The poison of Anger

1. The Poison of Anger – 20th February 2016
“Inyour anger do not sin”:Do not let the sun go downwhile youare still angry, 27
anddo not give the
devil a foothold.” (Ephesians4:26-27).
Anger is a natural, though most times unwanted or irrational, emotion that everybody
experiences from time to time. Experts describe this emotion as a primary, natural emotion
which has evolved as a way of surviving and protecting oneself from what is considered a
wrong-doing. Mild anger may be brought on by feeling tired, stressed or irritated, in fact we are
more likely to feel irritated if our basic human needs :food, shelter, sex, sleep, etc: are not met
or are jeopardized in some way. We may become angry when reacting to frustration, criticism
or a threat and this is not necessarily a bad or inappropriate reaction.
We can also feel irritated by other people’s beliefs, opinions and actions and hence anger can
affect our ability to communicate effectively - making us more likely to say or do unreasonable
or irrational things. Being unreasonable or irrational can lead others around us to feel
threatened, resentful or angry themselves and, again, these can all be barriers to effective
communication. Anger can also be a ‘secondary emotion’ to feeling sad, frightened, threatened
or lonely. Therefore it is useful to try to understand why one feels angry at any given time so
that the root causes can be addressed. These physical effects of long-term anger can be
detrimental to health and well-being.
Anger can be expressed in many ways; different types of anger affect people differently and can
manifest to produce different reactions and signs of anger. The most common signs of anger
are both verbal and non-verbal. It can be clear that somebody is angry from what they say or
how they say it, or from their tone of voice. Anger can also be expressed through body
language and other non-verbal cues: trying to look physically bigger (and therefore more
intimidating), staring, frowning and clenching of fists. Some people are very good at
internalizing their anger and it may be difficult to notice any physical signs. It is, however,
unusual for an actual physical attack to transpire without ‘warning’ signs appearing first.
The Bible has a lot to say about anger. I don’t mean righteous anger, which is the kind of anger
we can experience toward injustice or evil but sinful anger. Many times we may feel we are
“righteous” in our anger because someone wronged us. Anger often involves our sense of
justice. But it’s very easy to slide into sinful anger, hatred, and bitterness. Here are some
Biblical truths and principles that God has used to help me make progress in conquering one’s
own sinful anger. Anger is not created by other people or circumstances. But when we face
such, anger comes out of our own hearts…if we allow it to take route and control. We can learn
from Matthew 15: 19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual
immorality, theft, false testimony, slander”.
Therefore Anger is your own sin. David Powlison says our hearts are like sponges. If I squeeze a
sponge and black ink comes out, it might seemthat the squeezing caused black ink to come
out. Yet I might squeeze another sponge and have clear water come out. So, it was not the

2. squeeze that caused the ink to come out, but ink came out because that was what was in the
sponge. The squeeze merely revealed what was there in the first place. Other people and
circumstances can “squeeze” our hearts and if anger comes out, it is because that’s what was in
our heart…or we simply allowed it to manifest!
Anger can also be caused by our own unfulfilled desires. James says our own “passions”—
cravings and desires—cause all our quarrels and fights. This is clearly stated in James 4: 1-2,
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle
within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you
want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God”. In other words,
we want something and we don’t get it; so, we get angry. Therefore as Christians whenever you
are angry ask yourself, “What is it that I want right now that I’m not getting?”
We must also know for certain that Anger won’t make anyone do the right thing. We can learn
again from James 1;19-20, “ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be
quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not
produce the righteousness that God desires”. Due our human tendency we think by showing
our anger it will motivate others to do the “right” thing. Parents think anger will make their kids
do the right thing, or act “righteously.” But anger won’t produce the righteousness that God
desires. Anger might make kids outwardly obey, like little Pharisees, but it won’t change their
hearts. Anger won’t produce inward righteousness in our spouse or coworkers. Anger does no
good!.
We can also learn through the bible that Anger toward another person is murder of the heart.
We can learn this when Jesus said in Matthew 5: 21-22, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry
with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or
sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of
the fire of hell..” Unfortunately even as Christians we tend to downplay the seriousness of
anger. “I was just venting” or “letting off steam.” But Jesus said anger is murder of the heart
and a violation of one of the 10 commandments. It can make us subject to the very hell of fire.
We can also learn that Anger opens the door for Satan. We can learn:“In your anger do not sin”:
Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.”
(Ephesians 4:26-27).
When we “let the sun go down on our anger” or fail to deal with it in a timely fashion, either by
asking forgiveness, forgiving others, or working things out with them, it opens the door for
Satan to tempt us to bitterness, revenge, slander, and a host of other sins. Cain’s anger at Abel
led him to kill his brother. Anger is serious. We must deal with it quickly. These truths have
helped me numerous times when I’ve been tempted to anger. I’m not saying I’ve conquered it
and I never sin in anger. But by God’s grace and understanding these things has helped me
make progress. I hope you, too, will find God’s Word and Spirit help you make progress in
overcoming anger.

3. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down
while you are still angry, 27
and do not give
the devil a foothold.”(Ephesians 4:26-27).