In this study series we look at the problems our emotions sometimes cause us. Emotions can cause you to lose focus and become sidetracked in the unique race God has set out for you to run successfully.

Anger

● Anger is the emotional response to violated rights – real or imagined

● Anger is a signal of surroundings

● Reaction to anger can be good or sinful

● Anger is normal and universal

● Anger is dangerous, makes negative behavior easy

Common Responses to Anger:

●Mask it– refuse to acknowledge anger

●Minimize it–pretend it isn’t that bad

●Manipulate it– act out, manipulate others

●Manage it– acknowledge, respond wisely

Bible characters and anger – Did they manage it well?

Esau and Rebekah – Genesis 27:

⁴¹And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

⁴² And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

⁴³ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

⁴⁴ And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;

⁴⁵ Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

⁴⁶ And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Moses – Exodus – 32:

¹⁹ And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

²⁰ And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

²¹ And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

²² And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

²³ For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

²⁴ And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

²⁵ And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

²⁶ Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

²⁷ And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

²⁸ And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

²⁹ For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

³⁰ And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

³¹ And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

³² Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

³³ And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

³⁴ Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

³⁵ And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

Jesus – Mark – 3:

¹ And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

² And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

³ And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

⁴ And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

⁵ And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

⁶ And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

⁷ But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

God’s advice for handling anger

●Avoid anger, Psalms 37:

⁸Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

●Give soft answers, Proverbs. 15:

 ¹A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

¹⁸ A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife

• Be slow to anger, Proverbs 16:

³² He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

• Use discretion, Proverbs 19:

¹¹ The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

●Understand the foolish of anger, Ecclesiastes. 7:

⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

●Beware of anger without cause, Matthew 5:22

²² But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire

●Do not allow anger to cause you to sin, Ephesians 4:

 ²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

And

³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

● Put it off, Colossians 3:

⁸ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Response To Anger:

●Admit it – Tag it! (you am angry) –

learn to recognize the triggers

●Analyze it – Hold it! (Why are you angry?) – learn the causes

– what triggers your anger?

●Action – Do it (How should you respond?)

1 – Forbear the inconsequential

Is your anger about something that will still matter to you in 5 years?

2 – Confront the character issue

Raise the issue –How does getting angry over this build your character? Affect your race?

Be humble, ask forgiveness when you am wrong

3 – Forgive as God has forgiven you

4 – Get good advice and counsel

Hebrews 12:

¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So let us run the race He has set before us looking unto Jesus,

Coach Patti