Passing through the red storm Anger Passing through the red storm

Acknowledge it. Understand it. Ephesians 4:26-27 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. Monitor it. Move through it.

Why move through it? Time Rotten and Harmful

Chronic anger affects you physically Satan uses anger to assault every area of our lives. (Ephesians 4:29-31) Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. Psalm 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. Chronic anger affects you physically

The arteries grow stiffer and the heart weakens; the liver and kidneys are damaged; and too much fat is released into the bloodstream, raising cholesterol. Angry people are 6 times more likely to suffer heart attacks by age 55 and three times more likely to develop any form of heart or blood vessel disease. (John Hopkins School of Medicine) Anger triggers the release of the stress hormone cortisol. It can create a blood sugar imbalance, decrease bone density, suppress the body's immune response and make it susceptible to chronic inflammation, suppress thyroid function, slow down the body's metabolism, increase the production of stomach acid, impair the brain's thinking ability and increase blood pressure.

Chronic anger affects your relationships Satan uses anger to assault every area of our lives. (Ephesians 4:29-31) Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Chronic anger affects your relationships

Are we holding on to anger in our lives? The devil is looking for a piece of ground from which he can launch an assault in our lives. (Gen. 4:7) Genesis 4:5 but He (God) did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Satan uses your emotions to tell you his lies. The devil wants us to believe the lie that the offense is just too great to let the anger go. (Matt. 5:21-24) Matthew 2:21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Often causes… Over generalizing. “You ALWAYS interrupt me. You NEVER consider my needs. EVERYONE disrespects me. I NEVER get any credit” Collecting straws. Looking for things to get upset about. Letting these small irritations build and build until you reach the “final straw” and explode, often over something relatively minor. Resentment. “Resentment is like drinking poison and expecting your enemy to die.” It is a cycle. Your son or daughter will likely be like you and gravitate toward someone like you. Do you want your children growing up to be angry or married to someone who is angry?

Chronic anger affects your spiritual relationships Satan uses anger to assault every area of our lives. (Ephesians 4:29-31) Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Chronic anger affects your spiritual relationships

Anger never justifies sin. • Even when angry, we must take pains to see that our behavior is godly. (Prov. 15:1; 12:16; 14:17,29; 16:32; 19:11) Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. Proverbs 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

Anger family tree ANGER MURDER BITTERNESS DESPISING JEALOUSY MALICE DISPUTES HATE BACKBITING PREJUDICE STEALING  ENVY ARGUING  BEING SCORNFUL RIOTING SLANDER WRATH ACCUSING SELFISHNESS ANGER

Overcoming evil with good You can never truly let go of something unless you do so with love. Love means accepting the experience, focusing on the positive, and leaving the rest behind. One of the easiest ways is to express gratitude. When it comes to anger, expressing gratitude can be one of the fastest ways to push the anger out of your system. If you have a difficult co-worker, or parents that may not fully support your dreams, take some time and be thankful for what they represent in your life. It could be that these challenging individuals have helped you to develop the strength, confidence, and determination to continue on your path. All of our emotions—like fear, anger, sadness, and joy—can be valuable teachers. Tribulation produces patience – Romans 5:1-5

Romans 5:1-5 Faith Triumphs in Trouble 5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

4. Monitor it. Take a step back for a moment. How often do you get angry? Is your anger directed at a specific person, or are there specific situations that get you angry? If so, it may be time to set a boundary. It is normal and healthy to have some non-negotiables in your life—things that you will not tolerate. Ex. - If you don’t like people touching your hair without asking, let them know. If there are events that are a source of your anger, limit them if possible. People will treat you the way you teach them to treat you; COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT!!

God’s Word helps us deal with our anger Triggers Long waits to see your doctor Being placed on hold for long periods of time while on the telephone Traffic congestion James 1:19-20 19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. A friend joking about a sensitive topic A friend not paying back money owed to you Having to clean up someone else’s mess Having money or property stolen from you. Being wrongly accused

Paul was falsely accused… Acts 23:29 29 I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. Acts 26:6-7 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. 7 To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Acts 26:29 29 And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

Conclusion: Give yourself a reality check How important is it in the grand scheme of things? How can I use this experience to be closer to God? To do His Will? Is it really worth getting angry about it? Is it worth ruining the rest of my day? Is my response appropriate to the situation? Is there anything I can do about it? Is taking action worth my time? Anger is a choice, and God gave us freewill.

Ephesians 4:32 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.