Victory Life KY

Anger Management

Episode Summary

Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27, NLT

Episode Notes

• Ephesians 4:26-27,NLT- Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

• The more traditional writing says, “be angry and don’t sin.”

• The Lord made us. He knows we’re emotional people. Some things should make you mad, but because we have His Spirit living in us, we have the ability to not let anger be what drives us.

• Paul reminds us that we’re not ignorant of our enemy’s tactics.
• And make no mistake, he’s making a major push on society, more specifically, trying to divide the church.

• This passage in Ephesians in the more traditional writing actually says in v.27, give no place to the devil.

• The danger with giving into anger is not only habitual, but self-destructive. It opens the door for condemnation and rejection.

• James reminds us to be slow to get angry.

• Galatians 5, Walk in the Spirit, let the Holy Spirit guide your life and you won’t give in to your sinful nature. After all, He is the Spirit of peace that passes understanding.

• Galatians 5:22-23,NLT- The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

• So I guess we can control our anger if we choose to live out of the Kingdom rather than the ways of this world. Ultimately we have to stay aware of the fact that Jesus is counting on us to represent the Kingdom of God.

• Romans 14:17,NKJV- For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

• The things of the Kingdom, like Holy Spirt led living is 100% spiritual, never a bunch of natural, religious practices.

• What we’ve got to realize is that in this passage in Romans Paul is not only looking out for the ones that have just given their lives to Christ, he’s also addressing the religious mindset of that current situation.

• Think about it, most of these people are still used to their ungodly ways they’ve lived with all their lives.

• We have to remember, just like in our own lives, the ways of the Kingdom come to each of us through revelation from the Holy Spirit.

• So lets stop getting mad at people that may not be where we sometime think we are.

• Let me say this, if anger is your first response to things not going your way, it simply means you’ve go some growing to do.

• According to the Holy Spirit in Corinthians, you’re still carnal, babies in Christ.

• Here’s some food or thought, Ecclesiastes says that anger labels you a fool. Not to mention, it’ll keep you changed to whatever that offense was that made you mad.

• This is why Paul is addressing the church about this issue. Those of us that are spiritual are to help others get to the place where we’re walking in more of His nature.

• Remember, the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. And the more we yield to His nature, the more His nature will be recognized in our lives.

• Ephesians 4:31-32,NLT- Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 
• Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

• This is where faith comes in, we’ve gotta actually believe this stuff, believe God will empower us to take on this new nature.

• Here’s thing, it takes absolutely no faith to be negative, discouraged, unbelieving, critical and judgemental, but that’s not who we are!

• Remember, the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

• A big part of our witness will be our peace and joy form the Lord.

• John14:27,NKJV- “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

• John 15:11,NKJV- “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

• Remember, the things of the Kingdom are spiritual in their reality. They come from the spirit into this world.

• Romans 15:13,AMP-May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing, through the experience of your faith, 
• that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

• Let’s help each to not underestimated the power of peace and joy. Help one another stir up a little confident anticipation that God is the Almighty. He is the God of the Bible.

• You see, the more we allow the Holy Spirit to inspire our thinking, the more fixed and confident our expectations will be.

• This is why God’s word is so vital to the believer, it literally is the doorway into the world of the spirit, into God’s Kingdom.

• Remember Proverbs, “As a man thinks, so is he.” Romans says, “Set you mind on heavenly things.”

• Check it out for yourself, you think about anything long enough and it absolutely effects your imagination.

• And never underestimate the imagination of the born again. It’s our spiritual seeing.

• In Matthew and Luke, Jesus said, “The light of the body is the eye, and if the eye is single, the whole body will be full of light.”

• Our challenge today is that we’re so double or triple, minded, bombarded with everything but Him. 

• Too often we’re simply too influenced by the world. Maybe staying a little closer to the things of the world rather than the things of God. (Story of boy falling out of bed)

• This is why Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4, “Stop going along with this empty-headed, mindless crowd.”

• We are new creations in Christ, this is why the Holy Spirit repeatedly tells us to set our minds on the things of the Spirit.
• God actually takes it a step further, telling us to walk in the Spirit and we wont fulfill our worldly nature.

• Let me remind you again, the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

• Everything about a life of faith hinges on us making room for Him in our soul, our thinking.

• Galatians 5:22-23,NLT- The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

• The Bible is full of inspiring stories of God’s people practicing their faith in Him, right in the middle of very challenging circumstances.

• Acts 16:25-26,NIV- About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

• This is why Paul instructed us to cast down every though that tries to exalt itself above who we are in Christ. And stir ourselves up in our faith.

• Think about it, it would’ve been very easy to get mad at what happened to them; seriously, they’re doing what God told them to do.

• So make no mistake, the enemy doesn’t just want you getting mad about certain situations, he wants to torment you to the point that anger becomes a stronghold in your thinking.

• Ephesians 4:26-27,NLT- Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.