While discussing these Blessing blockers, I am attempting to give a thorough but brief synopsis of basic material. It is my hope these articles will evoke a desire in you to learn more about each one. Anger is another Blessing blocker and the Word gives clear practical instructions for handling it.

My personal acronym for anger is this—an Antagonistic Negative Guilt-laying Emotional Reaction (ANGER). Antagonism is actively expressed opposition or hostility. Negative means lacking positive quality or disagreeable.Guilt is a feeling of culpability for offenses. Emotional is the state of being dominated by or prone to emotion. And, finally, a reaction is a response to some treatment, situation or stimulus. The emotion of anger embodies all of these traits; and, in order to fulfill the Blessing in our lives, it is imperative that we conquer it. We are, after all, more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). The Bible says in several places that God is slow to anger and rich in love (Exodus 34:6; Nehemiah 9:17 and Psalm 145:8 are a few). Knowing this, I am reminded of Paul telling us to be imitators of God as dearly beloved children (Ephesians 5:1). We cannot be easily angered nor be associated with those who are. Let’s examine some verses.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. —Proverbs 16:32

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. —Proverbs 19:11

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.—Proverbs 29:22 

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. —Ecclesiastes 7:9

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: —Proverbs 22:24

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: —Ephesians 4:31

These are some powerful verses and we can do all things through Christ. You can choose to remove all ANGER from your life. When you do so, you are choosing to live the life of health and abundance promised in Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

Be reminded that yielding to and harboring anger also allows the curse to operate in your physical body. Psychology Today published “The Downside of Anger” and it stated, “It (anger) eats away at your cardiovascular system, your gut and hijacks nervous system, often obliterating the capacity for clear thinking. And it may even grow in intensity.”* How can you possibly walk in the Blessing if this emotion is manifesting itself though you? In a 1990 article in The New York Times entitled “If Anger Ruins Your Day, It Can Shrink Your Life.” The following is a quote from that article:  “Researchers have gathered a wealth of data lately suggesting that chronic anger is so damaging to the body that it ranks with, or even exceeds, cigarette smoking, obesity and a high-fat diet as a powerful risk factor for early death. “Our studies indicate that hostile, suspicious anger is right up there with any other health hazard we know about,” said Dr. Redford Williams, a researcher in behavioral medicine at the Duke University Medical Center.”*

Do not let ANGER and a lack of knowledge destroy you. You can change; as a matter of fact, you can’t come in contact with the Living God and not change. A refusal to do so gives place to the enemy in your life. Use this knowledge as a springboard, and rid yourself of the Blessing blocker ANGER. Don’t give any place to the devil. Let the peace of God rule in your heart so the Blessing can flow freely in your life.

Be blessed friends, and have the perfect day everyday!

Psalm 138:8

—Shontta

*http://www.psychologytoday.com/ (The Downside of Anger)

*http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE7D61731F930A25751C1A966958260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all (New York Times)