Christian Family Services Ministry

10-29-2019 – A Word to the Wise – PART 4

Acknowledging the anger of our forefathers is important in putting away anger. God speaking to the children of Israel in Exodus 20:5-6 says, “I am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” While children are not responsible for their parents’ sins, they do suffer the consequences of those sins. Just as a propensity for allergies, heart problems and other disease go from one generation to the next, so certain sins are characteristic of families. It is strange how we look to genetics to explain many of our intellectual, emotional, and physical traits but miss the connection between our forefather’s anger and our own anger. Once anger is acknowledged then one may ask God for forgiveness of their forefather’s iniquities, or self-will.
Part of the past are the offenses of others, which we may have never known personally, but they still anger us. Anger at the Hitler’s’, white or black supremacists or even the Judas’ must all be forgiven.
The popular devotional writer Catherine Marshall in her books Something More addresses this issue at great length. I would encourage you to read this material for more detailed information on anger towards historical figures.

The Body and Anger

The physical body expresses those things felt in the heart, thought in the mind, and willed in the spirit. The body cannot act independently against our desires. As much as, some would have us believe differently the body can only do what it is told to do; for this reason, we are always responsible for the actions of our bodies. Therefore, any physical symptoms that occur happen because of choices made by our minds, or emotions.
There has been a dramatic increase during the last decade in the study of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). This is the study of the interrelationship between the brain, behavior, and immunity. Dr. Sheldon Cohen is an expert in the field of PNI. His studies are designed to address whether a prediction could be made based on a person’s psychological state as to how likely it would be that symptoms of clinic illness would occur following exposure to a virus.
One of the more popular studies by Cohen involved four hundred people between the ages of eighteen and fifty-five. All the subjects were healthy at the beginning of the study. The study revealed that angry, depressed, or stressed individuals had a greater chance of contracting cold viruses. Moreover, a relationship existed between the severity of the feelings experienced and the probability of developing an infection.
Simply, the greater the anger in an individual the greater the susceptibility to infection. Similar health studies looking at other areas of the body have also shown correlations between various disease and stress. The more popular studies involve heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, kidney disease, and high cholesterol. Proverbs affirmed some three thousand years ago that good attitudes and good health go hand in hand.

The decision to limit or eliminate levels two through seven in our lives directly affects the body. Many think that controlling the physical expression cures the problem. It does not. Eventually the body will overcome any attempts to control if that control is not supported by changes in the emotions, mind, and spirit. Beating on a pillow will not forever satisfy destructive feelings. Nor does it alleviate the price the body must pay for the sins of the mind and feelings. The Bible enumerates some very important and very specific physical effects of anger.

• Proverbs 17:22 A downcast spirit dries up the bones.
• Proverbs 10:27 The years of the wicked will be short.
• Proverbs 13:3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life.
• Proverbs 14:30 A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh, but passion makes the bones rot.
• Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
• Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

Acquiring and practicing these precepts, however, does not insure the end of the cycle. Two more things must occur if one is to succeed in putting aside anger. These occur in the spirit.

The Spirit and Anger

Two things must occur in the spirit if anger is to be successfully forsaken. First, we must regain from Satan what was surrendered when we became angry. This involves repenting and confessing our sins (I John 1:9), claiming the blood of Jesus for these sins, and asking God to take back the ground that was surrendered to Satan when we sinned. When this is complete, the final step can occur. Jesus warns us in Mt. 12:43-45 when the unclean spirit has gone out of a person it must be replaced. If this does not occur then the last state becomes worse than the first. Never is this truer than in dealing with anger or any other kind of addiction. Anger is a trap that entangles our minds and emotions. With what do we replace the anger?