Bishop EM Jackson // I’m Using Faith Over Feelings and Trusting in God

Devotional

Day 1: Storm and Pillow

The disciples gripped oars as waves flooded their boat. Wind tore sails. Jesus slept on a pillow in the stern, undisturbed by chaos. When they shook Him awake, He spoke three words: “Peace. Be still.” The sea flattened like pressed linen. Their relief turned to awe—the storm obeyed His voice, not their strength. [30:31]

Jesus didn’t dismiss their fear but revealed His authority over what terrified them. The storm exposed their reliance on effort over trust. He let the crisis linger long enough to show them their need.

You face storms that mock your control—a diagnosis, a fractured relationship, a collapsing plan. Jesus asks the same question today: “Why are you so afraid?” What crisis are you trying to out-row instead of waking Him?

“He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”
(Mark 4:39, NKJV)

Prayer: Name one storm overwhelming you. Ask Jesus to speak peace into it, then thank Him for His command over chaos.
Challenge: Write the words “Peace, be still” on a sticky note. Place it where you’ll see it during moments of anxiety today.

Day 2: Request with Thanks

Paul wrote to the Philippians mid-chains: “Don’t worry—pray.” But he added a twist—gratitude before the answer comes. Thanklessness leaks anxiety; thanksgiving seals faith. The early church prayed this way in prison cells and lion pits, their praise shaking foundations. [20:33]

God responds to trust, not desperation. Thanksgiving declares His past faithfulness as collateral for future provision. It shifts focus from the problem’s size to the Provider’s track record.

How many of your prayers end with “if it’s Your will” instead of “thank You”? List three past prayers God answered. How does remembering them steady you for today’s requests?

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
(Philippians 4:6, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one worry you’ve recycled in prayers. Present it again, but end by thanking God for His specific past faithfulness.
Challenge: Text two people a gratitude: “Thank you for [specific way God used them]. God reminded me of His care through you.”

Day 3: Ruling the Unruled

Proverbs compares an unguarded spirit to a city with shattered walls—open to every attack. The disciples’ storm-tossed fear, Pharaoh’s rash edicts, and our own angry words all trace back to untethered hearts. But Jesus slept in the storm; His peace was His walls. [37:55]

Self-control isn’t suppression—it’s submission. A guarded mind filters impulses through God’s promises. Like David refusing to kill Saul, it chooses trust over reaction.

What triggers your “broken walls”—criticism, delays, disrespect? Next time it happens, pause and whisper: “Jesus, rule here.” What reaction might He reshape?

“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
(Proverbs 16:32, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one area where your reactions rule you. Confess it, then claim His peace as your guard.
Challenge: When irritated today, physically pause (sit down, touch a wall) and pray before responding. Note the outcome.

Day 4: Pyramids and Light

Pharaoh’s pyramids crumble. God’s “Let there be light” still holds galaxies. The sermon contrasted man’s decaying monuments with God’s undiminished Word. Our strivings fade; His voice sustains. [15:28]

Every human effort—careers, legacies, solutions—eventually erodes. But what God initiates, He maintains. The disciples’ boat reached the shore because Jesus ordained the trip.

Where are you building “pyramids”—stressful striving without consulting Him? What would it look like to work with His sustaining voice this week?

“He said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”
(Genesis 1:3–4, NIV)

Prayer: Identify one project or goal you’re clutching tightly. Pray: “God, build this with me or break it. I release control.”
Challenge: Spend 5 minutes staring at a created thing (tree, sky, child). Thank God His words uphold it—and you.

Day 5: Midnight Knees

The sermon honored “old mothers” who prayed in secret while children rebelled. Their midnight intercession bent history more than lectures. Corporate prayer isn’t a event—it’s artillery. Paul wrote Philippians to a church, not individuals, because strongholds fall together. [09:15]

Solo faith flickers; collective prayer ignites. The disciples woke Jesus together. The early church prayed Peter free together. Your “storm” needs others’ knees.

Who have you avoided praying with because of pride or inconvenience? What stronghold would crack if you invited two others to bombard it with you?

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.”
(Matthew 18:19, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one person to invite to pray this week. Commit to contacting them within 24 hours.
Challenge: Call or message someone now: “Can we pray together this week about [specific need]? I need your faith.”

Sermon Summary

The contrast between faith and feelings names the hour. Flesh has climbed onto the throne and tries to outrun the Word. Self-promotion shouts, me, myself, and I, while anxiety multiplies. God still calls a people to seek Him, to say with clear eyes, without You this cannot be done right. Paul answers the moment by commanding, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Prayer does not wait for perfect circumstances. Prayer moves first, then thanks Him as if the answer is already in motion. Thanksgiving completes the petition and shuts the door on restless fear.

Prayer, as Paul unfolds it, is both an act and an atmosphere. It is words placed before God and a confidence that settles the room. When requests go up with thanksgiving, the peace of God that passes all understanding stands guard over heart and mind in Christ Jesus. That peace is not the absence of trouble. That peace is the presence of Christ keeping the inner life when storms keep howling.

Christ Himself shows the pattern. In the boat, when the waves fill the hull, He rises and speaks, Peace, be still. Calm comes with Christ. The question He throws back stays live. Why are you so fearful. How is it that you have no faith. Faith must outrun feelings. Faith remembers to thank Him before sight. Faith sits down in confidence because the Lord has it under control.

Proverbs trains the inner life that stores this peace. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty. He that rules his spirit is greater than the one who takes a city. An unruled spirit is a broken city without walls. James nails the posture. Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. Ephesians refuses a foothold to anger. Isaiah promises perfect peace to the one whose mind is stayed on the Lord. Romans commands a renewed mind that stops conforming and starts proving the good and perfect will of God. The call is simple and costly. Pray about everything. Ask and thank. Keep the body under. Rule the spirit. Let Christ calm the storm. God shall supply according to His riches in glory. Hallelujah.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith must outrun shifting feelings. Faith does not deny emotion, it refuses to be driven by it. Paul pushes trust out ahead of mood and moment, fixing hope on what God has promised. The heart steadies when truth sets the pace and feelings fall in line. Confidence grows where thanksgiving seals the prayer. [24:00]
2. Thanksgiving completes every petition. Asking without thanking leaves the soul open to second-guessing and fear. Thanksgiving says God has heard, and His answer is already at work even when timing is hidden. Gratitude anchors expectation to God’s character, not to visible change. A thanked request stops anxiety from taking the mic. [20:33]
3. Prayer is act and atmosphere. Prayer is spoken obedience and it is also a climate the soul learns to breathe. Words rise, and then a settled assurance begins to rule the thoughts that used to race. That atmosphere is not swagger; it is quiet proof that God has the wheel. People can feel when a life has been praying. [21:54]
4. Peace keeps heart and mind. The peace of God does more than soothe; it stands guard like a soldier at the gate. Understanding cannot produce it and trouble cannot cancel it. Kept hearts and kept minds are the signature of petitions offered with thanks in Christ Jesus. This is how a believer endures long nights without breaking. [25:01]
5. Calm comes with Christ’s presence. When Jesus is in the boat, storms get confronted and seas get quiet. His word does not explain the wind; it overrules it. Fear shrinks when His authority is near and faith learns to rest while the waves still drip. Calm is not a vibe, it is Christ at work. [29:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:23] - A world run by feelings
[02:25] - Self-reliance without the Lord
[04:11] - Illegal gains, ruined interiors
[07:56] - A released spirit and hidden prayers
[09:15] - Keep the body under, define faith
[14:33] - Light endures, man-made falls
[16:21] - Pray about everything, together
[18:16] - What anxiety is and does
[19:54] - Ask then thank Him already
[21:54] - Prayer as act and atmosphere
[25:01] - Peace that keeps heart and mind
[29:25] - Calm comes with Christ
[35:17] - Rule the spirit, renew the mind

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Mark 4:39-40 (ESV)
"And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, 'Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?'"

Proverbs 16:32 (ESV)
"Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

Observation questions

What two actions does Paul command in Philippians 4:6 to combat anxiety?
In Mark 4:39-40, how does Jesus respond to the disciples’ fear, and what does He question about their faith?
According to Proverbs 16:32, what quality is more valuable than physical strength or conquest?
How does the sermon describe the relationship between thanksgiving and anxiety in prayer? (See [20:33])

Interpretation questions

Why do you think Paul connects thanking God with making requests in prayer (Philippians 4:6)? How does thanksgiving change the posture of our hearts?
In Mark 4:40, Jesus asks the disciples, “Why are you so afraid?” What does this reveal about the root of fear when storms arise in life?
Proverbs 16:32 contrasts ruling one’s spirit with conquering a city. What does it mean to “rule your spirit” in practical terms, and why is this harder than external achievements?
The sermon says peace “is not the absence of trouble” but “the presence of Christ.” How does this redefine our expectations of God’s peace? (See [25:01])

Application questions

What current situation in your life tends to trigger anxiety or fear? How could you actively apply Philippians 4:6-7 to this area today?
The sermon emphasizes thanking God before seeing answers to prayer. What is one request you can bring to God this week with intentional thanksgiving, even if the outcome is unclear? (See [20:33])
How would your daily life look different if you treated prayer as an “atmosphere” (a continual mindset) rather than just an “act” (a one-time request)? What small habit could help cultivate this?
Proverbs 16:32 challenges us to be “slow to anger” and rule our spirits. What specific triggers make it hard for you to control your emotions, and what practical step could help you respond with patience?
When have you experienced a “storm” where Christ’s presence brought calm even before circumstances changed? How can that memory strengthen your faith in future trials?
The sermon warns against letting feelings “drive” us. What is one decision you’re facing where you need to let faith “outrun” your emotions? (See [24:00])
Romans 12:2 calls believers to renew their minds. What thought pattern or mindset do you need to actively replace with truth from God’s Word this week?

Sermon Clips

If you go to the floor the way he has had this written right here. Amen. We get a peace about the request we have made unto god. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen. We getting together and we are praying amen your knees and praying. Amen. That god will continue to bless and praying and praying. Amen. That god will direct your pathways. Hallelujah. We're praying. There is a peace about it because we understand we can't do it ourselves. Only god can. [00:25:07] (25 seconds)

Amen. Amen. Amen. Nothing like the god in whom that we serve. Hallelujah and in our prayer, amen. There is a trust that transforms our turmoil. As I said a moment ago, amen, is that when we begin to talk to god about the condition, about the situation, We come out with a peace that our god shall supply. Hallelujah. The situation may get worse. It may get problematic but we still have a resolve that our god shall come through. Hallelujah. [00:25:55] (39 seconds)

Oh, thank you Jesus. And not only was it go, it goes into a calm because you have confidence. Hallelujah. That your god, that my god. Yeah. He shall supply. Yeah. All of your need according to his riches and glory. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So, I'm saying all that to say this, that sometimes, there are storms in our lives. Yes, lord. Hallelujah. But we desire and we want god to be in control when they come. Hallelujah. It's not about me, myself, or I. It is about putting our trust in Jesus. Hallelujah. I say it's about putting our trust in Jesus. Hallelujah. [00:34:29] (49 seconds)

Sometimes I get a little anxious. Y'all know we get anxious. Hallelujah. Sometimes we get a little fearful. But the Bible says, for god has not given us the spirit of fear but a power and of love and of a sound mind. When it seems like I'm about to lose control, our self is out of order. I remember what the scripture had said. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He that rule it. Hallelujah. Oh, he that hath no rule over his own spirit. There it is right there. Hallelujah. It's like a city that is broken down and without walls. Anything goes. If you make me mad, I'll do anything. [00:37:10] (45 seconds)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

How does prayer overcome anxiety and worry?

Why must believers thank God when praying?

What role does faith play versus feelings?

Bishop EM Jackson // I’m Using Faith Over Feelings and Trusting in God

Devotional

Day 1: Storm and Pillow

Day 2: Request with Thanks

Day 3: Ruling the Unruled

Day 4: Pyramids and Light

Day 5: Midnight Knees

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Bishop EM Jackson // I’m Using Faith Over Feelings and Trusting in God

Share