No doubt you watch the daily weather report, primarily when alerts are issued. However, women’s motivational speaker Kimberly Taylor said she woke up one morning with a weird word on her mind: “barometer.” Although she heard the word in weather reports, she didn’t know what it meant. Then, she felt the Spirit compelling her to look up the meaning. What she learned was a logical idea to share with those who often experience emotional storms – overwhelmed with depression, anger, anxiety, or other negative emotions. A barometer measures pressure in the atmosphere.

When the atmospheric pressure is high in your area, that means fair weather because the atmospheric wind downdraft can resist stormy weather patterns trying to move into where you live. But when the atmospheric pressure is low, bad weather can come into your area because of the wind updraft, and storms take the path of least resistance.

She received the spiritual insight that the only way to overcome emotional storms is to keep the atmospheric pressure inside yourself high by being packed by the downflow of the Holy Spirit. That way, when tensions are high in your external circumstances, you will be able to overcome them because they can’t get inside you. After all, He has already filled you! You are a new creation in the Anointed One, and Jesus lives out His life through you by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul gives us a picture of our new character. He says, God has chosen you and made you part of His holy people. He loves you. So, your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Don’t be angry with each other but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. Together with these things, the essential part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. 

Let the peace that Jesus the Anointed One gives control your thinking. The Spirit chose you to be together in one body peacefully. And always be thankful. Let the teaching of Jesus the Anointed One live inside you comfortably. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Let everything you say bring glory and honor to Jesus, your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus (Colossians 3:12-17).

So, from now on, think of your feelings as a barometer. When you are full of the Spirit, you are full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), which describes this Spiritual fruit Jesus said glorifies God. But when you are spiritually low, you are habitually worried, troubled, fearful, doubtful, depressed, jealous, prone to anger, selfish, envious, and lack self-control (Galatians 5:19-21). These thunderstorms carry the sinful works that cause hurricanes and tornados because those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit!

When you feel this way, check your attitude. When you experience negative emotions, you will feel the tension in your body. Unfortunately, the enemy will often use this tension to move you to practice addictive habits. It’s like a puppet on a string! So, when you feel tense, consciously relax your body to release that tension. The more relaxed you are, the harder you make it for the enemy to pull on you!

Retreating to the shelter of the Most-High (Psalm 91:1), praying, meditating on His word, and speaking it to yourself throughout the day keep the spiritual pressure inside you high so you can resist emotional storms. Spiritual disciplines also inspire you to praise and worship Him. When praise and worship fill your heart, you will know that your Spiritual atmospheric pressure is high enough to endure and survive any storms that may come your way.

You can start practicing this principle every day. As you stay filled with the Spirit and let Him be your Guide, you will live a victorious life. You will also draw others to Jesus because they will see your difference and want your peace!