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Not Hot-Tempered
Text: Titus 1:7
(Tyrant)
Paul says don’t put a guy in an oversight position who is hot-tempered. They’ll will make foolish decisions when wisdom needs to be exercised. Proverbs 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly. They’ll make a mess of relationships that shouldn’t be messy at all.
I do find it interesting how much attention the husband of one wife instruction gets, but how little attention these other instructions get.
Anger is a normal part of life
- Be ye angry and sin not… (Ephesians 4:26-27)
- It is not a sin to be angry.
- Jesus got angry (John 2:14-16)
- Psalm 7:11 …God is angry with the wicked every day.
- When emotions are based on the truth, they are in their proper place.
Anger as a first response to anything contrary to you is dangerous
- Jesus warned against having a hot temper in his sermon (Matthew 5:22). And in that case, it may not even be lashing out at someone, but rather simmering against someone while you try to serve God. Jesus said to fix your anger, deal with what’s between you and them if you can, then bring your gift to the alter.
- The inability to control your anger shows up in the following areas:
- Unnecessary contention and fighting
- Cruel and malicious planning against someone you shouldn’t
- A demanding compulsion for revenge
- Victimhood and narcissistic self-pity
- Misuse authority
- You will hurt people physically, emotionally, mentally
- You may damage property or things and invite legal problems
- Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Put some walls on your emotions
- Let not the sun go down upon your wrath… (Ephesians 4:26)
- Go to work angry. Wreck the equipment or relationships. Complain about people. But you created this situation with your uncontrolled anger.
- How do I get control?
- Empathize first. Listen more.
- Maybe you need to stop building anger inside. Talk it out with your spouse or friend.
- Take a step back. Learn the details of what’s going on. Consider the consequences of your emotions. Quit listening to and surrounding yourself with stuff that’s making you mad.
- Majority of the population can be controlled through their emotions. This is Satan’s philosophy of humanity.
- Control your emotions. Rule your spirit Proverbs 16:32
- Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. There is no protection against the enemy. The walls are the protection, but if you won’t guard your anger, you’ll have no say in how devilish you become.
Devil resides in uncontrolled emotion
- Neither give place unto the devil. (Ephesians 4:27)
- The big danger is this where that Satanic spirit resides. He takes on the form of false accusations. Destruction of people’s lives. Destruction of relationships. Self-righteousness.
- If you give place to the devil then he is possessing that area you’ve given him. He’s the spirit of deceit, lies, destruction, damage, brokenness, and murder.
- The implication is obvious. You have no defence. The enemies will possess your land without any obstacles.
- There can be earthly, legal consequences for coming unglued and there can be eternal consequences for coming unglued. You say, does this mean someone is losing their salvation?! No one has gone to hell yet, but this transgression will be on their record and affect their life if they don’t get a grip.
Someone who is a hothead isn’t someone the LORD is going to approve of overseeing His flock. This guy will create too many unnecessary problems within the congregation to be useful to the people. It would be a way of inadvertently putting the devil in charge of the flock.
