IN YOUR ANGER - DO NOT SIN!
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sinâ€: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:25-27
Are you battling anger in your own personal life against your husband or wife, the other person or someone else? As we read email and letters, we hear you express and admit that you are harboring anger, rage, jealousy, or bitterness. You may even admit that you are angry at God. Don't worry, God knows your heart anyway. The enemy is now attacking you.
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20
I can personally testify to that after our divorce. I had just started standing in March when Mother's Day came around in May. Mother's Day alone with my children was difficult with Bob being with someone else and not at home. All our traditions were gone, due to my own hardness of heart, unforgiveness and divorcing my husband. Yes, I had the exception clause, but after the divorce, the Lord had already started speaking to my heart about my own failures in our marriage.
I was just learning about standing, praying and reading the Bible daily. I was really a baby Christian who was trying to learn all about praying, spiritual warfare and having a personal relationship with my Lord daily. That Saturday afternoon, Bob took the other woman to his parent's house who lived down the street from our home. Bob called and asked for our children to come down and see him. He told the kids he was down with the other person giving his mom her gift for Mother's Day. I lost all my emotions, common sense and self-control and called Bob up, screaming at him and threatening him with such anger and venom. The enemy, Satan, had a field day with my feelings and my wounded, broken heart. This was the first time I knew that the other person had been down at his parent's home.
Well, Bob knew I was angry and left immediately. In my foolishness and stupidity, I allowed my anger and rage to get out of hand, so I got into my car chasing them, wanting to have a confrontation. By the grace and mercy of my Lord, He protected me by never finding them. I went to Bob's apartment building and to many of Bob's favorite places. Remember, in 1986 there were no cell phones.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9
That evening, the Lord had quite a talk to me as I came home emotionally and physically exhausted. My in-laws had watched my children and I had ruined her afternoon with her son. What was I teaching my children? What if I had found them, what would I have done? Would I have been arrested? Dear stander, you must deal with any anger, bitterness or rage that is brewing in your heart. Confess and repent of your sin of rage, anger or jealousy and ask the Lord to remove it by giving you forgiveness and unconditional love for your husband or wife and any other person who is in their life or is taking their side during your marriage problems.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 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. Ephesians 4:29-32
That day was one of the worst days in my spiritual journey, but also ended up being one of the most defining times with my Lord rebuking and correcting me as a child of God. Remember, the scripture at the top of the devotional,“In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:26-27 May you learn from my mistakes in standing.
The Lord had touched and changed me for the past few months and within a few minutes, I could have lost everything. Are you battling anger, bitterness and rage? Get rid of it. Let me share another powerful and important scripture for you to memorize:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
That is where the Lord taught me the importance of holiness living. Ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" You will get upset for a second, because you really want to tell your spouse off or tell them how much they are hurting you or your children, but remember, "What would Jesus do?" Ask the Lord, "Do I zip my lips and be quiet and pray or speak my mind?" You can guess the answer I heard from my Lord all the time. "Be still, and know that I am God. The battle is not yours. It is mine to avenge; I will repay."
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
I know the pain and suffering that you are or have been going through due to your or your spouse's temptations. Your husband or wife has been blinded and deceived by the enemy, Satan. They are living in deception. Every day pray that the Holy Spirit will remove their sightlessness, their rebellion and touch their hardened heart. Your spouse needs Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life. Pray daily that the Lord will give them a Damascus Road experience, quickly and suddenly, now. Then you must trust in the Lord and wait for His perfect timing. That is where your faith comes in.
Say a prayer: Lord, open my husband's/wife's spiritual eyes to see Your Light, Your Truth and the way of escape from the chains of bondage that they are living in. May my husband/wife have a personal Damascus Road experience very soon. I believe nothing is too hard for You to do. Lord, remove all my sins that are harboring in my own heart and change both our hearts so we can rebuild our marriage on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
If this devotional about anger has spoken to your heart, stop right now and repent of your own sinful behavior. Ask the Lord to forgive you and ask the Holy Spirit to change you into the woman or man of God that He wants you to be. Don't let the devil destroy you by your living by your emotions and feelings! Choose to live a Christ-like life daily.
Believe in the Lord's power,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sinâ€: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:25-27
Are you battling anger in your own personal life against your husband or wife, the other person or someone else? As we read email and letters, we hear you express and admit that you are harboring anger, rage, jealousy, or bitterness. You may even admit that you are angry at God. Don't worry, God knows your heart anyway. The enemy is now attacking you.
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20
I can personally testify to that after our divorce. I had just started standing in March when Mother's Day came around in May. Mother's Day alone with my children was difficult with Bob being with someone else and not at home. All our traditions were gone, due to my own hardness of heart, unforgiveness and divorcing my husband. Yes, I had the exception clause, but after the divorce, the Lord had already started speaking to my heart about my own failures in our marriage.
I was just learning about standing, praying and reading the Bible daily. I was really a baby Christian who was trying to learn all about praying, spiritual warfare and having a personal relationship with my Lord daily. That Saturday afternoon, Bob took the other woman to his parent's house who lived down the street from our home. Bob called and asked for our children to come down and see him. He told the kids he was down with the other person giving his mom her gift for Mother's Day. I lost all my emotions, common sense and self-control and called Bob up, screaming at him and threatening him with such anger and venom. The enemy, Satan, had a field day with my feelings and my wounded, broken heart. This was the first time I knew that the other person had been down at his parent's home.
Well, Bob knew I was angry and left immediately. In my foolishness and stupidity, I allowed my anger and rage to get out of hand, so I got into my car chasing them, wanting to have a confrontation. By the grace and mercy of my Lord, He protected me by never finding them. I went to Bob's apartment building and to many of Bob's favorite places. Remember, in 1986 there were no cell phones.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9
That evening, the Lord had quite a talk to me as I came home emotionally and physically exhausted. My in-laws had watched my children and I had ruined her afternoon with her son. What was I teaching my children? What if I had found them, what would I have done? Would I have been arrested? Dear stander, you must deal with any anger, bitterness or rage that is brewing in your heart. Confess and repent of your sin of rage, anger or jealousy and ask the Lord to remove it by giving you forgiveness and unconditional love for your husband or wife and any other person who is in their life or is taking their side during your marriage problems.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 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. Ephesians 4:29-32
That day was one of the worst days in my spiritual journey, but also ended up being one of the most defining times with my Lord rebuking and correcting me as a child of God. Remember, the scripture at the top of the devotional,“In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:26-27 May you learn from my mistakes in standing.
The Lord had touched and changed me for the past few months and within a few minutes, I could have lost everything. Are you battling anger, bitterness and rage? Get rid of it. Let me share another powerful and important scripture for you to memorize:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
That is where the Lord taught me the importance of holiness living. Ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" You will get upset for a second, because you really want to tell your spouse off or tell them how much they are hurting you or your children, but remember, "What would Jesus do?" Ask the Lord, "Do I zip my lips and be quiet and pray or speak my mind?" You can guess the answer I heard from my Lord all the time. "Be still, and know that I am God. The battle is not yours. It is mine to avenge; I will repay."
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
I know the pain and suffering that you are or have been going through due to your or your spouse's temptations. Your husband or wife has been blinded and deceived by the enemy, Satan. They are living in deception. Every day pray that the Holy Spirit will remove their sightlessness, their rebellion and touch their hardened heart. Your spouse needs Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life. Pray daily that the Lord will give them a Damascus Road experience, quickly and suddenly, now. Then you must trust in the Lord and wait for His perfect timing. That is where your faith comes in.
Say a prayer: Lord, open my husband's/wife's spiritual eyes to see Your Light, Your Truth and the way of escape from the chains of bondage that they are living in. May my husband/wife have a personal Damascus Road experience very soon. I believe nothing is too hard for You to do. Lord, remove all my sins that are harboring in my own heart and change both our hearts so we can rebuild our marriage on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
If this devotional about anger has spoken to your heart, stop right now and repent of your own sinful behavior. Ask the Lord to forgive you and ask the Holy Spirit to change you into the woman or man of God that He wants you to be. Don't let the devil destroy you by your living by your emotions and feelings! Choose to live a Christ-like life daily.
Believe in the Lord's power,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
