Why the Anger?

Why do you suppose that there is so much emotional pain and abuse in our world today? Why so much alcohol and drug abuse, fornication, adultery, and sexual immorality? Yes, the root issue is sin but most sinners probably already know that. How is the church counseling these people? Well, a good slap on the back and “get saved, repent of your sins, follow Christ, and you’ll be just fine.” These three advices are very important but to destroy satan’s strongholds takes a work of exposing satan’s fortified places and its root or foundation.

There are thousands of cases that I could share with you, but there is a general theme that the devil uses against mankind. I would like to say his strategy works only in the world, but I am sorry to say, he is deceiving too many in the church. Let us take a couple in our church Jason and Lisa (fictitious names) and look at their story. They come for counseling, both declaring that they are born-again. Lisa is crying that Jason and she began their relationship with peace for the most part, but something quickly changed. Jason would be quick to get angry over the little things. She would attempt to discuss it with him, but he would burst out of the room yelling, slamming doors, and always blaming her. He began drinking alcohol a little more and more, and then was leaving home for long periods of time. Jason responds that there is always something with her. If it’s not his picking up his clothes, it’s his watching TV too much. She is always nagging me. Now, it would be nice to have them repent to God and each other, hug, make up, and go on in peace. …What is really going on in this case?

During periods of counseling, Jason finally discloses a family secret. His dad verbally and physically abused his mom, his sister, and him. He said that he hated his dad and would never be like him. …But what we discover, Jason is acting very similar to dad. Why would he act like the one that he said that he hated? John 20:19-23 will help us to understand this.

Jesus is raised from the dead, appears to His fearful disciples, and shows them His hands and side. They rejoice in seeing their risen Lord. They are hiding in fear of the Jews because of the Jewish leaders part in having Jesus tortured and crucified. Jesus ultimately declares to the disciples that as the Father had sent him, He was sending them. They could not “Go into the world and preach the gospel” (Mk. 16:15) while hiding in fear. Seeing Jesus with their eyes was not enough; there were root issues that Jesus deals with in them.

First of all, the disciples need peace. Jesus said, “Peace be unto you” two different times. They need the Holy Spirit, so He breathes the Spirit upon them (He is now in us). Finally, Jesus says, in verse 23, Amp. Bible, “…if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.” Jason had not forgiven his dad, so dad’s sins were working in Jason. He retained the sins. It is like arrows in one’s being. A wound is not healed until the arrow is removed. Jason wanted to be healed from His dad’s sins, which had now become his own (one with the evil arrows). Even though Jason’s dad was deceased, he forgave his dad out loud. We prayed about many of the pains of many arrows. Jason repented to the Lord and to Lisa, and he was set free! (to be continued)