The Stronghold of Anger
Anger is the result of unresolved conflict and is a powerful emotion. When
unresolved it can become dangerous by its destructive nature.
The account of Cain (Gen 4) depicts the working of anger when we do not go to
God and His Word with our issues.
So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your
countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not
do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule
over it.”
Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they
were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
God warned Cain if he did not deal with his anger to rule over it, it would
rule over him. He did not heed God’s Word, and would so murdered his
brother Abel.
Anger causes us to do things that we often regret later, and we should not
treat it with little care. Interestingly, anger disguises itself in humor,
sarcasm, quick wit, and depression. It can also be the underlying
force to addictions and gluttony.
Like with all strongholds, they first have to be acknowledged that they are
even in us before we can be delivered from them. Our deliverance is through
Jesus Christ in repentance of our sin where we gain the freedom He has promised
us. God gives us a visual of laying hold of the Promised Land Salvation gives
us through the Children of Israel as they were instructed to rid the land of
its giants, overtaking them little by little as the angel of the Lord
instructed them. In the same way, among the giants in our land that must be
apprehended is the Anger-izzite! Ex 23:20-33.
It is normal to experience anger from time to time but important to deal
with it immediately so it will not give the devil a place in us. “Be
angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give
place to the devil. Eph 4:26-27
When we are easily angered we must go before the Lord and His Word to root
out the underlying issue that we have not dealt with – so we may expel the
giant out of our Promised Land! For our Land is the place where violence does
not dwell. Where we have praise on our lips and in our hearts because our walls
are Salvation.
Violence shall no longer be heard in your land,
Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders;
But you shall call your walls Salvation,
And your gates Praise. Is 60:18
