He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and
he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10. If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. (Eccl 1:8-11 KJV)
Getting overboard can make the serpent to bite someone (Eccl. 10:8). Anger, when uncontrolled or untamed can lead to sicknesses, for example, ranging from mild headaches to chronic migraine due to adrenaline rush. It can indirectly or directly lead into other attendant habits of addictions (dr@@gs, alc~~ol, gluttony); s$xu^lly perversions (masturbation, fornication and adultery); wrath, violence, and murder or suicide. It also leaves one unguarded against spiritual attacks. (See ‘When something else rides on anger’, page 142)
- Anger in marriage does not respect either a handsome and rich husband or beautiful wife or wealthy madam.
So many marriages have ended not only on the bases of anger, but on the platform of un-settled anger. Anger can make you destroy or make you lose what you have labored for in a moment. There are many who truly are record breakers as far as resigning in anger from their places of work is concerned; they never resigned properly because they could not control their anger. A great percentage of them do have a hangover of this in their marriage. They have repeated attempts of wanting to resign from their marriage, even with the littlest challenge that comes their way. It has become very easy for them to say, ‘Am packing out,’ thus forgetting their marriage vows of ‘Yes I Do.’
Anger effects on some persons could cause them to either turn inward with a withdrawal effect, or attack/blame others for their own weakness or failures. Anger outburst is an ugly mood that is capable of making very beautiful and handsome persons very ugly.
Anger Separates
Anger can make you destroy the relationships you have built over the years. Breakage in relationships may definitely have different root causes, but they are finally conveyed through the vehicle of anger. Breakage in relationships through anger cuts across the entire globe.
These breakages can be family, ethnic, religious and political in nature. Out of all these the one that leaves me wondering always is that which occurs in our Churches between believers. Sometimes, this happens between Senior Pastors and Pastors in the same assembly. Many people have ended up changing churches like they change their clothes every seasonal ceremony all because of uncontrolled anger.
These people-the offended, have carryovers-to other churches, of their failure in learning how to handle offenses when they do come. They forget that as long as we have all become born again (believers), through the blood of Jesus we all have only one heavenly Father. I also wonder how they have thrown away the Lord’s Prayer where Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven… Forgive us our trespasses even as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
None of us has the choice to choose any member of God’s family as his/her brother and sister, just the same way with our own brothers and sisters of the same parents. The bible we carry explains the words of Jesus to us, on how we should settle our differences/hurts against one another, stating also the benefits of forgiving one another and the consequences of not forgiving
Anger> Unforgiveness>Revenge= Wickedness
(See the parable of the unforgiving servant Matthew 18:23-35)
The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” 27. Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28. “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29. So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30. And he would mot, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34. And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to kim. 35. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses,”
Because the forgiven servant refused to forgive his fellow servant,
- His master called him “WICKED.”
- His master handed him over to the torturers,
- He must pay every debt he had previously been forgiven
Not to forgive anyone who hurt us is an act of wickedness; and such will be scourged by demons as torturers. “There’s no peace for the wicked says the LORD” (Isaiah 57:21);
Incident #22: Deliverance (The demon of unforgiveness)
About two years ago, a Christian lady came to see me in church and requested for a prayer of deliverance because of the terrifying experience she had in her dream. She narrated how she had seen a very big snake moving round her body as if it was looking for her head. She actually woke up and found herself twisting physically while in bed in order to prevent the snake from locating her head. As I prayed with her in my office in company of two other sisters, there were some demonic manifestations as she struggled to be set free from the unclean spirit that had held her bound. Her problems came to light as it became obvious that the demonic spirit could no longer hide, as it said few times, ‘When she will not forgive.’
After casting out this demon and she regained her consciousness, I asked her, ‘Do you know what your problem was? She answered ‘No’, and I said to her ‘If you had dropped dead before coming to my office, you might not have made heaven; your problem was unforgiveness.‘ And she replied, ‘I have struggled with unforgiveness all my life.‘ This was traceable to the broken home from where she came. Her mother had abandoned her at the age of five.
After this incident, I decided to help many who harbour bitterness and unforgiveness in their hearts. I asked a dear sister, ‘Do you have someone you hold in unforgiveness?’ and her reply was, ‘Yes, my roommate.‘ This was a sister who had just finished attending some days of prayer and fasting programme in the church she was attending at the time. I counseled her over the danger in harboring offence in her heart.
Few days later, she explained to me how she regretted seeing the one who had offended her in the same church she attended. It is quite shocking to know that two persons who are blood-washed by Christ could be separated in church but can still work in a finance house together. It is sad to say that in many years of being in ministry, I have come to find out that many people, I mean lots of Christians have the common problem of keeping their filing cabinet stuffed up with so much spiritual filth of unsettled issues of unforgiveness all because of anger.
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