LET NOT YOUR ANGER CONTROL YOU

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

JUNE 6,  2021

TOPIC: LET NOT YOUR ANGER CONTROL YOU

BY T. O. BANSO 

“And don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27 New Living Translation).

Whether you like it or not some people will say or do things that will provoke. Some will do it deliberately while others will do it ignorantly. Some people who will provoke you could actually be reacting to some negative situations that affect them or merely transferring aggression. While I am not justifying their actions, you must not lose control of your life to anyone else.

What do you do when others provoke you? Never lose control of yourself to anger. What is at stake is more than what they’ve said. It is your destiny, your health, your family, your ministry, your marriage, your business, etc. Don’t scatter what you’ve built or lose what is precious to you by expressing your anger unwisely. It is always wise to control your emotions and not allow your emotions to control you.

James 1:19-20 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight” (New Living Translation). Provoking you is wrong but expressing your anger improperly won’t make things right in God’s sight. Your action will be as wrong as the action of the person who provoked you.

Romans 12:17-21 says, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (English Standard Version).  Also, Leviticus 19:18 says you shall not take vengeance.

No matter how much the provocation, the advice of wisdom is: don’t speak rashly. “There are some whose uncontrolled talk is like the wounds of a sword, but the tongue of the wise makes one well again” (Proverbs 12:18 Bible in Basic English). Proverbs 14:17 says, “A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of wicked intentions is hated”  (New King James Version).  Don’t lose your temper; control it.  “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29 English Standard Version).

In the face of provocation, guard your mouth; say nothing when you’re angry. If you speak in anger, you may regret what you said. Regrets always follow angry speeches. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:6 New King James Version).

A man who didn’t say anything, you can’t misquote him! Don’t make statements you’ll later regret.  Proverbs 13:3 says, “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction” (New King James Version).  1 Peter 3:10 says, “If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies” (New Living Translation). If you want to have a happy life, refrain from using your tongue to speak in uncontrolled anger.

You surrender the control of your tongue to others when you react to their provocation by speaking in anger. This should not be. Relate to others in love. The Bible says love is not provoked (1 Corinthians 13:5). Don’t allow what somebody else says or does to control how you use your tongue. That is why the Bible talks a lot about self-control (temperance), not control by others.

In Acts 24:25, one of the things that Paul reasoned about when he appeared before Felix, the Roman Governor was self-control. 1 Corinthians 9:25 says all athletes practice strict self-control. You should too, especially on the issue of expressing your anger. You should control your anger; let it not control you. Self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  

 2 Timothy 3:2-3 says one of the things that would characterize the last days is that people would be without self-control. One way this would be evident could be in how people react to situations – what others say or do to them. “So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13 New Living Translation). Self-control must be one of the things you add to your faith in your spiritual growth (2 Peter 1:5-6).

If you see yourself beginning to speak angrily, call yourself to order. Don’t respond to people’s provocation while you’re angry. Make your point calmly if you can at the spot or better still speak later when tempers have calmed down. “It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city” (Proverbs 16:32 New Living Translation).

Self-control is a powerful form of defence! “A person without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls” (Proverbs 25:28 New Living Translation). The New King James Bible puts it this way: “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” Controlling your tongue is one major component of self-control (James 3:2-12).  Those who claim to be religious but lack control of their tongue deceive themselves (James 1:26).

Somehow some people will make you angry but don’t react by speaking in anger. Think before you speak. “There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking” (Proverbs 29:20 New Living Translation). Don’t bottle your anger otherwise, it will result in bitterness but, in love, seek for resolution of differences.

Don’t go to bed angry. Going to bed angry is proof that anger is controlling you and not the other way round. “And don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27 New Living Translation). Destroying things when you’re angry is another proof that you’re controlled by anger. Saying things you would come back later to be apologizing for is also proof that you have not learnt how not to allow anger to control you.  In addition, refusing to forgive shows that you are controlled by anger.

Uncontrolled anger harms; desist from it. “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox” (Genesis 49:5-6 New King James Version). This scripture refers to how Simeon and Levi, the sons of Jacob, killed all the males in Shechem and plundered the city because Shechem raped their sister (Genesis 34).

Some people are in prison today because they didn’t control their anger. In anger, they committed crimes that fetched them jail terms. Some have ruined their marriage, businesses, career, ministry, and the like because of uncontrolled anger. Let not your anger control you.

Uncontrolled anger also has negative effects on people’s health. Research shows that those who fail to control their anger are at the risk of having headaches, high blood pressure, increased anxiety, indigestion, insomnia, depression, stroke, and heart disease among others. Whereas stress could cause anger, anger could increase stress.

Don’t be a fool. “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 New King James Version). The New Living Translation says, “Don’t be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools.” Put away uncontrolled anger (Ephesians 5:31).

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, help me to always control my emotions and not allow my emotions to control me. I will not be a fool by allowing anger to control me. Holy Spirit, help me to express my anger in a way that I will not sin. I will not lose my temper or be quick-tempered; I will control my temper in Jesus’ name.

(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org