Tonight’s message is dealing with the area of Anger
With the message entitled, “Harnessing the Heat.”
We live in an, “Age of Rage.”
Expressions say it all, “that makes me so mad," and "I can’t stand that person."
Anger is a far reaching characteristics, it is a frequent guest in our homes, our jobs, and our church.
It rides with us in our cars on our way to work, "get out of the way you _______."
It happens every time we get in the wrong line at the grocery store.
We live in the time if you don’t like what someone has done to you just shoot them, blow them up with pipe bombs, planes, some just kill because they have nothing else to do, such as, drive by shootings, and snipers shooting the innocent, men and women with evil on their mind continually.
Hollywood is in our homes with movie hero’s that bear “lethal weapons” all who “die hard.”
With so much anger out there, how can we keep it out of our own life?
Anger is an emotion that has many physical manifestations; such as, our blood pressure rises, out mouth gets dry, our fist clinch up, our muscles get tight, and our adrenaline begins to flow.
We feel ready to fight, and what we do with that anger tells a lot about us.
There are four approaches to anger.
1.)There is the “Toxic Waste Approach.”
Some people handle anger like dealing with toxic waste, they bury it deep in a whole in their soul and present an A.O.K attitude.
But after a few years it begins to leak out and contaminate them. It enters into the blood stream of their thought life and causes them to be sick, unresolved anger can impact your attitudes, relationships, and ultimately your walk with the Lord.
I’m not angry, but you talk so bad about that person that hurt so many years ago. "That Church," or "Don’t go to that Church."
It’s like a child that bottled up and never faced what happened to them by their parents or their family or even a church member, so they bring the hurt along for the ride.
Treating the issue like toxic waste saying, "I’ll deal with it later."
Proverbs 15:1 says, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."
2.)There is the “Volcano Approach.”
Some are like a volcano.
Anger has a way of coming out with little to no warning.
Anger is only one letter away from the word "Danger."
Yes, You can be in a great mood one moment and someone cut you off on the highway and you explode on them.
Volcanic people rumble around for days, “I’ve been taking this for days, or years and I can’t take it anymore. I am going to give them a piece of my mind.
And they spew hot lava all over the place not caring about the lives that are destroying, but you got your point across.
Volcanic people never apologize for the damage that they cause, that is one reason they are call volcanos.
James 3:11 says, "can a founatin bring forth both bitter water and sweet?"
3.)Some are like “Snow Cones.”
When they become upset, they put on the “big chill.”
They give the person that hurt them the ice cold shoulder.
No, nothing is wrong, NO! Nothing is wrong.
Eccl. 7:9 says, "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger rested in the bosom of fools."
4.) Then there is the “Microwave Oven Approach.”
They confront a situation that angers them with a near instantaneous response.
You can almost see the timer going off, Beep, Beep, Beep, BAM!
They explode right then, they have a very short fuse, with very little mercy. Things set them off easily, you walk on egg shells around them just so you won’t have to see them go off.
But, now we see those that go off, how then are we to express our anger?
I. Anger is not all bad;
Some anger can be for good when it comes to confronting evil.
James 4:26 says, “Be angry and sin NOT!”
Jesus became angry in the temple when he saw it had turned into the Cordova mall.
They were not about the Father’s Business, they were about their own business of making money from the house of God.
The things that anger God the Father should anger us!
In Matthew 23, Jesus had to confront the Pharisees, He said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees!” “You hypocrites, vipers, blind guides, and murders of the prophets.”
Jesus’ anger motivated Him to set right the wrong that was being done in the church.
Speaking the truth sometimes angers you.
I get mad in the C.E. Building when I see our children tearing up the games that we have provided for them. They don’t respect it so we took them away, after many talking’s too, of course.
Just because a person gets mad doesn’t always mean that they are sinning.
II. How are we to express our Anger?
First example, Husband calls to tell his wife that he won’t be home until 6:00, so she cooks him a wonderful special dinner and plans to be ready right at 6:00 when he walks in.
It’s now 6:00, no husband, no phone call. 6:30, still no phone call, 7:15 he finally walks in.
Now she goes off, blasting him with everything that she has in the armory. you shopuld have called me, you always do this to me, do you even care about me, you never keep your word. Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam.
Now the evening is shot, the husband is eating cold leftovers, the wife is in the room crying and the relationship is now hurting all because of Anger.
The husband and wife have continued their argument into the night; after an hour or two of arguing their thoughts are "I don’t want to deal with this now, I’ll deal with it in the morning." or "I’ll feel better in the morning." SO like a rotisserie all night their thoughts are cooking over how bad that they have been treated.
No matter how bad the problem was, it needed to have been dealt with!
So many times we don’t deal with the issue because we fell that we are the one who needs to be apologized too.
We did no wrong but in the case of this argument they were both wrong.Eph 4:26 says don’t let the sun go down on your wrath.
There is a Bible story about a man by the name of Jonah.
At first in the life of Joanh he felt privileged for the Father to call on him and he was honored to go and preach the Word of the Lord. But, the moment he found out who it was that he was to go and preach too, he had a few things on his mind that he wanted to tell the Lord. "I’M NOT GOING!"
He was a man that had to deal with his anger problem. He basically told the Lord to go and nuke those heathen dogs and be done with them because he was not going to Nineveh. He hated these people because of who they were and it did not matter what God had to say about it UNTIL; he chose to take a mediterranean cruise! what better way to spend your time than preaching salvation to a lost and dying city. We all know how God change the mind set of Jonah, but I guess as the digestive juices began to work on ole Jonah, he dealt with his anger problem.
Jonah 2:9 says, "But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord."
When Jonah delievered the Word of the Lord Revival broke out in Nineveh.
Anger brought him to his knees, and it will bring you to your knees
Remember how we deal with anger tells a lot about us.
when can anger be fatal?
1. When negative outburst of anger threaten to kill our relationship we value, that anger is fatal.
2. When anger is allowed to fester inside you and the thoughts of revenge consume you, that anger is fatal.
3. When keeps you from forgiving someone that anger is fatal. remember there is fine line between being hurt and being angry, but you must be willing to forgive no matter what the case.
4. When anger keeps you from serving the Father that nager is fatal.
So pastor how do we overcome anger? I’m glad you asked.
A. Acknowledge- you must let people know how much you value them. How much you care.
B. Negotiate- let the other person know how you feel, "I’m hurt." or "I feel rejected or alone." Talk your anger out with respect towards the other person.
C. Guard- Always listen to the volume of your voice. Speak in a tone that is more caring and tender. It makes people feel more comfortable to talk with you and telling you how they feel.
D. Establish- Determine in yourself that you are not going to bed until this matter is resolved.
E. Release- Don;t keeo adiary of the things that someone has done to you. Release them from that hurtful anger. Pray for the grace of God to forgive the other person.
Love keeps no diary of suffering and pain.
Do you have a problem like the ones in this message?
Do you have a problem with anger?
Only Jesus can help you defeat the anger that is comsuming you.
You must remember the balance, be angry, but sin not. Don’t let the devil sit on your shoulder for too long.
God Bless You.
