Anger comes naturally, but we feel like we're supposed to suppress it. No. God created good anger: what the scriptures call "righteous indignation."
When a trial gets nasty, we begin to fall apart. We just want relief. If we're in too deep, and stand to lose either way we go, we feel trapped. So then angry! Of course!
But who is the grief coming from? Satan.
We get angry because we feel that God has not protected us.... from the trial, the opinions of others, the onlookers' glances, the pain of it, the agony in our minds. But God HAS delivered us and given US the authority to "trample on snakes and scorpions." When Satan comes to steal from us, WE (not God) must "resist the devil and he will flee."
But when it doesn't look like the devil is leaving any time soon, we have 2 choices: let him stay or keep telling him to leave. Your word and resistance WILL BE EFFECTIVE. The Word PROMISES THAT. Do not give up.
But if we don't let ourselves question God, then what do we do with our frustration, our annoyance, our anger?
Be mad at society? For feeding us lies rather than building us up on the truth our whole lives so that our feet would be on solid ground when the test came? No; the Word tells us that we should not feed on the world's lies. That's our responsibility. That would have to be self-anger at not having renewed our minds with the Word.
Mad at our parents? For not raising us with the demonstration of standing on the Word of God beyond the trial into Victory? Maybe, but that gets you nowhere in this fight.
Mad at Satan. He is the liar, the devourer, the destroyer, the one who comes to steal, kill, destroy.
What good does it do me to be mad at him? It does you a lot of good. You will no longer "take it" from him, and you will fight back.
With what?
The Word of God coming out of Your Own Mouth like a Sword.
Healing for my son's asthma came this way: I had been praying all day against the impending asthma attack that was coming on. It was finally in full swing, and I was surrounded by family who was getting a little concerned. I took him upstairs, refusing to take the advice of "put him in the shower, give him this, give him that;" and I was ANGRY. For the FIRST time, I was angry. I began to pace upstairs and declare loudly, "You will NOT have my son. I suffered asthma for 30 years, and I will NOT let you put him through what I went through. I will NOT submit to you, asthma; you will LEAVE in Jesus name." Bam. It was gone.
But what about when you've done that? If you feel like you have persisted with prayers standing on the Word of God, declaring the truth out of your own mouth. (Not just waiting for God to do it.)
Then keep standing your ground.
You may reach the point where you will need to quit worrying... see the next post-- this post:
But just in case you've "done all that," I want to offer one more thought:
The scripture says that "God will not allow that we are tempted beyond what we can bear"...and I believe there's something here that applies to the boundaries of Satan's attacks. When we are pushed to our limit, there is a boundary. If we refuse to give up and resist, it will not take us to the point of death. We will be able to resist him. That's God's promise.
For me, this has looked like this: several times I have been so overwhelmed I have been flat on my bed certain that I do not have it in me to overcome the deep sense of darkness and depression that has me pinned. As I search my heart for God's truth, my mind is screaming, "I can't take it. It's too much." Etc. Etc.
In that still small voice, the spirit brings to my remembrance: "You have been delivered from Satan's hand." "You have been set free." And I have a conscious decision to make: will I submit to the lie that I can't take it any more, or will I STEP OUT from under Satan's CRUSHING HAND and say, "Nope. I've been redeemed from that fear." And fight back with what the Word tells me is true.
In these moments, the joy of the holy spirit is not sweeping through you like a mountain top experience, ok. It is cold hard truth that is pulling you through. At times when I have felt like I married a man who will certainly cause my destruction, I can literally rise up and say, cold-heartedly, hardening myself to the rage and sadness I feel--Nothing can hinder God from sending him all wisdom RIGHT NOW. These things at work in my husband's life are NOT FROM YOU, Lord. They are from the evil one, and I say, "No," to him and "Yes" to you Lord sending him the answers and intervention now that we both need.
Even if it's the 26th time I've landed on my bed over the issue. I have 2 choices: submit to defeat from Satan, or STAND AND FIGHT.
I tell you, STAND AND FIGHT.
Speak to the mountain. Speak to the storm.
Be moved. Be still.
And believe that you are receiving what you pray for even if you can't see it.
Rebuke the hindrances.
And continue to see yourself overcoming the very obstacle screaming in your face.
