Transcript Anger
Anger Purpose of this Series: NOT Just some head knowledge BUT an awareness of sins So that: 1. We can confess it and be forgiven. 2. We can gain victory over these sins by the power of the Holy Spirit. Previously on 7 Sins We looked at 3 sins: Pride = wanting to be like God, or to be God. Envy = wanting the other person not to have what I don’t have. Gluttony = wanting to feed the soul with the body’s food. Anger Scripture Reading Ephesians 4:17-32 Anger Are you angry? Everyone has a problem with anger! Your own or somebody elses! Anger Anger is not necessarily evil. 26"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. Anger 3 Kinds of Anger Rage Resentment Righteous Indignation Anger - - It It It It It It Is it Righteous Indignation? can identify a real injustice prays, not plots points at a condition, not a person helps the mistreated is unselfish, often reluctant refuses vengeance. [Richard P Walters, Anger Yours and Mine & What to do About it, p.46] Anger Righteous Indignation David’s reaction to Goliath Jesus turning over the tables in the Temple Anger Story of Ralph and Sally Rage Anger turned outward Anger as a sword Saul throwing the spear at David Anger Resentment Anger turned inward Anger as a bomb Story of unexploded bombs Anger Resentment is like Filling your trunk with tennis balls It works just fine at first, but after a while the trunk is so full it takes more effort to keep the lid closed Balls fall out! Anger Anger is a secondary emotion. What triggers anger? Embarrassment Frustration Rejection Fatique Anger Proverbs 30:33 “For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." Overcoming Anger 1. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see how you are dealing with anger. 2. Acknowledge Anger and the hurts underneath it. Overcoming Anger 3. Ask God’s help to forgive. 4. Ask the Holy Spirit to grow the Fruit of the Spirit in you. Overcoming Anger “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26 Overcoming Anger 5. Learn strategies to help you control your anger: a. Give yourself the time and space to think through your feelings and your response. Overcoming Anger James 1:19-20: “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” Overcoming Anger b. Choose your response. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph. 4:29 Overcoming Anger c. Daily focus on God and his love for you. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Eph. 4:32 Anger I Cor. 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. Overcoming Anger d. Join with others who are striving to overcome this sin. Proverbs 22:24-25: “Do not make friends with a hottempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.” Overcoming Anger “Rage seeks to do wrong, resentment seeks to hide wrong indignation seeks to correct wrong.” “Rage and resentment seek to destroy people, indignation seeks to destroy evil.” “Rage and resentment are forbidden in the Bible, indignation is required.” [Richard P Walters, Anger Yours and Mine & What to do About it, p.17] Overcoming Anger Walters says: “Among Christians there is a fear of rage, a surplus of resentment, and a shortage of indignation.” [Richard P Walters, Anger Yours and Mine & What to do About it, p.17]