Unbound from Anger and Offense
If there are common areas as Christians that we fall into captivity in it probably includes anger and offense. Let's face it: we all find ourselves at times becoming angry with people, circumstances or trials that we face in life. None of us get an exemption from frustration. The key is what we do with it.
We have been looking at what it is to live as people who are Unbound. In Luke 4, we see Jesus addressing a crowd and says the following:
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus came to set us free from areas of captivity in our lives. He wants His people to live UNBOUND from anything that could hinder or limit them. This includes areas of Anger and Offense in our lives.
Anger and offense go hand in hand. And neither bring about a good result in our lives. The Bible deals a lot with how we handle anger and not allowing offenses to remain in our lives. Take a look at these verses.
Ephesians 4:26-27
26 “In your anger do not sin”a: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
James 1:19-20
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
Proverbs 18:19
19 An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city,
and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
We often are guilty of packing away anger and offenses into our lives. And the very thing that we think we control, soon begins to control us. Anger and offense controls our outlook on life, our joy and even our health. Even more important is the fact that if we do not deal with anger in our lives, it leaves a door open for the enemy to come and take some territory (see Eph. 4:26-27).
As Paul writes Ephesians 4, he is addressing UNITY within the church. People cannot walk together in unity if they are angry and offended with one another. If left unresolved, Anger and Offense will:
Destroy Unity
Destroy Joy
Destroy Vision
Destroy Potential
Here is something that can help each of us: remember what true love looks like. Each of us as believers are called to love God and love people. 1 Corinthians 13 gives us a great picture of what true love looks like in the life of a believe. Listen to what 1 Corinthians 13:15 says, "[love] is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."
When you survey your life, do you find that you are easily angered? Do you find yourself keeping a checklist of things that people have done to that you hold on to - and even remind them of? Lets be people who are Unbound from Anger and Offense.
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