If anyone ever had a reason to be angry or mad, Jesus did.
Any one of us has the ability to become angry and then to keep it suppressed while it seethes and works its evil in us.
Joyce Meyer used to be a very angry person. Who could blame her. I remember watching a Joyce Meyer youtube video with Ann a while ago. In the video, Joyce breaks down, and with tears says, “I now know that God allowed all the years I was raped by my father so that He could bring about a work to reach so many hurting so they could experience His healing. Now I know He really is able to work all things together for the good of those who love Him.” Until you walk through something like that, you cannot possibly understand the mercy, grace and tears of joy the Holy Spirit can give you as He transforms your anger, heals your emotions, and allows your testimony to bring His powerful forgiveness and love to so many.
All that I am,
All I can be,
Jesus, take all of me
Take all of me
Take all that I’ve got,
And make me what you want me to be
Light of the world, Jesus take all of me
Take all of me, take all that I am
And all I ever dreamed I could be
Mold and make me, Jesus, take all of me
Lyric from “Take All Of Me” by Wayne Watson
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Thankfully, God is so faithful to show us our heart and what resides there so He can do a mighty work to release us from any sin that’s destroying us and those around us.
And because iniquity (lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax (grow) cold.
Matthew 24:12
There are so many Bible verses addressing anger. One of the most popular ones is Ephesians 4:26. It commands us not to let anger make us sin and to not let the sun go down with us still angry lest we give the devil a foothold. The Bible (the book of James, etc.) is full of verses about anger and warns against it for good reasons.
Have you noticed? The devil is fanning the flames of anger today – His own jealousy, pride and anger caused him to fall from heaven. He’s taking full advantage of our fallen nature. And, according to the Bible, anger’s only going to get much worse with lawlessness abounding and hearts growing cold. It’s one of Satan’s most powerful lethal weapons because it’s so easy to fall prey to it and to justify it. Anger can make us feel smart, and responsible. It can prevent us believing verses like Romans 8:28 and keep us from trusting God. It appeals to our pride. Anger is the correct response to being wronged, right? Anger prevents us from looking up (Matthew 24). Anger makes us question God’s very existence, His love and will for us and our lives which is VERY dangerous to do. Anger can turn us into manipulators. It can make us even more angry when we don’t get our way. Anger makes us feel empowered. It gives us something to do about things. It helps us rationalize our position in a situation. The devil knows it can keep us from trusting God and enables us to spread our anger, unforgiveness and bitterness to others. It robs us of joy and saps our energy while it causes us much mental and physical anguish.
Anger is a setup and we must be very careful not to enter into the devil’s anger snare lest we be consumed.
The really scary thing is that the devil knows what type of situation will make you the most susceptible to anger.
Honestly, I believe anger is being used to separate the sheep from the goats. That’s why it’s so important to obey God in all things.
It’s really been pointed out to me that I can’t change anyone. Only God can really change us. I can write about how He’s setting me free, but it takes His leading and power to cause any one of us to want to change. One of the ways God points out the need for us to change something (like anger) in our lives is to allow us to become so sick and tired of something that, under the load of what’s negatively impacting our life (anger?), we become pliable and willing to let Him work in that area to set us free.
For a man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life God desires.
James 1:20
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
I pray each night before bed that God will protect me while sleeping…
I had another one of my really bad nightmares last night – It’s the one about being laid off at my last work place. I woke up scared, confused, angry and questioning God. For about an hour, I laid there wondering why I have to keep having this awful nightmare – going on 15 years now. Finally, God said, “You’re mad.” I thought, “Well, yeah. Who wouldn’t be.” He said, “Praise me for the nightmare. I want to show you something vitally important.” I began to praise God for the nightmare. As I did, something happened in me. I began to thank Him for the nightmare as well. That’s when God said, “It doesn’t matter what happens in your life, I want you to always praise and thank Me. You must do this. It will keep you from letting anger get a foothold in you to control you. Anger will only lead to destruction and death, and especially today when fear and anger are becoming rampant. Praising and thanking Me in all things will keep anger away from you. Doing so will “keep” you. It will allow you to trust Me in all things by allowing you to cast all care on Me. This is so important today. It will enable you to allow Me to work in all things (including this nightmare you have) in your life and to follow My lead with peace. You must believe Me, Mark, this is best.”
One more important thing God shared with me regarding anger. He told me it didn’t matter how significant or insignificant the situation or circumstance was that was tempting me to become angry or mad. He told me to simply thank and praise Him in the situation in order for me to give it to Him for Him to work for my good. He said that, by my responding this way, He would be able to keep me. This is how I was going to be able to keep dwelling in His shadow, protected in the secret place of the Most High.
Israel is back in the land and we’re in the end times. God is getting ready to pour out His wrath on this messed up world. He’s going to do so to make a last attempt to get people to look up to Him and to desire a relationship with Him. This is what the Bible teaches. Crazy things are going to be taking place that will tempt us to become angry, bitter, resentful, and even to give up trusting God and to leave our faith in God. This is part of what the Bible calls the great falling away.
I’m telling you, get right with God in the area of anger. Ask His help in identifying anger you may be harboring. Confess any anger you have and ask Him to help you overcome anger before it takes you over. Ask His forgiveness for the sin of not trusting Him in all situations. Get in the practice of praising and thanking Him in all things before you develop a hard heart, a heart that’s beyond repenting.
Here’s a test – Is there anything – circumstance or situation – in your life (past, present of future) that you can’t or won’t thank and praise God for? If there is, you’re probably dealing with anger that needs to be repented of so you can be free in Christ.
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (including anger).
1 John 1:9
A really good resource for overcoming anger and one that can lead you into trusting God with your entire life is Merlin Carother’s powerful book, Power In Praise.
God allowed last night’s nightmare to show me something SO important. He will use it for good. He reminded me that He has the power to do accomplish that fete. He said I can learn to respond to challenges, trials and upsetting circumstances in one of two ways. I can either get mad and angry, or I can choose to give them to Him and trust Him with working it all out and using it for good. One response leads to death and destruction. The other leads to life.
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24
“Jesus, forgive me for my anger, Lord. Please, now, take all of me, and all that I am including any anger I cling to…”
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
God bless,
Mark