ANGER

Righteous Anger: Nehemiah showed righteous anger. He wasn't angry for himself, he was angry at the king for causing the people anguish. He went to the king and represented the people. He didn't get angry because of what he wanted or what he saw that affected him, it's only righteous anger when we are representing others needs.

The Bible teaches that the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God (James 1;20) This is the type of anger that is sin. It depends on the motive of the anger. If you are angry and standing in the gap as Nehemiah did that benefits them, then you are correct. But if you are angry becuase of something that happened that affects you personaly, then you are in sin.

Don't let the sun go down on your anger. (Ephesians 4:26) Reconcile to each and every person in your daily life so that you go to bed without anger - you will lose sleep, if not that, you will have dreams or if long term, health issues.

If you have anger toward another or if you know someone is angry with you, go to them and reconcile before making requests to God or offer anything - even praise! (Matthew 5:24) "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

So, if you have the wrong anger, what do you do?

The first thing we do is find out what is behind the anger. Anger is NOT the problem, it’s a result of the problem(s). The second thing we do is make a choice today to get rid of anger not co-exist or manage it. Jesus came to irradicate not put a program on it.

There could be circumstantial things, or even generational things that contribute to this. So let’s explore both.

Circumstantial Anger

Anger that we have due to things going on around is a result of something deeper within our “thinking” that results in this.

I can attribute anger to the following:

Not feeling loved = (#1 issue behind anger. Fear is the direct opposite of love - and fear is the main root behind anger.)

Impatience = As described in the “Peace” session, patience brings peace. So impatience doesn’t bring peace. What it brings is anger because we don’t have peace! People don’t want to gain patience because it means they’ll be losing something. Losing the “right” to be justified. Losing the “right” to see others suffer for your suffering. Impatience is a killer, and will cause us to fall into self-pity, guilt, and shame.

Jealousy and Envy = This causes much anger. “Why oh Why can’t I have what they have.” I’m “doing” all the right things, going to church, etc., yet I’m not being blessed. Coveting other people’s stuff falls into this same category. Being discontent also falls into this category. Jealousy causes us to “feel” left out, causes us to be angry about our lives.

Fear = We respond to fear with anger. When we get scared, or abruptly alarmed, the end result, most of the times, is anger. (Refer to the session on “Fear.”)

Unforgiveness = Anger comes when we don’t forgive or RECEIVE forgiveness. (Refer to the session on “Forgiveness.)

Being controlled = Others trying to mold you into what they think you should be and not accepting you as you are.

Anger is not a spirit as much as it is a fruit of the spirit behind it.

“Be angry and sin not” is a scripture people quote to me to justify their anger. They say that it makes them strong and able to deal with people. It helps them be strong so that others won’t step all over them. But in reality, anger is causing people to put up blocks and self-protecting mechanisms instead of relying on God to do that. Anger is a contradiction to God’s love. It will block the flow. Nehemiah displayed righteous anger, the kind that is acceptable. He became angry when he saw the unjustice done to his people. He went to the king in his anger to defend them. Anger helps us "move" to do something. However, what I find is that most of us who get angry isn't because of helping another, it's because someone did us wrong, and that's the wrong kind of anger. Romans 12:19 describes anger as wanting revenge. And we know that we are not to revenge anything or anyone.

Anger is a result of not feeling loved. We are angry because we see others being blessed when it should be us being blessed.

Anger is a manifestation of fear which could also produce one or all of the following:

Being Ignored

Being embarrassed

Self-Hatred

Being confused

Being frustrated

Being unnoticed

Rejection

Abandoment

Abuse

Shame

Hate

Depression

If you identified one or more of these listed, don't get condemned, count it all joy knowing that what is being revealed are things God wants you to see so He can purge. Take each thing you recognized in yourself before our Father in Heaven and first John 1:9 them, and receive forgiveness, healing, and restoration.

Generational Anger

Anger can also be passed down from the parents to the children. It could go all the way back 10 generations or more. How do you know if this is the case with you? If you have done all you know to do, as explained in the “Circumstantial Anger” then it may be something passed on.

Begin to reflect on the lives of your parents. Were they angry people? Perhaps jealous? Perhaps not loved? Perhaps Impatient? Perhaps victimized? Nehemiah 9:2 says to confess the iniquities of our fathers. So, in doing that, those iniquities will not pass on to the 3^rd and 4^th generations. (Deuteronomy 5:9)

See by identifying our own sins, we are only half way home. By identifying the iniquities of our Fathers, we are now digging into the deeper things. Iniquities come partly by unconfessed sins of the Fathers, AND sins we have never dealt with.

Ministry

First of all, I will not send you to anger management classes. This is just a way to “justify” your anger, keep the anger, and go into “works of the flesh.” This is all bondage. Jesus came to set us free. He set people free by removing that which was tormenting us.

A note of caution: As you know, when you pray for something, it ends up manifesting. Remember if you pray for patience, you get trials? Same thing here, so don’t be concerned because you are feeling “more angry”, because the very thing has to manifest before it can come forth. But in doing so, I pray God’s sovereignty over you.

It reminds me of my husband. He was in Vietnam and was blown up by bombs all around him. Shrapnel flew everywhere and landed in his body. When he came home to the states, shrapnel was still coming up out of his body. He would see something protruding out of his skin, and low and behold, it was a piece of metal trying to get out. It hurt, it festered, but once it was out, it was out. This is what God showed me happens in the spirit. You may not like it, it may hurt, it may fester, but once the anger (and other sins he is dealing with) is out, it’s out!

If you want to be on your way to freedom FROM anger, then pray this prayer and allow God free reign to get the anger out. Remember, it’s not the “anger” it’s what’s behind the anger. When we are angry, we are not believing God loves us to take care of our specific situation.

“Father, you never tire of me coming to you. You enjoy hearing from me. As a matter of fact, you tell me that you want me to pray without ceasing, so I will take you up on that. You know that I’m dealing with the issues of anger. I know it is not from you. I know that we are to be angry and sin not, but that is hard for me to comprehend, so I choose not to be angry at all and make no excuses for it when I am. I want to be free from anger Lord, it doesn’t produce any good fruit. I don’t want to go to “anger management” classes, I want to be free from it. I know that I may have other roots behind anger, so help me deal with each one of those things specifically. Help set me free Lord, show me what is causing my anger and help me face each one. If I need to forgive, show me how. If I need to love and accept and have more patience, teach me. I want to be free from all anger. I confess the sin of anger my mother and father had. I ask you to forgive them and thereby releasing me and my family from all dis-ease related to it. I know that if I get angry, you are there to forgive. Help me to receive forgiveness quickly for myself and help me to forgive others. Restore peace to my heart Lord, help my unbelief. In Jesus name. Amen.”

It’s important to go over the session on God’s Love, Forgiveness, Fear, and Peace for further study, to get at the roots which result in anger.