God’s anger management
Ephesians 4:26-4:32
Introduction-
Turn to Ephesians 4:26-4:32.
We are going to look at the subject of anger this morning. Don’t be Mad!
Anger is one of those things that we quickly see in others, quickly condemn, but when we look at ourselves, it is often justified.
I tell it like is, and people don’t like it.
If people wouldn’t tick me off, I wouldn’t get angry.
Some people just don’t know when to be quiet.
It really is that speck in your eye and plank in mine kind of thing.
How do you handle anger? Maybe I should ask others.
Jesus got mad! He turned the tables of the money changers in the Temple. Does that mean that we can?
Do we get mad at the same things that anger God?
Do we handle it the same way Jesus would?
Today we live in a society that has many one word, one situation, one event, from snapping and going off the deep edge. Today, people we do not even know smash cars into people to kill and harm them because something happened in their life and they go into road rage. They are so depressed and unhappy that they are willing to kill others because they are unhappy.
Anger defined in three categories
Rage- an explosive, uncontrolled expression of anger
Resentment- unexpressed anger, denied by their hurts and frustrations. This anger destroys from inside out.
Indignation- Righteous anger about injustice and unholy situations. God’s anger would fall into this category.
It has been described as this;
Anger is an intense emotional reaction, sometimes expressed in open behavior and sometimes remaining mostly as expressed feelings. Anger is not only emotional, it is biochemical as well. Anger triggers the human body defense system. Adrenalin is pumped into the blood stream and sets off the fight or flight response. Blood pressure increases, eyes are dilated for better peripheral vision, and the muscles are supplied with a sudden burst of energy. It is emotional and physical readiness to be aggressive. (you can picture a aggressive and angry person.)
Anger is a universal human emotion found in different degrees by personality and temper.
Shy or extrovert
Perfectionist or laid back
Hot head
Sometimes they appear one way and are another.
What makes anger dangerous is that it is powerful, flares suddenly, and often irrational.
People’s fuses are short.
People are angry inside.
They show it by blowing the horn, hand gestures, tongue lashings, and physical abuse.
Some wear it as a badge of honor.
Let’s see what God says about it.
Remind ourselves of how God wants it handled.
Remember that all anger is not sin.
Ephesians 4:26-4:32
The best way to look at this passage is to look at its context and then write down observations.
In its context, Paul is writing to the church about the character of a believer.
How to live.
How to act toward others.
How the body of Christ operates.
How we should treat spouses, children.
How to maintain unity.
Putting on the armor of God to protect us from enemy that wants to destroy us at every level.
Anger observations
Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Do not give the devil a foothold in your life.
Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
Being kind, compassionate, forgive others as God forgave you.
Christians don’t lose emotions at conversion, but we should be allowing God to purify and control anger.
2 kinds of anger- righteous and unrighteous
2 ways to handle it- God’s way and your way.
2 results- sinful or not sinful.
You put the letter d in front of anger and you have danger. Uncontrolled anger is dangerous.
We are not going to spend much time with unrighteous anger. We have all blown up, said things that we wish we could take back, exploded into fit of rage, taking the ugly side of anger.
There is cause for our anger
Not getting our way.
Feeling rejected.
Disappointment
Injustice
Feeling inadequate
loss
We will spend our time looking how to avoid or handle our anger.
(26) “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
Exploded anger brings rage
Built up anger brings depression.
You have got to handle anger in the right way.
He tells us not to go to bed angry because it will fester and explode. You will dwell on unresolved issues and make it worse.
You must with God’s help
Resolve- restrict you anger.
Redirect- redeem your anger.
Release your anger in the correct way.
How to handle anger (SermonCentral)
Take a walk-
burn off the adrenalin before you say something or do something that you don’t want to do.
Accept limits-
You cannot control other people’s actions, you cannot change unforeseen event like cancelation of flight or change beyond your control.
Be careful where you vent-
it is one thing to be angry, but choose where you will vent.
Proverbs 29:11-
“A fool gives full vent to his anger; but a wise man keeps himself under control.
Don’t hang with angry people-
Anger is contagious and so is happiness, which do you want?
“Do not give the Devil a foothold”
Personal sin is usually our evil desires, but we want to blame the devil for everything. He is telling us to get rid of anger as fast as we can. Don’t allow it to cause division among the family or the church. Get control because once the door is open, you will let other things in also.
“Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.”
Angry words are weapons used by angry people.
They destroy us and others.
Proverbs 15:1-
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up fights.”
You have the power to cool down or ignite by your words.
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God”
Holy Spirit wants us to control our emotions. He wants to bring back to remembrance God’s Word. (why we must know it)
Grieving the Spirit is to do what we know not to do.
Go into rage when the Holy Spirit of God is working to calm a situation.
Falling apart when God is putting us together.
“Getting rid of all bitterness.”
It doesn’t say some, it says all.
Bitterness will destroy you. It is a cancer to the heart.
Bitterness consumes you. It will rob you of everything God is trying to do.
“Forgiving as Christ has forgiven you.”
It does not mean that the other person was right for what they did, it just means that you are not going to let their actions affect how you live.
You will entrust it to Christ and allow Christ to take injustice and make it right instead of doing it yourself.
Closing
How do you handle anger?
Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Do not give the devil a foothold in your life.
Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
Being kind, compassionate, forgive others as God forgave you.
Amen.
