WRATH counterfeits righteous anger but—unlike God's wrath—it never results in true justice. Our wrath is selsh and uncontrolled. It blinds us, leading us to measure God Himself against our views of right and wrong and our anger as a justication for anything. It ends us hurting the angry person even more than those they hurt.
We must break free from Wrath and focus on Patience (waiting for a certain time and a certain purpose) and Justice (making God's will happen on earth). While never cruel, selsh, or arbitrary, righteous anger does help destroy dishonest and cruel systems and defend the powerless from their oppressors. It creates change—not just a meaningless display or punishment.
Series: Spiritual Disciplines: Seven
Speaker: John Pryor
Notes:
Human Wrath always misses the mark. God's righteous wrath is strategic, controlled, and results in justice and true transformation. Human wrath is reactionary, out of control, and makes things worse. It puts ourselves first—not God or others. James 4:1-3,
Matthew 5:21-22, Galatians 5:13-26 , John 11:33, Ecclesiastes 7:9,
Exodus 32:19, Psalm 90:11, Proverbs 14:29
Break free from human Wrath. We must plug into God's power and do whatever it takes to live out the new identity He has given us. This means systematically eliminating the bad habits and ideas that remain. Hebrews 12:1-2, Matthew 4:43-48,
Ephesians 4:25-31 & 5:6, Psalm 4:4-5, Jonah 4, John 3:16-17
Focus on Patience. God waits for a specific time and for a specific purpose, and He expects the same from us. Patience is a strategic, mid-game move, not the endgame. Sometimes we have to pray for our enemies for a long time. James 1:19, Proverbs 15:1, 1 Peter 4:8, Romans 9:22 & 12:19-21, Psalm 30:4-5
Focus on Justice. Even when we are right, our selfish, arbitrary wrath rarely makes a positive difference. At best, we create a memorable, fear-inspiring display or punish those who do wrong. Righteous defends the powerless, destroys systems that feed evil, and strategically makes God's will happen on earth. Numbers 14:18, Psalm 78:17-22, Numbers 25, Mark 3:1-5, John 2:13-22, Romans 1:18-32-2:11, Jeremiah 36:1-7
Lord, I will…