1-Basic Biblical Anger Management

 The following 30 posts are from a Biblical Anger Management study I prepared for the Prison work. It  is divided into 3 sections. The first is general Biblical Anger Management, the second is to tackle situational occurrences, and the third is the tackle contributing factors to anger issues. The second section is especially designed for people with immediate anger issues. This study must be taken carefully, and be led of the Lord; however there may be many helpful hints for anyone's walk with Christ.

   “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put    away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

“Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret, it only leads to evil doing.”  Psalm 37:8                               

 

The following lessons were originally designed for prison inmate counselling, but should be beneficial for anyone having concerns that may be covered in the following topics.  

FORWARD - When walking through each or any step, you whom God has appointed as His helper, must be prepared by prayer and follow the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit lest you fall into mechanical efforts, human reactions and natural thinking. This is most critical when trouble-shooting hurts, pent up emotions, demonic influence, physical disorders... situations can get quickly out of control. Some people have gone through unimaginable experiences. You too must remain in a spirit of humility, “be quick to listen, slow to speak,..” and depend fully on the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. In the sections where it says - STOP - CONSIDER - DECIDE ... Do not be hasty and rush through mechanically. Do just what it says until the individuals have been able to work through these deep considerations. You may have to be innovative if you are pressed for time. The Lord will direct, and may His unfathomable wisdom, mercy, and grace give you and those you serve victories that end in joy and praise to Him.

          Should the person(s) who you are ministering to not know the Lord Jesus Christ or not be          born again, the prayers and teachings will likely be just meaningless, ineffective, religious rhetoric. Obviously your primary duty and objective is to lead them to Him.

 

                     Very Best Wishes in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!

 “Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shall you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; FRET NOT YOURSELF IN ANY WISE TO DO EVIL. For evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be; yea, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:1-11

 

 

             “Now thanks be to God Who always leads us in triumph in Christ.”2 Corinthians 2:14

              “I can do all things through CHRIST Who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13

             “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.” Romans

               8.37.

 

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest…hatred, variance(jealously), wrath, strife… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering(patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance(self-control)… Galatians 5:1—20, 22-23,

 “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath…” Psalm 37: 8 Focus on verses 1-9

When our attitudes and behaviours do not reflect the Fruit of the Holy Spirit – We are WRONG!

 

                                                        ANGER(Greek)

 

           Orge: to provoke or enrage, to become exasperated, a desire(as a  reaching forth or an excitement of mind), ie… violent passion or  (justifiable) abhorrence; by imp. Punishment-anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.

                        Part 1 – Preparations for Biblical Christian Anger Management.

                          

          1 - Examine your motives. “He holds victory in store for the upright.

           He is a Shield to those whose walk is blameless…. For the Lord              

           gives wisdom, and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.”

           Proverbs 2:6-7.         

         “If I regard iniquity in my heart.; the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18

 

             What are your motives?  Curiously considering?

                                          Want help?

                                         To be right with God?

                                         To get points for parole?

                                         To get your girlfriend back?

                                         To change your ways?

                                         …. Other or any combination?

              NOTE – Pure motives help secure success, impure motives promote failure.

            ACTION STEP –STOP – CONSIDER- DECIDE- PROCEED???

  2- Necessary Predeterminations and Mind Sets: Be ready to hear the whole council of God and

          willing to respond accordingly.        

A.    Be ready to confront yourself, your fears, your hurts, your thinking, your ways, and….

B.    Be ready and willing to make the necessary changes.

C.    Assume full responsibility for your behavior and actions, and admit where you are or maybe wrong.

D.    Be honest.

E.     Be willing to pay the price for change, cleaning, and healing, i.e.…

     Forgive, confess, reconcile, and restore.

F.     Be whole hearted. James 1:5-8, Hosea 7:14

G.    Most Important of all –Desire to be right with God more than anything.

 

ACTION STEP #2- STOP-DECIDE-DETERMINE-PRAY(Pray for His help) –PROCEED

 

“Be angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27

“Make no friendship with and angry man; and with a furious(hot-tempered) man you shall not go: Lest you learn his ways and get a snare to your soul.” Proverbs 22:24-25

“Proud and haughty, scorner(mocker) is his name, who deals in proud wrath(Hebrew- the wrath of pride).” Proverbs 21:24

“Anger is the sister or pride.” Mme Guyon

SOME DANGERS OF ANGER: 1- it easily becomes sin which is

                                                          harmful to us and others

                                                     2- the devil gains opportunities

                                                     3- it can become a lifestyle

                                                     4- it becomes a snare

                                                     5- it is often an expression of pride and an expression

                                                          of violence.

THE BETTER WAY—

“The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, And my Deliverer, my God, my Strength in Whom I will trust…” Psalm 18:2

“But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and all filthy language from your lips….Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:8, 12-14

 

 

AIDS FOR CONTROLING ANGER

A.            Faith- “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

B.            Prayer- “Ask, and you shall receive,…” Matthew 7:7

C.            Repentance and confession- “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall find mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

       D.   Understanding- “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding…” Proverbs 14:29 Remember that more often than not ANGER IS A CHOICE and not just a reaction. This is usually a predetermined agreement in one’s heart and thinking. So at the appropriate time and for the agreed situation anger is the natural reaction. “This stuff makes me mad!”

E.         Humility- “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.” Psalm 25:9

F.          Love- “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5

G.        Forgiveness- Leaving no room for retaliation – Matthew 6:12, Romans 12:19

 

JUSTIFIABLE AND UNJUSTIFIABLE ANGER

 

NOTE – Anger is an indication that something:

A.           Is wrong

B.            Was wrong

C.            Is/was considered wrong

D.           Any combination

“Then the Lord asked Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?’” Genesis 4:6

“But the Lord replied, ‘Have you any right to be angry?’” Jonah 4:4

 

Anger must be confronted, identified, and examined, and dealt with in an appropriate manner in an attempt to make things right.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that you may be healed.” James 5:16

Anger that is justifiable: When evil/wrong is/was done. Job 19:29, Mark 3:5

-Proper reaction = Justly resisting the evil or wrong without pride, revenge or hatred. Like JESUS- forgiving, turning the other cheek…

-Improper reaction = when we lose control of our emotions and reactions, and or do more than the situation calls for.

 

CONCLUSION – We must determine why we are angry, is it justifiable before GOD, to what extent? And what is the allowable and best response, and end it!!!

 

FURTHER BIBLICAL ADMONITIONS

“You have heard that it has been said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder.’ And anyone who murders will be subject to judgment, but I (JESUS) tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother without cause is in danger of judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother,

‘ Raca’, is answerable to the Sanhedrin(Council). But anyone who says,

‘You fool!’, is in danger of the fire of Hell.” Matthew 5:21-22

 

 JUDGING, CONDEMNING, FORGIVING: Luke 6:37-38

 REVENGE: Romans 12:17, 19-21

 COMING JUDGEMENT: 2 Corinthians 5:10

 ANGER AND RAGE: Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:8

 

Some things that ignite, provoke, and feed anger:

  1.   Pride

2.      Hurts- offences, abuse, rejections, relationship failures…

  3.   Stress

  4.   Hatreds

  5.   Frustrations, aggravations, disappointments

                        6.   Alcohol and drugs

 7.   Evil spirits

8.  Learned and undisciplined behavior patterns

                   9.  Physical disorders

                   10.   Fears

 

        Absolutes a Christian needs to practice in order to maintain right relationships with God and people as He teaches us in His Word.

1.            Being quick to repent.

2.            Being quick to forgive.

3.            Being quick to attempt reconciliation (this includes confessing, apologizing, and making restitution and especially UNDERSTANDING).

4.            Ever willing to listen, learn, improve, and change (to become more like Jesus, our Perfect Example).

                                       STOP! – CONSIDER- DECIDE - PRAY

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word.” Psalm 119:9

                                               HOLDING ON TO SIN?

           “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” Psalm 66:18

                           STOP!!! – CONSIDER (EXAMINE) – REPENT!!!- PRAY!