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jeff
  - Joined on 09-08-2006
- Lichfield, UK
- Posts 54
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#3 - Anger Part 3 : Power through the Holy Spirit
Freedom in Christ: Power in the Spirit
by Jeff Fry
Galatians 5:13 - 26 But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." {14 Lev. 19:18} 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Galatians 5:13-26 Wy zatem, bracia, powołani zostaliście do wolności. Tylko nie bierzcie tej wolności jako zachęty do hołdowania ciału, wręcz przeciwnie, miłością ożywieni służcie sobie wzajemnie! 14 Bo całe Prawo wypełnia się w tym jednym nakazie: Będziesz miłował bliźniego swego jak siebie samego. 15 A jeśli u was jeden drugiego kąsa i pożera, baczcie, byście się wzajemnie nie zjedli. 16 Oto, czego uczę: postępujcie według ducha, a nie spełnicie pożądania ciała. 17 Ciało bowiem do czego innego dąży niż duch, a duch do czego innego niż ciało, i stąd nie ma między nimi zgody, tak że nie czynicie tego, co chcecie. 18 Jeśli jednak pozwolicie się prowadzić duchowi, nie znajdziecie się w niewoli Prawa. 19 Jest zaś rzeczą wiadomą, jakie uczynki rodzą się z ciała: nierząd, nieczystość, wyuzdanie, 20 uprawianie bałwochwalstwa, czary, nienawiść, spór, zawiść, wzburzenie, niewłaściwa pogoń za zaszczytami, niezgoda, rozłamy, 21 zazdrość, pijaństwo, hulanki i tym podobne. Co do nich zapowiadam wam, jak to już zapowiedziałem: ci, którzy się takich rzeczy dopuszczają, królestwa Bożego nie odziedziczą. 22 Owocem zaś ducha jest: miłość, radość, pokój, cierpliwość, uprzejmość, dobroć, wierność, 23 łagodność, opanowanie. Przeciw takim cnotom nie ma Prawa. 24 A ci, którzy należą do Chrystusa Jezusa, ukrzyżowali ciało swoje z jego namiętnościami i pożądaniami. 25 Mając życie od Ducha, do Ducha się też stosujmy. 26 Nie szukajmy próżnej chwały, jedni drugich drażniąc i wzajemnie sobie zazdroszcząc.
Thesis: We must handle our anger in the power of the Spirit.
I. Intro
A. We've been talking about anger the last few weeks and we've been talking about different ways people handle issues they have between themselves. This is important because it comes up wherever there is community - people have to handle issues with others in their family, in the church, in their workplace etc..
B. We've talked about exploding, suppressing and processing (is what I'll call the other one - the healthy one). Most of us know right away that exploding and hurting other people isn't the way to handle issues with another person. And in fact Galatians 5:19-21 points this out - they are the deeds of the flesh says Paul and not of the Spirit - fits of rage, hatred, long-held jealousies, envying and factions, etc..
C. Yet, the error of the second way, suppression, is more subtle. It often isn't obvious that it is just as destructive. Many of us choose suppression. And a lot of times it looks good because on the surface everything seems okay. But below the surface people are steaming, yet not saying anything about it. Paul says something about that and eventually it explodes or comes out in unhealthy ways like stomach ulcers, neverous breakdowns, etc.. Paul says something about this too. In Ephesians 4:15 he says, "speak the truth in love". And if we do, says Paul, then we will grow and mature.
D. And so we've been asking ourselves, how do we handle issues when they come up in our church, in our familes, etc.. Last week we mentioned a five-step method for processing anger which I believe is helpful, but not the best method. Today I'd like to propose that we handle our anger in the power of the Spirit of God.
II. We must handle our anger in the power of the Spirit.
A. State
1. What makes me nervous about the five-step method is that I don't see it in Scripture. Not that it is wrong necessarily, but that it alone is not all that God has for us. God has other resources for us to use. The Galatians in this passage were having trouble with issues between them.
a) They were "biting" each other - a term used of animals when they were attacking another animal. (Galatians 5:15).
b) They were devouring one another - a term used of animals when they ate up their prey or devoured it. (Gal. 5:15)
c) They were doing this even to the point that it was nearing the destruction of the other person.
2. Paul's solution to this problem is telling.
a) First, he doesn't offer a 5-step plan for dealing with the issues that they have between themselves.
(1) He doesn't say - first acknowledge your anger, second count to 10, third locate the focus of your anger, etc..
b) In verse 15 he points out the problem - you are attacking each other . Then in verse 16 he gives the solution.
(1) Verse 16 starts with the conjunction "so". A conjunction signals linking thought. "You are attacking each other so then try this …". He's not starting a new thought, he's continuing the one he just started.
(2) He proposes spending a little time with the Spirit.
(a) literally the phrase he uses , "live by the Spirit", means "go around with or spend some time in the place where the Spirit is"!
(b) Amazing! Paul is saying, "Are you angry, are you experiencing negative emotions - hatred, jealousy, envy, depression, anxiety, fear, etc etc? Then focus on the Spirit of God. Get His perspective, His power to overcome those thoughts, etc..
(c) How much time are you dedicating to your relationship with God?(i) On what are you focusing your mind - on the tv, the video game, solely on work without time with God?(ii) We all get 24 hours a day and about 16 of that waking time. How you spend it and what you focus your mind on during that time will determine who you are.(iii) The Spirit of God can be experienced most often through the Word of God - how often are you soaking your mind in the Word of God letting it sift out those ugly, biting and devouring thoughts toward your brother or sister in Christ?(iv) Focusing your mind on the Spirit will enable God to start to re-align your priorities and values in life. He will start to give you the Godly perspective on situations.
(3) do you want to overcome your anger, your jealousy, your fits of rage?
(a) You can memorize a five-step method and apply it and never be filled with the Spirit. Or you can choose to be filled with the Spirit and let the power of the Spirit deal with it.(i) That's the problem I see with the five-step methods put forth by some spiritual counselors. And I wonder sometimes if it is not received by people in place of filling ourselves with God's Spirit.(ii) Because it's easier to follow five steps than to spend some time with God asking God what his perspective on this issue is and praying to Him about it and soaking ourselves in His Word. (iii) If you don't have a concordance (ie. a book which lists all the keywords and next to the word all the verses where that word is mentioned) then you must get one. (iv) How can you fill your mind with God's word when an issue comes up, say jealousy, if you can't find what God says about Jealousy in the Bible?(v) On our web site under the community section you will find them in the "Christian Resources" forum.
(b) Or you can open yourself up to the Holy Spirit of God Him to guide you, direct you, empower you moment by moment of your day. (c) The Spirit can give you power to share information with another person without condemning them or attacking them.(d) fill you as you focus on His word and be empowerd to talk to your brother the way you need to.
B. Illustrate
1. Negative emotions are like a red light on the dashboard of a car. It signals that it is necessary to look under the hood and see if you can find the problem.
a) Anger, jealousy, envy, and other negative emotions are not sinful. In fact, anger is sometimes very good. It is an emotion that God himself feels. It can spark very good things. It can cause people to fight against very unjust causes.
b) But how you handle your negative emotions can become sinful.
2. So, we need to be able to share information with another person without condemning them.
a) For example, an exchange might go like: "What you said to me the other day wasn't really helpful for me. In fact, it was actually hurtful when you said , " ______". (or when you did "______").
b) When we speak the truth in love, we speak it without condemnation in our heart. Only the Spirit can produce that.
C. Apply
1. What are some ways (e.g. at work or at home in our free time) that we can "live by the Spirit" (ie. remember that means : spending time in the place where the Spirit is)?
2. In the course of your day you suddenly become angry at your boss or your children or someone. How might you be able to respond in the power of the Holy Spirit - what might you actually do?
3. What are some things that you may have to cut back on or stop doing in order to help keep your mind focused on the Spirit?
For questions, comments or further information contact:
Rev Jeff Fry
Darwin Park Community Church
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