Because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:20
Paul warned, “And do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27”
We set traps for animals to capture them and they are foothold traps. I was watching the History Channel, and they were having
problems with a beaver who was stopping up the water supply so a man
set a foothold trap in the water. The trap I am going to discuss is the
trap of when we get angry, we can sin with our mouth. “Be angry and sin not.” Ephesians 4:26
Most of us, when we are disappointed with others or upset, especially
women, we are going to vent off steam. It’s a good way not to keep anger
inside of us.
Any couple who has a good marriage, gets their
cards on the table, they don’t let problems build up until one person
becomes a volcano inside. I’ve met several people that actually take
out their problems on others either with their mouth or their fists!
When God’s word says, “We can do all things through Christ that
strengthens us”—I believe that is letting God take control over our
tongue to control it—even when we get angry. It’s biting our tongue at
times and not saying what we want at that moment of what comes natural
to us.
Many times people can provoke us to anger or wrath. We
are to provoke one another to love and good works (and let us consider
one another to provoke unto love and good works; Hebrews 10:24).
Controlling anger is important, because it kept Moses out of the
promise land. When he got angry at the children of Israel he struck the
rock which was self-glory rather than speaking to the rock like God had
instructed him to do.
Then Moses raised his arm and struck
the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and
their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because
you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the
Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give
them." Numbers 20:11-12
I have to give God my tongue when it
comes to my temper and what I say, so that Satan does not get a foothold
in my life. When it says to “present our bodies a living sacrifice to
God” it’s presenting our tongues to glorify God.
Therefore, I
urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as
living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act
of worship. Romans 12:1
God even warned Cain that if he just
continued to do what is right that he would be accepted. Cain let his
anger take root in his life and God warned “sin was lurking at the
door”---sin was wanting to get a foothold in Cain’s life.
(I
you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do
what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you,
but you must master it." Genesis 4:7)
I find the way sin gets a
foothold first by giving into jealousy, and it can lead to a bad
temper. Joseph brothers had anger problems because of their father’s
discrimination of treating him better as the son born from Rachel, and
making him a coat of many colors. Their jealousy lead to wanting to
kill Joseph.
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28
Depression at times is anger turned inwards. Rather than dealing with
problems such as neglect or abandonment as a child, depression can come
out in the form of anger later as an adult. I meet men like that now
where their wife betrayed them in marriage so that anger (depression) is
expressed out in other forms in their life.
My husband would
come home and yell at everyone in the house for leaving too much milk in
the cereal bowl, leaving on electric lights and he hated Christmas
wrapping paper, because it represented waste. He brought his estimating
work home with him. When the children had disrespect issues, he hit
the ceiling.
I’ve met some people who worked in security or
the police force, and they take their interrogation skills everywhere
with them. There was a movie that was a joke about that it was called,
“Meet the Parents.”
I dropped this salad and some of it got on
the floor and I actually did not say a cuss word. I believe God was
showing me it is possible to get control over my tongue. I've been
praying for victory in that area of my temper.
It's hard to
cool down at times, but I make sure what I say and do it’s not when I am
being hot headed -in the heat of the moment - it's not good to answer a
man when tempers are a flare. It's good to take a step back and that
is what Moses should have done.
It says, "A soft answer will
turn away wrath." A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word
stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
I try to think of constructive things to do when I am angry like drive around in my car to blow off steam at times. I got angry when my daughter locked me out of my house and had my only key and I could not get a hold of her by cell phone. I ended up picking up a girl in the neighborhood who was walking in the dark for a ride and helping out a stranger.
Self-control is a fruit of the
spirit. (But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against
such things there is no law. Gal. 5:23)
The Bible talks about fasting that goes beyond fasting only food in Isaiah. Jesus said his disciples “would” fast. Mark 2:20) Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other
with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice
to be heard on high. Isaiah 58:4
I got a chance to catch up
on the Power Rangers episodes with my grandson. I'm not sure what the
name of the bad creature is that knows what to say to "get under a
person's skin" and then he blasts the person by using their own power
against them.
What really is using our own power against us?
I believe it’s our words. He knew how to use words against each person
to make them feel insecure. It’s what I find the enemy will do in our
lives is use our own words against us. When we talk defeat, our doubts
or failure than we are “zapping” ourselves like this evil person against
the Power Rangers to lose the ability through Christ.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
James talked about how
the tongue is an unruly evil. but no man can tame the tongue. It is a
restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8
I heard a long time ago if a person “gets your goat” or makes you angry than they have gained mastery or control over you. We have the example of how God “tamed” Isaiah’s tongue which was a coal of fire --God’s spirit-- that cleansed his tongue.
Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I
live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King,
the Lord Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal
in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he
touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt
is taken away and your sin atoned for." Isaiah 6:5-7
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, Acts 2:26 and Psalm 16:9
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