Welcome to Day 9 As we conclude the first section of this study. Consider SIGNING UP to receive our studies via e-mail.
Key Scriptures: 2 Kings 5: 1-9, 2 Chronicles 26:1- 23
Devotional Insight: We have so far seen the lives of various Bible Characters caught in different but very relatable situations. Now let’s talk about holy and unholy anger. Can you tell the difference?
Holy or Unholy Anger How Can you Tell the Difference?
Anger can heavily impact our family, friends and other relationships. Our health, emotional, and general wellbeing. Consider how much energy goes into staying angry, keeping malice, retaining bitterness and planning revenge! When we waste time on rage, revenge and unforgiveness we move far away from God’s plan for our lives.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer 1 John 3:15
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes 1 John 2:11
In previous studies we have discussed Jonah’s anger over God’s compassion, Moses fury over the Israelites constant disobedience, Saul’s open disregard for divine instruction.
Anger can also manifest in ways that can hinder us from receiving our blessings. In our Bible reading we look at Naaman and his journey to healing. A leperous high ranking Syrian military man. He had authority and respect among his people. When the Jewish slave girl mentioned the likelihood of healing to his wife, he immediately rose to meet the recommended Prophet.
Excitement quickly turned to anger when he was told to wash in River Jordan. Pride and ego threw him into anger. Thankful a wise servant changed his view of the situation.
RECOMMENDED: Grab your copy of Overcome Anger Bible Study Prayer Tool Kit for $5 only. PayPal and send me your an email with proof of payment to feyen2000@gmail.com
Read: Proverbs 6:17-18 and Proverbs 29: 23
Journal Prompt
What does the Bible say about pride?
How can pride obstruct God’s blessings?
One thing I love about Naaman was taking time to listen to the slave girl and to the servants. How wise words turned his heart to see the miracle within his grasp. He would have missed his miracle were it not for timely wisdom and obedience.
Journal Prompt
Has pride ever robbed you of a blessing?
What did you learn from the situation?
Recall a situation where you listened to an unlikely person and it turned just right. How did you feel about humbly listening?
Consider the King Uzziah a great king who walked well with the Lord only to be destroyed by pride and foolishness. thought he could topple the Priests and offering to the Lord. Had he considered the command of the Lord for temple service in Numbers 18:7, and the rebuke of Azariah the priest he may have been saved.
Instead, the king got angry with the priests that confronted him with the truth. His pride deafened his ears to his destruction.
It is a dangerous thing to reject God’s correction.
Journal Prompt
Describe the relationship between pride and anger.
Are you provoked by the truth?
Do you hate those who speak the truth to your heart?
How has the Lord corrected you in time past?
We wander far from the Lord when we walk in disobedience.
He was stopped and corrected but refused to listen until the Lord struck him with leprosy.
Whenever we act to protect our ego or our position we act in pride and slip quickly into anger when someone opposes us with the truth.
What are the Characteristics of Godly Anger?
To understand what holy anger means we need to consider the following people carefully.
Paul when he rebuked Peter for being double standard. Galatians 2: 12-16
Journal Prompt
What are your thoughts on hypocritical leadership?
How do you respond to God’s call for Holiness?
Paul and the fortune teller girl. Acts 16:16-18 What does the Lord say about fortune tellers and seeking wisdom from wizards, witches and astrologers?
Read Leviticus 19:31, 2 Kings 21:5-6, 1 Chronicles 10:13
Nehemiah when he withstood the leadership of Israel. They treated the people poorly and for intermingled with their captors. Nehemiah 5:1-10, Nehemiah 13:10-17
Corruption, exhortation, in the corridors of the church and government upset God too. When we look to social justice for the solution we are missing the point. God desires that leaders be raised up in righteousness. Proverbs 29: 2
When we put godly principles is out of our leadership structures, the system collapses.
Samuel’s anger when Saul sinned against God. 1 Samuel 15: 1-35
A leader that has no respect for God and his anointed ones will easily be replaced. God expects us to honour Him no matter the portfolio we carry.
Phinehas when he struck through the couple with a spear Numbers 25: 6-15. There was a plague destroying the people, yet this son of Israel arrogantly continues in sin. That single act of Phinehas would stop the death that had claimed twenty-four thousand people already.
Are you brave enough to stand alone for that which is right
Jesus, and the money changers John 2:13-16 We need to throw down the tables of covetousness that still lurks in the corridors of the church. Jesus taught us what it means to be angry and not sin at the same time.
Journal Prompt
Is the Lord still turning over the tables of the thieves in the church?
Have we made his holy temple a den of thieves?
Are we participating and endorsing the extortion of God’s people?
Elijah and the captains of fifties. 2 Kings 1:9-15 Endorsing evil and supporting in anyway can put us in harm’s way.
Thou shall not follow the multitude to do evil neither shall thou speak a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment Exodus 23:2.
Journal Prompt
Why did Elijah call fire to destroy these men?
Are you a messenger of injustice?
Elisha, the forty-two riotous children and the bear. 2 Kings 2:23-24 I wonder what made forty-two young people lack reverence for God’s servant.
Journal Prompt
Why did Elisha get so upset?
Could there had been a gap in parental training? What lessons can modern parents garner from this experience?
Are we teaching our children enough about honouring God and respecting authority?
Notice any similarities with these examples? Make a list of features that distinguish them from other examples we have seen during the course of our study.
RECOMMENDED: Grab your copy of Overcome Anger Bible Study Prayer Tool Kit for $5 only. PayPal and send me your an email with proof of payment to feyen2000@gmail.com
Here’s what I wrote in my Journal.
5 Important Characteristics of Holy Anger
These men were unhappy about the people disobeying God’s command. They stood for the Lord and rebuked the sin. It is ok to be angry about sin and evil going on around us but what we do with that matters. How we respond can either make it sinful or righteous.
Their response were not out of pride or self righteousness. They did what they did to honour God.
Holy Anger is to restore the people back to the way of righteousness. We are here on a mission to share God’s word and bring delieverance and good news to the people. The people that sat in light saw a great light… the prisoners are set free. Satan has held the world captive and only Jesus can bring freedom.
They acted to avert God’s wrath over the people and to bring correction. God is not happy with wickedness and evil and sin provokes His wrath.
They acted to honour God. One last thing to remember every one of them did not act to bring attention to themselves. In all we do, we bring honour God and not ourselves.
Righteous anger is far different from ungodly anger.
Unholy anger is rooted in selfishness, unforgiveness of offenses, bitterness and rage, desire to seek retribution, pride and self justification etc.
Righteous anger does not necessarily seek to bring harm but correction and it is directed at sin.
Words of Affirmation.
I walk in divine peace, holiness and a reverence for God.
The Holy Spirit fills my heart with love and compassion.
Action Plan.
Consider the reason for your anger. Is it a righteous anger?
Is your response God-honoring or self-appeasing?
Prayer:
Dear Father make my life a sanctuary for you. Let your Holy Spirit tabernacle in me. Touch my life and let Your pure grace flood over my soul. Be merciful upon me and give me a humble heart to follow in your footsteps. Take any anger, pride and foolishness. Give me listening ears and a wise heart in Jesus name. Amen.
P.S I designed a prayer too to go along with this study. Easy to use and filled with structured prayers. It will help you pray strategic prayers through the scriptures.
RECOMMENDED: Grab your copy of Overcome Anger Bible Study Prayer Tool Kit for $5 only. PayPal and send me your an email with proof of payment to feyen2000@gmail.com
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