Pastor Chris explains the significance of having the holy Word in your heart and soul as opposed to just having it in the Bible. According to the man of God, this is a very big and transformative process, one which can be healing for the soul. He relates to this idea with the story about an angry lady wanting to hit someone with the Bible.
“A dear lady was very angry with another Christian sister, and as they bandied words, she said to her neighbour, “Any more word from you, I will drop this Bible, and smack your face!” Meanwhile, she wasn’t holding a physical Bible, but she meant that she’d keep aside whatever caution the Bible gives and hit her.”
You Can’t Use What You Don’t Own
This teaches a very important lesson about the positioning of the holy Word. “When the Word is in you, you can’t drop it; it’s your life. Every Christian wants and should live the life that’s Spirit-ruled and Spirit-controlled; the life that’s filled with God. That’s what Christianity is: Christ alive and at work in you, such that you’re always under the sway and regulation of the Spirit; not such things as anger, wrath and malice.”
How to Manage Anger
How can one contain the anger that they have? How does one control the feelings and emotions and not allow it to control you? These are huge questions to answer. Like the woman who wants to harm someone with a Bible, we often let our feelings get the better of us. “Be Spirit-ruled. It makes no difference how angry you are; hold yourself in; it’s called in 2 Peter 1:6 “egkrateia” (Greek). The Bible says, “Be ye angry, and sin not…” (Ephesians 4:26). In other words, “Manage your anger.” You can be tempted to be angry, tempted to act in a way that’s inappropriate for a Christian, but if you walk in the spirit, you’ll not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
How Does One Walk in the Spirit?
To walk in God’s light is not an easy feat. To do so one must walk in love. It’s by walking in the Word of God; walking in the light of God’s Word. You’re in Christ now”. Understanding that you are with Christ can allow you to be “Spirit- ruled”.
Confession
“I’m full of the Spirit. I’m patient and full of divine wisdom; I express the beauty and excellence of divinity through my words and actions every day, being continually led of the Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
For further study, refer to Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 4:1 NIV