I Can't Help the Way I Feel?: Exposing the lies that control you

By Robert Stella

WHO'S IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE?

Popular culture tells us that who we are and how we live are defined by how we think and feel. Our entire lives are dictated by the persistent thoughts that exist in our minds and the irregular whims of our feelings - and we are helplessly dragged along.

But

• Language: English
• Publisher: Edifi Publishing LLC
• Release date: Sep 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781733930567

Robert Stella

Robert Stella is an author, speaker and Campus Pastor of Free Chapel Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia. He co-authored the book, "CounterCulture Marriage" with his wife, Gloria Stella.Whether he is delivering a message about leadership, business or spiritual growth, he is passionate about empowering people to live #counterculture. Before entering into ministry, Robert worked in corporate America and holds a Master's degree in Ministry from Richmont Graduate University. He and his wife reside in Atlanta, Georgia with their three children.Connect with Robert on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @robertstella.

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 Robert Stella and CounterCulture Ministries

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, without the written permission of Edifi Publishing.

Published by Edifi Publishing

3446 Winder Highway, Suite M195

Flowery Branch, GA 30542

[e-mail] | www.edifipublishing.com

Scripture quotations noted NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations noted NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible(r), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.

Scripture quotations noted WEB are taken from the World English Bible.  The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain Modern English translation and is not copyrighted.

Edited by Hannah Price

Reviewed by Amanda Walden, LPC

Cover design & layout by Gloria Stella

Author photo by Amanda Hamlin Photography

ISBN: 978-1-7339305-6-7

Contents

Copyright

Introduction

Chapter 1: in The World

Chapter 2: The Truth

Chapter 3: Who You Are

Chapter 4: Self-Control Freak

Chapter 5: Power to Overcome

NOTES

Acknowledgement

About The Author

Books By This Author

Introduction

Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.

Jeremiah 30:2

This book came out of nowhere.  One morning while we were working on other projects, God stopped us and directed us to prioritize this book instead.  As we sat down - staring at a blank page - God quickly began to speak to us the words that now lay before you.

These words that follow may have been written pen to paper quickly, but they were developed in us over decades.  Decades of believing the enemy’s lie – that we can’t help the way we feel.  Decades of good advice to follow your heart.  Decades of allowing a lack of self-control in our thoughts and emotions almost destroy the potential locked within our beings. 

Decades followed by years of finally finding victory and healing.  Years of discovering the keys to success in this area of our lives through God’s Word.  This doesn’t mean that the occasional struggle doesn’t knock on our door every now and again, but it means that we now know how to address it quickly so that we can stay the course of God’s purpose for our lives – living abundantly and bearing fruit.

With all the trendy conversations circulating around accepting who you are, being true to yourself and the importance of self-care; what we lay out in the next few chapters aren’t popular perspectives or thoughts.  But we believe they are God’s thoughts concerning your identity, your mental health and your relationships - and we believe God’s way is the only way to achieve real victory.

We encourage you not to just read the words, highlight a few statements and set the book aside.  You have to put it into practice.  We can give you the seed of knowledge, but you have to be the one to plant it and consistently water it in order for it to yield fruit.

So grab a cup of coffee, a highlighter and a comfortable chair and dive in with us to expose this lie the world has taught us that we can’t help the way we are, think or feel.

\\ GOD’S WAY IS THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE REAL VICTORY.

Chapter 1: in The World

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God.

1 Corinthians 3:18-19a

It’s no secret that entertainment media is one of the largest influences in developed cultures.  Artistic works [are] often the most effective propaganda1 and organizations have used entertainment as a tool to indoctrinate nations towards specific agendas - and most of the time, we don’t even realize it’s happening.  If humans can see the power of influence through media, then there’s no doubt that the enemy utilizes it for his purposes as well. 

Although we personally enjoy the entertainment value of many movies, it’s difficult to deny the negative impact of desensitization.  One of the most popular notions that has been cemented into our western culture through entertainment is the idolization of fairy tale romances.  Marrying primarily for love is a relatively new concept to humanity – growing in popularity during the French and American revolutions.²  In westernized cultures, it has now become the exclusive foundation of which the world – and the church - judges a romantic relationship. 

I (Gloria) remember sitting in a theater back in 2004 watching the movie Spanglish.3 In the movie, there is a husband, a wife and a maid. The husband is a good-hearted guy who is genuinely trying his best to make his marriage work and make sure his children are loved. The wife is painted as a psychopath – she’s cold, shallow, obsessive, selfish and borderline crazy. The maid is a beautiful single mom who is compassionate, understanding, smart and deserving.

The love story that the audience wanted to get was the happy-ending between the husband and the maid. It was a great love story and they would’ve made a beautiful family filled with love and happiness. However, at the end of the movie - before anything irreparable happened - the maid made the determination that she would not be that woman and she packed her bags, took her daughter and left. And the husband went back to his house with the crazy wife – who admittedly showed a sign of hopeful sanity at the close of the film. And that was it. The end.

I hated that ending. Inside, I was screaming NOOOOOO!!!! Why did it end that way, that guy and the maid were perfect for each other and that wife is crazy and she doesn’t deserve him!!! It wasn’t the happy-ending I wanted.

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks.  At that time, Robert and I were intricate parts in establishing a Young Marrieds Sunday School ministry at our little hometown church. I advocated for marriages and the ability for God to restore any marriage – no matter how far removed. When did I get to the point that I allowed society to influence me so much that I would hope for the failure of a marriage in favor of emotional-bliss, even in the context of a movie?

It was the first time (of many) that God unveiled my eyes and I got a glimpse of how much culture influenced how we lived our lives.  Even Christians living a Godly lifestyle are not immune to the unguarded influences of the world.

The World’s Influence

We are a society driven by our thoughts and emotions. We accept every thought that enters our mind as if they are our own thoughts and allow those thoughts to become our truth without further questioning.  Our culture determines what the right decision is based on how we feel.  We tend to live for the next emotional high – whether in a movie, someone else’s life or our own lives. The dependence many of us have on our emotions