Appropriate Use for Anger

What makes you angry? Do you generally lose your temper when you are mad? Or cry? Or stuff your feelings away?
God can help you use the angry feelings for good.
What is an appropriate way to use anger?
1. Feel the anger. It is normal to feel a feeling. However, if you dwell  in the anger and allow resentment to build, that is when the feeling becomes harmful to yourself and others.
2. Do not feel guilty or bad about feeling angry. Instead, see it as a tool. Did you just have a very dramatic defensive reaction to a small issue? This is a clue to the root causes and by praying about it you can discover what is underneath it all.
3. Pray about what is making you angry. Ask God for the next step. There are many underlying emotions to anger: guilt, fear, pride, insecurity, rejection, loneliness, sadness, fear of failure, anxiety, depression, etc. Anger artificially helps us feel in control when we are actually out of control.

If you are angry because someone has attacked you emotionally, ask yourself, "Does this person's opinion matter more than what/who God says I am?" Does this person have the power to define who you are?

Consider changing the way you view strong emotions. Rather than a burden, see them as a clue to unraveling the path toward freedom in Christ. God wants you to lead a life not based on how you feel, but who you are and where He wants you to go!

Will You Share Your Treasure of Block it Off?

This morning I woke up and asked God what He wanted to tell me. I had the following vision:

I see a bird flying over a cave/cavern. Inside the cave is a treasure. Deep inside the cave is an even more beautiful treasure.

I asked God what this vision meant:
The bird is the Lord. The cave is me and the treasure is what is inside of me.

Further interpretation from God:
Each of us are a cave. We have within our spirit beautiful gifts God wants us to share with others. There are parts of ourselves that are deep within which are especially lovely and highly coveted. We have a choice, we can block off our cave so that none can enter (through defensiveness, hiding from others, sarcasm, and other self-preserving strategies) or we can be vulnerable and step into what God has destined us for, thereby, being able to share with many the beautiful parts of ourselves to make a global impact for God.

Which will you choose?

Pay Attention to What Makes You Feel Defensive...

Did you know that a key way of seeing into yourself and what is still binding you from living the way God wants you to live is to look at what makes you feel defensive?
It's true. Try for a day or two to really be aware if you feel offended or find yourself being defensive in any situation.
Note these things. Then take a few minutes with God and begin to analyze them with God helping you discern.
If I have time, I take a minute immediately after I notice that I have been defensive about something and go through the following steps with God.

1. I acknowledge that I felt defensive. Then I ask God to help me see what was I defensive about. What was the true message underneath my defensiveness?
2. Once I discover the incident, memory, or issue that is underneath the defensiveness I think about the topic (trying to put myself in the situation or memory associated with it). I ask myself, "What am I feeling in this setting?"
3. I acknowledge any emotions I feel (such as: fear, anxiety, sadness, humiliation, etc). Then I take these emotions stating them aloud and say, "In the name of Jesus, fear you leave now. I break all ties you have to this situation."
4. In addition, I pay attention to subconscious statements I might be saying to myself (those core beliefs that are definitely unbiblical such as "I am bad" "I am disgusting" or whatever).
5. I take theses statements and say, "In the name of Jesus you no longer have any power here. I will not think these things again in the name of Jesus. Any strongholds or thought patterns associated with this belief is broken in the name of Jesus."
6. To make sure I am done with this issue, I go back to the original situation in my head that just happened to make me defensive. How am I feeling now? What thoughts am I having? If any negatives still remain I repeat until head is empty and feeling no feelings.

This is truly an amazing and life changing exercise. It is like having years and years of counseling, but in the span of 5 minutes. I can now see why God is called the ultimate counselor. Only He can get rid of the junk that has been in our brains for our whole lives in just a few short minutes. Wow! Praise God!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at Wind and Fire Mission Base.

 Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230