A message for Akron Alliance Fellowship Church, Akron OH, Sunday, January 19, 2025.
For the “Live in Church” audio of this message, select here.
Have you made your New Year’s Resolution yet? If you haven’t, it’s not too late! There’s no rule that I know of where you have to make up your mind within the first few days of the New Year to come up with a resolution. We think about New Year’s resolutions because the practice of making them is hardly a new one. It actually goes back to as early as 2,000 B.C. with the Babylonians, who celebrated Akitu in early Spring, and the practice was adopted by the ancient Romans. Later, instead of early Spring, the Julian calendar in 46 B.C. declared January 1 as the beginning of a New Year. The Roman God Janus, for whom the month of January is named, was the target of those who made petitions and promises for the New Year.1
In the old days, a resolution may have been written out or even posted for others to see. Today, we have social media, where a person makes a public declaration to make a change of some sort (as if we were asking or even a little curious about it). Most of us, if we even make a resolution, keep them to ourselves. Most resolutions involve your health: losing weight and getting fit, or eating healthier while dieting, or quitting smoking. Others are more about spending time with family or traveling to new places. Some involve reading more and trying new hobbies. Resolutions involve looking at the balance of the previous year and deciding to make a change for the better. Some resolutions may actually take the form of your friendly-neighborhood doctor’s suggestive advice: Eat healthier and watch your blood sugar…or else!
I would be remiss to point out that a lot of New Year’s resolutions don’t make it past the first week of the New Year let alone the first three months. And there’s no accountability if you keep the resolution to yourself.
For this message, I want you to consider that a New Year’s Resolution without using prayer and reasoning with the present help of the Holy Spirit is an exercise of futility. And this is just a reminder that as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, we must strive to do more to include Jesus in every aspect of our lives.
I want you to see where I’m going with this. Have you ever prayed over someone or something for an answer and find that the Lord has a different solution in mind than what you were praying for? This is why we need to include the Lord more in our prayer life as well as our daily living. What you’ll find is that he will reveal things to you that you need to truly deal with that go beyond the superficial. Your New Year’s Resolution may need to go beyond just eating better or getting more exercise. Maybe, just maybe, the Spirit may be dealing with you about much, much more.
For example—do you need to make a New Year’s Resolution about how to curb your anger?
(It doesn’t matter what time of year it is. If Jesus is speaking to you at any time of the year that it is time to deal with anger issues, you yield to the Spirit and pray about it right then and there.)
Anger, even among those who believe in Jesus, is a real problem today. Hey, you may even know someone in your circle that has a problem with anger, or even angry outbursts. Let’s stop for a moment and pray for the Spirit to provide wisdom, guidance and direction about this issue, and if anger is an issue for you. The Spirit is truth and does not lie (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18), and He will reveal truth when you seek for it. He will help you to get a handle on your emotional state of mind.
A Gallup poll conducted in 2020 and early 2021 with 160,000 people in 116 countries revealed the emotional state of people. With what we know today, this was in the throes of a worldwide pandemic, and it turns out that while it contributed to the mood of respondents, more people felt “stressed, sad, angry and worried more than at any point in Gallup’s global tracking,” and the trend of happiness had been trending downward for over a decade.2
- The poll concluded that 2020 “officially became the most stressful year in recent history.”
- Nearly 190 million people experienced significantly higher stress in 2020 than in years past.
- About one in four experienced sadness (27%) or anger (24%).
To summarize, one in four came out of the experience with anger.
We don’t need to relive that time to validate these results. In fact, it doesn’t really matter so much as to what makes us angry. We get angry for a multitude of reasons, and they may be anywhere from incidental to deep-seated. We get angry because today’s world promotes anger. In this fallen world, anger is a demoralizer and is an effective tool of Satan, who wants to create harm and chaos within families and relationships.
Ephesians 6:12 NIV
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
We must counter what the world does by relying on the protection of the Holy Spirit:
Ephesians 6:13 NIV
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Galatians 5:25-26 NIV
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
During the pandemic, each of us had to react to everything that happened to us and decide how, when and where we could move forward. We had to decide how to respond as we were dealing with anger. When we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, He reveals to you what you need to do to process and work through your anger.
Scripture reminds us that we can get angry, or even justifiably angry about something, but don’t make excuses for it, because that’s not cool at all.
Ephesians 4:26 NIV
“In your anger do not sin” (Psalm 4:4): Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
There is such a thing as righteous indignation, of course, and we see it in Scripture:
Psalm 7:11 ESV
God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.
John 2:14-17 NIV
14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
So, for those who automatically point to the time when Jesus went to the temple with a leather whip to justify your bursts of anger, don’t you dare go there.
Proverbs 29:22 ESV
A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.
You don’t want to be known as the person who is described here. For what it’s worth, sometimes the one who causes transgression is the last person to admit to it. Don’t be that person!
Anger becomes sin because of pridefulness.
James 1:19-21 NIV
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
What we need to conclude is that, more often than not, our lingering anger often leads to committing sinful behavior. If God were to keep score on this matter and show us the result, we would immediately drop our heads in shame. We can’t justify our actions, or even our inaction in failing to seek the help of the Spirit in our anger. It’s a good thing that he is a God who operates in grace and mercy, which is the very thing that we lack when we take out our anger on someone else.
Our response to the things that anger us must be met with biblical responses.3 When bad things happen to us, we are not to draw upon our own understanding. We are to draw upon the power of God and give the matters that drive us to anger directly to Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
James 1:2-4 NLT
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Romans 8:28-29 NLT
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
God wants you, as His child, to live in a Christlike manner. If you’re harboring anger and lacking forgiveness, you can’t live as Christ wants you to live.
With that said, your response should not be “Well, what about what so and so did to me?” and “Why shouldn’t I feel angry about what is happening to me?” That’s a worldly response laced with justification for staying angry. With these words come a warning: May we never have our consciences seared by prolonged anger. We must be ready to repent and turn to Jesus for forgiveness:
Proverbs 28:13-14 NIV
13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.
1 John 1:9 NIV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
We also need to consider that harboring prolonged anger is self-destructive.
When anger experiences are too frequent, too intense, last too long, or are out of proportion to the triggering event, the emotion can have problematic effects on our well-being and our health, according to Raymond Chip Tafrate, PhD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. Anger puts stress on your heart and can lead to high blood pressure and coronary heart disease, which increases the risk of heart attacks. It can also disrupt your digestion and hinder your mental health.4
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured” (Mark Twain).5
When we are angry about something, we need to ask the Lord to help us to redirect. We redirect when we stop taking ownership of our anger. Some of you may not like hearing this, but we need to let go and let God. Counter evil with good. Live and let live. Love one another and make love prevail.
Romans 12:21 NIV
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 5:43-48 NIV
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Galatians 5:25-26 NIV
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
We also address, if possible, what makes us angry with truthful communication. Not by yelling or screaming, of course! We must speak the truth in love.
Ephesians 4:15 NLT
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Ephesians 4:29-32 NLT
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Proverbs 15:1 NLT
A gentle answer deflects anger,
but harsh words make tempers flare.
So, we have discussed how to deal with anger and how to not provoke anger. My prayer is that you will hear the encouragement of the Holy Spirit as you resolve to make change today and from now on. I also pray, in this world that promotes strife and anger, that we make the determined effort to live peaceful lives and set the example as representatives of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:18 NIV
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Listen to these words of Jesus as we conclude this message:
John 14:27 NIV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 16:33 NKJV
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Copyright © 2025 Melvin Gaines.
1 Wikipedia contributors. (2025, January 14). New Year’s resolution. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:02, January 15, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Year%27s_resolution&oldid=1269491247
3 Houdmann, S. M. (2012, November 17). What does the Bible Say About Anger?. GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-anger.html
4 Cornwell, S. & Young, A. (2024, February 13). What anger does to the body: 5 effects. EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/ways-anger-ruining-your-health/
5 McEachran, J. (2023, May 24). Ways you can control your anger. Christianity.com. https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/ways-you-can-control-your-anger.html
Melvin Gaines 