English Service by Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

FREEDOM FROM ANGER.

SERIES: FREEDOM.
TEXT: EPHESIANS 4:26 – 5:2.

Anger is normal God-given emotion. God created you with the capacity of anger. The emotional response of anger is not a sin, because even God gets angry. God is an emotional God. The difference between God and man is how God responds and man responds to the emotion of Anger.
Psalm 30:5 –“For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime.”
Psalm 85:3 – “You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger.”
Psalm 86:15 – “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Jesus Christ became angry – yet he did not sin (Mark 3:1-5). In His anger Jesus healed a man and restored him.

Anger is a powerful emotion that motivates us to action. There are two typical ways we show our anger. Anger can be Expressed, or Anger can be Repressed. Sometimes repressed anger may be expressed like an explosion.

While we have been created in the image of God with the capacity to use our anger to right wrongs and overcome evil – sin distorted the image of God within us. Sin keeps us from having a healthy response to our anger. Our anger is often misused, misdirected because all too often our anger only leads to sin.
Psychologists label sin in four ways:-

Maniac – This is the person who just lets their anger explode. This Anger is expressed with no thought of the consequences, you just blow up and can pick up and throw things in the air.

  • Mute – This person represses his anger deeply. Instead of exploding they implode bottling Anger inside. They pretend there is nothing wrong, but are boiling inside.
  • Martyr – This is the person who is always throwing pity parties. The Martyr represses their anger until finally expressed as a depression.
  • Manipulator – this person is an exploiter. This person is the passive aggressive personality and will manipulate circumstances to their advantage. This Manipulator makes other people feel guilty. Their motto is “I don’t get mad, I just get even”.
    Paul tells us how to handle anger, before anger handles us, in (Ephesians 4:26-5:2). Let us learn: –

ANGER IS A NECESSARY WARNING SIGNAL (Eph 4:26-27).

  • “In your anger do not sin” “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” 26.
  • Anger is not sin, but it warns us that sin is near.
  • Anger is a warning light that tells us that we are getting close to sin.
  • “In your anger do not sin” – you will be set free from anger when you learn that anger in itself is not a sin. It is what you do with anger that determines whether you have sinned or not.
  • Anger is not one of the “Seven deadly sins” (Prov. 6:16-19).
  • But uncontrolled anger can lead to all seven.
  • Anger can lead to a heart full of Pride.
  • Anger can cause your tongue to be full of lies.
  • Anger can bring your hands to shed innocent blood.
  • Anger leads the heart to invent all kinds of evil schemes.
  • Anger can make your feet run to evil.
  • Anger can cause you to speak lies about other people.
  • Anger can cause division and stir up strife between people.
  • Because Anger is a warning signal that sin is near, Anger must be resolved quickly.
  • “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
  • Jesus did not let Himself to be trapped by anger. In anger Jesus healed the cripple and blind (Matt. 21:12-14).
  • Freedom from anger begin with understanding that anger is part of the Creator’s design.

GUARD AGAINST EXPRESSING SIN (Eph. 4:27-29).

  • Unresolved anger is an invitation to more and more sin.
  • When we hold onto anger we give Satan a foothold in our lives – the devil will start to push our buttons.
  • Anger will cause us to do and say things we normally would not.
  • Unresolved anger causes us to ask: “What is best for me?” Anger increases selfishness.
  • Proverbs 14:17 –“A quick tempered man does foolish things.”
  • Proverbs 29:22 – “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot tempered one commits many sins.”
  • When Satan gets a foothold in your life through anger you are liable to do and say lots of things that you later regret.
  • Don’t let the devil control you through a bad temper. You have power to choose how to respond even when you are angry. Make the right choices!
  • Proverbs 29:11– “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
  • Cain let anger get a foothold in his life so he made the wrong choices. Even when God advised Cain on what to do with his anger, Cain killed his brother Abel (Gen. 4:6-7).
  • Anger is a warning that sin is crouching at the door and wants to destroy us.

MASTER ANGER WITH THE HELP OF GOD (Eph. 4:30)

  • “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of Redemption”– (Vs. 30).
  • Unresolved anger will leave you feeling empty inside because your anger is separating you from God.
  • Unresolved anger caused a chasm between you and God.
  • The longer you leave anger unresolved the wider and deeper the separation becomes.
  • The Holy Spirit will be grieved by our failure to resolve anger.
  • Break free from the devil’s empty trap of anger. When you don’t resolve anger, before sunset, Satan takes over.
  • The Holy Spirit wants to help you resolve anger and bring you back to fellowship with God and fill the emptiness – but the choice is yours.
  • Unresolved anger is extremely dangerous because, when the devil gains a foothold in our lives our hearts become hardened to the leading of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 4:6-7).
  • You can be set free from anger if you choose to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and do not harden your heart.

REPLACE UNRESOLVED ANGER WITH KINDNESS, COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS (Eph. 4:31-32).

  • The Apostle Paul makes very clear: We cannot hold on to our anger.
  • Anger must be resolved through “putting off and putting on.”
  • Anger should be replaced with kindness, compassion and forgiveness – These are the three keys to being set free.
  • Kindness: – Learn to be helpful – do something for somebody else for free. Be gentle both in what you say or do. Be considerate and caring.
  • Compassion: – Think about how others have been hurt from your unresolved anger, what wounds have been caused by your outburst of anger and rage.
  • Forgiveness: – Don’t hold on to bitterness and resentment. Bitterness and resentment are breeding grounds for more anger.
  • Forgive just as God forgave you in Christ Jesus.
  • Forgive unconditionally, Forgiveness is an act of love.
  • God has given you the power of choice – Break free (James 1:19-20).

CONCLUSION:

  • Don’t let anger drive you – listen to the Holy Spirit.
  • To be set free from anger, “Put off” anger, bitterness and Resentment, “Put on” Kindness, Compassion and Forgiveness.
  • Is your anger directed at a person? Forgive.
  • Is your anger misdirected or misplaced – understand the source.
  • Is your anger that seeks revenge? Leave vengeance to God.
  • Is your anger cherished? Let go of your pride.
  • Is your anger unforgiving? – forgive as Christ forgave.
  • Set yourself free – Today.
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Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

Rev, Dr. Willy Mutiso is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Athiriver. He is widely known for his practical and dynamic teaching style which helps people apply the timeless truths of Scripture to their everyday lives.

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