From Galatians 5:19-21 we are looking at fits of rage or
anger today. Have you noticed it said ‘fits’ of anger? To get angry is natural,
and healthy anger is good, especially if it is holy anger; which is getting
angry at all the unrighteousness we see in the world today.
Anger usually prompts action in us
and this is where the crux of the matter is. What action does the anger cause?
If we for instance get angry at our child’s behaviour that is constantly out of
line, and we take controlled steps from a temperate demeanour to correct their
behaviour, our anger had a positive outcome and we have acted in the fruit of
the Holy Spirit. However, if we lose control of our reaction and shout, scream
and become violent in response to their behaviour, we are acting on the sinful
nature’s prompting. Also, if we get onto our hind legs for every small thing
that goes wrong we also act in fits of anger.
I am quite sure I have probably not given
you any new information, but we need to have a look at the root of the problem.
Paul listed to the Galatians the acts of the sinful nature, or the flesh, as
compared to the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is perfect and the fruit mentioned
manifests if we allow it to. In John 15:1-8 Jesus also spoke about fruit. In
verses 4-5 He said: “Abide in me,
and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the
branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,
for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Where are we
rooted? Are we actually rooted in Jesus or do we just say so to make it sound
good and create a good impression with our peers. If we as branches are rooted
in the sinful nature, the acts of the sinful nature will be our fruit.
Therefore if we find we act too much like the sinful nature, we need to humble
ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us in what area we are rooted in
the sinful nature, and then deal with it under His guidance. “So, every healthy
tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree
cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit,” (Matthew
7:17-18).
“Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the
new has come,” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We can choose to have the new nature diseased
with the old nature. The old nature has a tendency to infiltrate the new nature.
Paul put it like this in Romans 7:19-20: “For I do not do the good I want, but
the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want,
it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me,” and in Galatians 5:17:
“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the
Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you
from doing the things you want to do.”
How do we
therefore get rid of fits of anger? I take it you know what I am talking about –
the ‘road hog’ in the other car, the %$£&* politician doing stupid things,
or my neighbour’s dog barking at night. Maybe you are perfectly cool and calm
all the time, so I am not really talking to you, but definitely to those of us
struggling with the irritating flesh that flames up when we would have loved to
stay calm and collected.
The secret is
that the old has passed away in
Christ Jesus. It is dead in Christ
Jesus. All we need to do is to get into
Christ Jesus and then we will automatically be dead to the sinful nature.
Living by the Holy Spirit will solve the problem, but that means we have to die
to self and accept whatever He asks us to do and be. Our own ambitions should
go out the door, since it is when we
want to do what we want that the
sinful nature jumps up and delightfully exclaims: “Here I am, I could help you
get there!”
Jesus said in John
15:7: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you.” Would we not want that?
Lord, help me
to abide in you.
Thank you Lord that your Word went
out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you
empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which
you sent it.
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