Supernatural 03: Be Angry

                         Be Angry…

Pastor Eric Schall
November 3, 2008

Ephesians 6

A few weeks ago I started a series dealing with the Supernatural.  (Halloween) We looked at how what cannot be seen is real and needs to be a part of our worldview instead of being dismissed from our consciousness. 

We read in Ephesians 6:

Ephesians 6:10-12 (TNIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

In this foundation verse for this series we see that there are evil spirits at work against us, and that they are very organized in their efforts.  We find their intent towards us from Jesus when we read in John 10:

John 10:10 (TNIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

How does that make you feel?  Knowing that there is a powerful enemy who’s entire goals toward you are your destruction?  Someone who wants to destroy you, your family and everything about you…

Are you angry? Someone is trying to kill your kids.  Someone is trying frustrate your every move and if given the right opening will come into your life and bring destruction.  Angry?

But wait…isn’t getting angry a sin?  Aren’t we told to get rid of anger?

Ephesians 4:31-32 (TNIV) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:8-9 (TNIV) But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

Where are these verses aimed at?

Ephesians 4:31-32 (TNIV) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:8-9 (TNIV) But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

Well what about Jesus?

Mark 3:4-5 (TNIV) “He looked around at them (Pharisees) in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts…”

John 2:14-16 (TNIV) In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

Is it ok to get angry?  Does God get angry?

Ephesians 4:26 (NKJV) “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath”

Ephesians 4:26 (TNIV) “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

So we can be angry, but we can’t let it slip into sin.  What does that mean?

Have you ever known someone in your life that you would describe as an angry person?  Someone who has a really short fuse and people find themselves walking on egg shells around them?  Perhaps you had the kind of Dad that would go off at you for getting the slightest thing wrong.   Maybe you had the kind of mom that had to have everything in its correct place, and God help you if you ever spilled something…

Or perhaps you harbor unforgiveness in your heart toward someone and every time their name is mentioned you get this surge of anger within you. 

This is not the type of anger that we have permission to embrace in our life.  Everyone is going to get angry.  Everyone is going to blow their stack at some point, but if there is a pattern in your life in this area then you should give attention to it.

As Paul mentions in Eph 6, there is a battle that we face against an enemy that truly is ruthless. 

This is not like normal battles or wars. 

This enemy wasn’t raised in a difficult home. 

This enemy isn’t fighting for a different belief system. 

There is no gray area with this enemy.  No moral ambiguity. 

The devil and all his angels hate you because you bear the image of God upon you.  As Christians you have been welcomed into the family of God.  He hates God and hates you and wants to kill you.

Is it ok to be angry about that?  Yes!  In fact you should get angry!  If you are not angry about that, then something is short-circuited within you.

Channeling the Anger

There is of course a right way and a wrong way to move in this.  A healthy way and a destructive way.

The Bible teaches us that the joy of the Lord is our strength, not anger at the enemy.  We see Jesus not walking around in anger, but joy.  Though in appropriate situations we see him get angry.  As Christians we would probably use a nice phrase like “righteous indignation,” which does give it context, but really it is anger.  So when we realize that Satan and his fallen angels are in various ways trying to deceive us, to destroy our families, what do we do with this righteous anger?  Do we just scream? Punch a wall?  

A fire focused to a white hot flame is useful. 

It can be productive. 

It can keep us alert.

1 Peter 5:8-9a (TNIV) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…

Let anger serve as a motivation to spur you beyond what you might normally feel comfortable doing.  Let it motivate you to fight!

“Resist”  How?

Weapons of our Warfare…

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (TNIV) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Paul and the other writers of the NT (and OT) consistently use wording that speaks to readiness for a fight, for battle, for violence.

We fight different.

Though there is much debate as to the interpretation of the text, Jesus talks about violence warfare.

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Matthew 11:12 (ESV) From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence (NIV-forcefully advancing), and the violent take it by force.

C.S. Lewis in the Screwtape Lettters

Demon speaking “In the long run either Our Father (Satan) or the Enemy (God) will say ‘Mine’ of each thing that exists, and especially of each man.”

There is a war over every square inch of creation going on.  There is no demilitarized zone.  Labels like conservative, liberal, democrat, republican, American, and immigrant mean absolutely nothing to our enemy except as bait for a distraction.  (balance-not saying you shouldn’t pray and search God’s word regarding how to vote)  The Kingdom of God will not be established through an election!  It will forcefully advance when God’s people get ticked off at our enemy and stop

What are our weapons?

Prayer

Ephesians 6:17-19 (ESV) … praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

Pray! All different kinds of prayer. 

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Praying in the spirit.  When the Bible talks about praying in the Spirit it is referring to praying with the gift of tongues.  Get past the labels, formulas and the misuse in this area and just open your heart up to God and seek (earnestly desire) this gift from God. 

·        Intercession for Christians

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Intercession for our leaders

This Wednesday is our 5th Wed “Lifeblood” prayer service.  Join us for one hour of corporate prayer and spiritual warfare as we love on God and stick it to the enemy in Jesus’ name.

The Word

Ephesians 6:17 (ESV)…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

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Worship

2 Chron 20

2 Chronicles 20:20-22 (TNIV) Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

2 Chron 20:20 Jehosaphat had 20/20 vision “Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”

Get fired up for your families.  Get fired up for that loved one trapped in sin.  Get fired up for freedom in your life.  Fan into flame what may just be embers in your life to become a raging but focused flame.

Altar

Be Angry, but not stupid.

Acts 19:13-16 (TNIV) Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

Power over the enemy comes not simply in invoking the name of Jesus, but through relationship with Him and God’s adoption of us as His kids.  Do not think to stand against the enemy in your own power or simply armed with some formula or magic word. 

REMEMBER TO THE POOR…POOR BOX

PRAYER OF BLESSING