Dealing with Destructive Anger

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Dealing with Destructive Anger Ephesians 426-27
Dave Champness July 1, 2007
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Be angry and do not sin do not let the sun go
down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to
the devil. Ephesians 426-27
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• What does destructive anger look like?
• Suppressed anger Anger misplaced
• Apathy, Avoidance, Denial, Self-condemnation,
  Self-pity, Toxic shame, Can leads to depression
• Passive-Aggressive Anger undercover
• Lying, Forgetfulness, Carelessness, Silent
  treatment, Subtle sarcasm, Mixed messages
• Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly
  weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then
  says, I was only joking. Proverbs
  2618-19(NLT)

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• What does destructive anger look like?

• Aggressive Anger unleashed
• Hostile, Punitive, Quick to blame, Critical,
  Cruel, Combative, Loud, Suspicious

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• How do I change?
• In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD
  an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and
  Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock
  and of their fat portions. And the LORD had
  regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain
  and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was
  very angry, and his face fell. 6 The LORD said to
  Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your face
  fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be
  accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is
  crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but
  you must rule over it. Genesis 43-7

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• How do I change?
• Check yourself before reacting, James 119-20.
• Know this, my beloved brothers let every person
  be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
  20 for the anger of man does not produce the
  righteousness that God requires.
• James 119-20

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• How do I change?

• Ask for and offer forgiveness for offenses.
• Seek assistance where necessary.
• Be willing to look below the surface
• A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the
  upright gives thought to his ways. Proverbs 2129
• Trust the Lord with offenses.

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Thus says the LORD Cursed is the man who trusts
in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart
turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in
the desert, and shall not see any good come. He
shall dwell in the parched places of the
wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree
planted by water, that sends out its roots by the
stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for
its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in
the year of drought, for it does not cease to
bear fruit. Jeremiah 175-8
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• Helpful Books
• When Anger Hits Home, By Gary Oliver and H.
  Norman Wright
• The Anger Workbook, By Les Carter and Frank
  Minirth
• A Womans Forbidden Emotion, By Gary Oliver and
  H. Norman Wright

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Preparing for Communion But I say to you that
everyone who is angry with his brother will be
liable to judgment whoever insults his brother
will be liable to the council and whoever says,
You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire.
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar
and there remember that your brother has
something against you, 24 leave your gift there
before the altar and go. First be reconciled to
your brother, and then come and offer your
gift. Matthew 522-24