CD1715 Respond not React, - Anger: Don't Drink the Poison!

Don't give power to the enemy's words!
If someone walked up to you with a big bag of stinky garbage and tried to give it to you, would you take it? Of course not! So why take the enemy's words of garbage and give him power? Remember the word of God says that our battle is not with flesh and blood, so that brings revelation of our opponent.

Don't react, learn how to respond!
Reacting is instantaneous!
Responding is methodical with thought!

Taking the garbage from the enemy and becoming angry with a reaction plays us into his hand. It's wasted energy, kind of like how a dog chases its tail. The devil wants to keep you and I going around and around in circles just like he did the children of Israel in the Old testament!

Remember you own your emotions when you're in control rather than your emotions owning you!

When the doctor taps your knee with the mallet to test your reflexes, your leg automatically swings, doesn’t it? That’s a reaction. It’s an involuntary, uncontrolled action resulting from external stimuli of some sort. When you answer an email or a text, editing it for errors and choosing your words carefully, that’s a response.

*Text James 1:19 KJV Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Q. Why?

*James 1:20 KJV For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Let's keep reading in the book of James, turn to chapter 3 with me please:

*James 3:5-10 KJV 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Our creator the Lord got almighty has given us this unique ability to speak, words that create or destroy! We need to understand how the devil wants to get involved into our speech. He will do that by provoking us under wrath! Speaking of wrath turn to the book of Proverbs please:

*Proverbs 15:1 KJV A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Our words can act as a flame retardant or they can act as an accelerant and cause anger to flame and burn hotter and hotter! This is why we have to learn how to respond rather than react! Turn to the 18th chapter of the book of Proverbs please:

*Proverbs 18:13 KJV He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

A fool will always speak rather than keep their silence! Turn with me to the gospel of Matthew chapter 5 and let's listen to the words of Jesus:

*Matthew 5:38-48 KJV 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse y

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