Getting Control Of One's Anger Series

Self-Talk and Anger

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Have you ever felt so angry that you just wanted to scream out in fury? The Israelites, wandering in the wilderness, once again complained to Moses and Aaron about their lack of water, expressing their dissatisfaction by claiming it would have been better to die than to perish from thirst in the desert. This was just one of many grievances: they had previously complained about bitter water after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15:22-24), about hunger (Exodus 16:2-3), about water again at Horeb (Exodus 17:1-3), about a lack of meat (Numbers 11:1-6), and even about Moses' leadership (Numbers 13-14). Despite God’s repeated provision and miracles, the people’s continual lack of faith ignited a growing frustration in Moses. When God instructed him to speak to a rock to bring forth water, Moses, in his anger, struck the rock twice with his staff, saying, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10). Although water flowed, Moses had disobeyed God by acting in anger, and consequently, God declared that Moses would not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12).

We’ve all experienced the rush of anger—a surge of emotions that floods our minds and bodies, often beginning with a tightening chest and a racing heartbeat. Our muscles tense, our breathing quickens, and we feel a rise in internal heat as our thoughts race with a sense of injustice. We dwell on the wrongs done to us or others, replaying them over and over in our minds, with clenched fists and flushed faces, until the pressure builds and erupts in words or actions. But as Christians, is this kind of anger acceptable? After all, we are made in the image of God, and even Jesus became angry—whether in cleansing the temple, calling out its corruption (Matthew 21:12-13), or confronting the Pharisees' hardened hearts (Mark 3:1-5). Doesn’t this show that anger, when rooted in a defense of God's holiness and justice, can be righteous? Yet, where is the line between righteous anger and sinful anger, like Moses' disobedient outburst that cost him the Promised Land? And how can we break the strongholds of sinful anger and make it obedient to Christ? By the end of this sermon, we’ll see how we can bring our anger under the lordship of Christ and respond in ways that reflect His grace and truth.

Affects of Anger

Anger, defined by the Oxford Dictionary as a "strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility" towards someone or something, can be a helpful warning signal against danger. However, when it becomes too frequent, intense, prolonged, or disproportionate to the situation, it can harm both physical and spiritual well-being. Elevated anger is often linked to emotional disorders like anxiety and depression, and research shows that it triggers stress hormones, which over time impair heart function and increase the risk of high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and heart disease. Anger can also disrupt the digestive system, causing issues such as abdominal pain, gastroesophageal reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome, while chronic anger contributes to inflammation and immune system dysfunction, heightening the risk of conditions like osteoarthritis, diabetes, and certain cancers. Beyond the physical toll, anger fosters resentment, damaging relationships and leading us to ignore Jesus' command to love our enemies. In our anger, we may feel distant from God, who calls us to focus on what is true, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8).

Be Angry and do not Sin

While prolonged anger can negatively affect the body, is it inherently sinful? Some anger is righteous, as seen when Jesus expressed anger at the money changers in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13), the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Mark 3:1-5), and the disciples who tried to prevent children from coming to Him (Mark 10:13-16). However, there is also sinful anger. For example, the Apostle Paul, in his anger, persecuted the church before being rebuked by Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). Later, Paul urged believers to put away anger (Colossians 3:8) and warned the Ephesians, "In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:26). Anger becomes sinful when it leads to destructive thoughts or actions, such as violence or a desire for revenge. As John wrote, one cannot claim to love God while harboring anger toward others (1 John 4:20). Anger also becomes sinful when it opposes God's will, as seen with Moses, or when it stirs up conflict, as King Solomon warned (Proverbs 15:18). James also teaches that "human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires" (James 1:19-20). Therefore, while anger itself is not inherently sinful, most people struggle to manage it righteously, which is why Paul emphasized the importance of exercising self-control over anger.