Intro: Last week in our study we covered Apathy. Apathy is possibly the second most powerful device of the devil. It is a vice that slowly or tightens its grip on us and causes us to be cold and unconcerned with the things of God. If apathy is the vice that slowly pinches off our emotion or concern for God and His will then anger is the dynamite that explodes and destroys relationships, reputations, witness, work, etc.
In Galatians we see the contrasted lists of the fruits of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Listen closely to the message translation.
Galatians 5:19-21 “It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex, a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage, frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness, trinket gods, magic-show religion, paranoid loneliness, cutthroat competition, all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants, a brutal temper, an impotence to love or be loved, divided homes and divided lives, small-minded and lopsided pursuits, the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival, uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions, ugly parodies of community. I could go on.”
Listed in a life that tries to get its own way is the danger of anger. In message a brutal temper, in the NKJV outbursts of wrath, in the NASB, NLT, GWT, HCS, outbursts of anger,
In the New Testament there are two words translated anger. One is thomos in Galatians 5.20 and carries the idea of passion or energy. The other is parorgismo which means irritation or agitation. Neither of these Greek words carry the idea of righteous indignation. You can either allow you anger to lead you or you can lead your anger. If your anger or any of your emotions are leading you then you are in great danger of falling into one of the devils many devices.
James gives us an excellent reason why we should not be ignorant of this device of the devil.
James 1.20-22 “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to be angry (James is assuming HS power to control attitudes), for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of (again HS empowerment) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says! (emphasis mine)
I. The seriousness nature of anger
A) Its destructive power (divisive) (emotional, relational, physical, spiritual)
Anger is defined as deep and strong feelings rising out of an injustice, injury, wrong, whether real or perceived. What isn’t told by the definition is the extreme destructive power of anger.
Really all you have to do is look at our culture and you will see the destructive nature of anger. We live in the age of Rage. Road rage, air rage, mall rage, fan rage. You name we’ve got some type of rage or uncontrolled anger for it. This is nothing new. It began with Cain. He was angry because his little brother did what God said. I know you have never been mad at your good two shoes little brother before. Cain allowed his emotion to control him and it destroyed his brother and himself. Moses mad at the children of Israel struck the rock that God told him to speak to and because of it never got the privilege/blessing of going into the Promised Land. King Saul was mad that David was chosen by God to be king. He went mad and was killed on the field of battle. Ecclesiastes 7.9 tells us “Don’t be quick tempered for anger is the friend of fools.”) A fool in the Bible is one who rejects God and His rule and blessing for their. Anger can be like dynamite very destructive. It destroys your relationships to others, it can destroy your relationship with God (Pharoah), it can destroy your health, reputation (Bobby Knight)(Texas Tech Football Coach locking boy in closet), etc.
Realize that people who fly into a rage usually have a bad landing. Anger has a great potential to be destructive. John 10.10 the thief comes to destroy if the devil can he will destroy our joy, our relationships, our reputation and our witness with something not bigger than our temper.
B) Its doorway potential (Ephesians 4.26, Proverbs 25:28 (GNB))
The Bible is clear when we let anything other than God’s Holy Spirit control us we open a doorway or give a foot hold to the devil. God created us to be emotional creatures. We are made up of our intellect that is our ability to think, our will that is the ability to choose, our emotions that is our ability to feel. Unresolved anger gives the enemy an opportunity to lead us into unkind thoughts, words, and actions.
C) God’s direct principles
We are not simply focusing on anger and its negative possibilities we are looking at the biblical principles to that keep us from being controlled and conformed to anger. A question that might be on your mind is anger always sinful? The Biblical answer is no. Remember the two words in the Greek found in the New Testament carry the idea of passion and energy and irritation or aggravation. What does your passion and energy cause you to do when someone hurts you? How do you handle your hurts? How do you handle your failures? How do you handle rejection and or correction?
Don’t let your agitation, aggravation, or passion lead you to a loveless response.
II. Symptoms of Dangerous anger
Since we are commanded to be angry but sin not we must understand when anger has carried us into sin.
A) Anger leads to sin when it is
1) Selfishly motivate (James 1.19-20)
We are called here to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry. Many of us get angry before we get the facts. We hear something and fly off the handle. It is usually done in self-defense or some other selfish act. (I got to practice asking forgiveness this last week.)
2) Has skewed goals (1 Corinthians 10.31)
What is the goal of your life and the life of this church? The glory of God! Whether we are making disciples, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, fellowshipping with each other, or whatever we do it is to be done to the glory of God. Teaching Sunday School, or Monday – Friday School, giving of tithes and offerings etc.
3) Shoots the person instead of the problem
This happens when the energy and passion of anger are used to attack people instead of the problem at hand. Ephesians 4:15-19 Speaking the truth in love to build up and encourage others in Christ. We should not allow rotten or destructive words to pour from our lips.
4) When anger is allowed to boil over with no control or restraint.
2 Timothy 1.7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
God gave us a spirit of power, love, and what? (Have them answer) Self-Discipline. Some translations self-control. I can’t control my anger. Then you are saying you have no relationship to Jesus Christ and no Holy Spirit. Dangerous explosive anger is a habit, self-discipline is a habit that is empowered by God’s Holy Spirit. (Phone example)
5) When you refuse to be practical, and hold a grudge or keep it all inside. We are directed to not allow the sun to go down on our anger. Basically the Bible tells us to deal with it. If we don’t we might as well camp out with the Devil because we aren’t listening to our heavenly Father.
B) Anger does not lead to sin when
1) Confronting someone because of their hypocrisy Galatians 2:11-14
2) Concern over injustice
3) Jesus’ anger at the Jewish defilement of the worship in God’s temple FoFW (John 2.13-18)
This anger was not for self-defenses or selfish reasons. It involves defense of others or of truth.
III. Solutions for biblical control of anger
“Be angry but sin not” How do we go about in the Power of the Holy Spirit and not allow our anger to control us? What is the Biblical way or principles to overcome anger?
A) Recognize and admit our selfishness in our anger
Confess to God and the one or ones we harmed by the outburst of our anger
Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9 – mercy and healing are found in confession. Don’t excuse or shift the blame for your actions, or attitudes.
B) Recognize God in your trials
Especially when someone has hurt us. James 1:2-4, Romans 8:28-29; Gen 50:20.
Nothing happens to us that God doesn’t 1) cause or 2) allow.
If we really believed this it would change our attitude toward everything.
C) Make room for God’s wrath
Our heavenly Father will take care of injustice, evil, abuse, etc. What about, what about. The great commandment is for us to love God and others. The reason we can’t do that is because we are focused on revenge not reconciliation. Trust that God knows what He’s doing.
D) By communicating to solve the problem
I know several of you who hate confrontation. How do I know, when you have an issue with someone you almost never face that person with your issue. But they won’t listen, but they won’t, but they won’t. Sounds like you have a big but problem.
Why is our relationship with God and others in such a mess? Lack of communication. We get angry with someone and we go to everyone else.
4 Basic rules of Communication given in Eph 4:15; 25-32
1) Be honest and speak (Eph 4:15, 25) People cannot read your mind. Speak the truth in love leave the results to the Holy Spirit.
2) Stay current (Eph 4:26-27) Deal with what is bothering us before it builds and we loose control.
When I have an argument with my wife, she doesn’t get hysterical, she gets historical. No! Wives and husbands we must learn to deal with it and bury it forever.
3) Attack the problem not the person (Ephesians 4:29, 31) (Proverbs 15.1)
But you don’t understand what they did to me! Maybe, just maybe they don’t either.
Prov 15.1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
4) Act don’t react Ephesians 4.31-32
Because of our fallen nature our first response is sinful. Act to solve your part of the problem. You cannot control how others act or respond.
Conclusion: Is there someone you’re angry at today? Are you holding a grudge? Are you mad at God because of your life situation? Be honest speak, confess, turn you energy and agitation into power to deal with what comes at you.
Don’t let your agitation, aggravation, or passion lead you to a loveless response.
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to be angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
Overcoming ungodly attitudes and the devices of the devil may not happen overnight. However if we resist the devil and surrender to God he will flee. Part of our life in the Kingdom of God is being transformed into the image of Jesus. Uncontrolled anger is not part of the work of the Holy Spirit it is part of the works of the flesh. Put off the chains of uncontrolled anger. You must practice responding to the Holy Spirit not your human emotions. The devils device of anger became entrenched in you life by habitual practice begin today to respond through God’s power.
