OVERCOMING ANGER

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭3‬ NLT)

I used to have a temper and I used to be angry all the time. It got me in a lot of trouble and caused some very uneasy and uncomfortable conversations with people. I didn't even realize that it was so bad until a trusted friend once said to me, "You're a very angry person."

I didn't want to be that way.  I really didn't.  I wanted to be known as a loving person - filled with God's love.  I went to God and prayed and I cried out to Him because I desperately wanted to change.

I can't say that it happened overnight but I can say that over time, and through continued prayers, God took my anger completely away from me. Now, on the other side, I still get ruffled every once in a while but I can honestly say that the love of God has filled my heart and that the anger is gone.

Just open the newspaper or watch the news and notice how angry people are right now.  Cities are racially inflamed and people are doing heinous crimes because their anger is so high.

As I studied the Bible this week about the subject of anger, I discovered that there are Four Types Of Anger dealt with in the Bible.

Let's look at each of those different types of anger

I. Sudden Anger Is To Be Controlled

Proverbs 14:17 says, "A quick-tempered man does foolish things." 

If we have a short fuse, we’re going to do a lot of foolish things. When we lose our temper we’ll say things we know we shouldn’t have said, and do things that we’re going to be sorry for later on.

Proverbs 15:18 says, "A hot tempered man stirs up dissension." 

That simply means that if you have a short fuse, if you’re always losing your temper, if you’re walking around with a chip on your shoulder, if you’re just looking for somebody to say something that will irritate you, then you’re going to leave a trail of hurt feelings & unhappiness behind you.

Will Rogers said, "Whenever you fly into a rage, you seldom make a safe landing." And he is right.

2. Sinful Anger Is To Be Condemned 

Not all anger is sinful, but some anger is. So let me give you some tests this morning to help you determine whether your anger is sinful or not.

Romans 12:19 Paul says, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: `It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord."

1. Is it anger directed towards a person? 
2. Is it anger without a justifiable cause?
3. Is it anger that seeks vengeance? 
4. Is it anger that has an unforgiving spirit?

If any of the answers to those questions is "yes," then our anger is a sinful anger. And the Bible says that it is to be condemned.

3. Stubborn Anger Is To Be Conquered

Ephesians 4:26 - "Be ye angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath." And the next verse says, "And do not give the devil a foothold." 

Some of you carry your anger for days.  You must conquer that anger and it must be controlled.

4. Sanctified Anger Must Be Channeled In The Right Direction For God.

Remember, Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be ye angry. . ." It is okay to be angry, but do not sin. 

There are many injustices in the world - we need to be angry at that.  Channel your in the right direction for God. 

Notice these two verses in closing:

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. (‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭1-3‬ NLT)

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. (‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ NLT)

May God give you much grace and heal your anger as you read this today.