike to get a ride. It took a long time, but I was picked up and given a ride a few miles to the state Highway 40 that crosses the Ocala National Forest. At that corner I set my folding chair up, sat down, and I began to hitchhike again. I left all of my money behind too, so I had nothing at all to spend on a taxi or Uber.

Eventually I got picked up by a young Mexican man named Jose. We talked as he drove. Soon he told me, “Before this trip ends I will squeeze your spirit out of you and take it.” It was so strange a saying that I asked him to repeat it.” Then I realized he had just told me that he was going to murder me.

Inside I said, “Father God I know this man cannot injure me. Your angels are here to protect me. I am interested to see how you will deliver me from this situation.” My mind began to envision an angel striking Jose dead, or some other equally exciting scenario”.

Instead I got the strongest desire I have ever had in my life to hear his story. So I began to ask Jose questions. It turned out he thought himself to be God Almighty who created the heavens and the earth. He admitted to being a serial killer preying on people like myself who no one would miss, or know their whereabouts.

He then told me about having been recently into Northern Mexico. When he told me places he had been I asked pointed details about those places because I had spent 20 years in that same area. I spoke to him in Spanish in which I am almost fluent. Soon as the time passed in our journey, Jose got a large smile on his face and began to act like I was his best friend.

He said that he knew I had told him the truth about being in those same places in Northern Mexico because I knew details about them only someone who had been there would know. He complimented me for speaking almost perfect Spanish, and even my accent was nearly perfect. That impressed him because I am a gringo.

To end this story Jose took me to the exact beach park in Daytona Beach that I had asked him to take me to. We parted with Jose still treating me like his best friend. I went into a bathroom, locked the door and stayed inside for about half an hour. Jose was gone when I came out, so I went swimming in the ocean.

I had never shown fear to Jose, and I never acted like a victim. I had no fear, just that feeling of de ja vu that comes when something totally and unexpectedly blows our minds. I was never in any danger. God lives inside of me, and he clearly told me exactly what to do, and I did it. So the ability to hear God’s clear voice, and to obey it, saved my life that day. Glory be to God.

Well my friend, that is all that I have to say right now. God bless you.