Ephesians 4:26, 27
These two verses in Ephesians offer a prime example of the writing style of the Apostle Paul. He introduces a topic, in this case “Be ye angry, and sin not” (Ephesians 4:26), and then he proceeds to explain that topic with the usage of a colon. The colon is followed by “let not the sun go down on your wrath” which ends with another colon, meaning the thought is being furthered. The thought is completed in the next verse with “Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). Each thought leads to the next, with each following statement giving fuller definition to the one that preceded it.
In this case, we have three distinct statements, each furthering the topic. We find that anger is okay, as long as it does not lead to sin. How can it lead to sin? If the sun goes down on our wrath, then our anger has set in without us dealing with the source of it, thus the seed of sin has begun. These two lead to the terrible third statement, that we have now given place to the devil. Note the progression: we are angry and rather than resolve it, we let it fester inside of us which gives the devil an advantage in our life.
Of larger concern than how to overcome anger is the fact that this text shows us that believers can “give place to the devil”. If place can be given, it denotes that Satan currently occupies no place in our life, and that any place that he has must have been given to him by the believer. Remember that Satan is a defeated foe, and he has been defeated at the cross. If he is operating in different areas of our life, it is not because he is all-powerful; it is because he has been given all-access by you and me.
When we allow resentment and unforgiveness; or any other problem for that matter, to stir inside of our hearts, we are giving the enemy a place to stand in our life. Jesus told the church that we have the power to bind and to release. Whatever we bind on this earth is also bound in heaven (Matthew 16:19), which means that if we are bound by anger or jealousy or whatever, then heaven is bound from moving with authority in our lives.
This in no way puts works back into our righteousness, for we are righteous whether we are bound or not! This does, however, place a responsibility on the believer to allow grace to work in every area of their life if they are going to experience freedom and power. When we feed our anger or resentments, we are keeping ourselves bound to others and we are binding them from freedom as well. Jesus gave us the power to free people from their guilt or to set them free, and that includes ourselves:
“Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained” (John 20:23).
Let’s not let Satan have an advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of the way he works (2 Corinthians 2:11).
These two verses in Ephesians offer a prime example of the writing style of the Apostle Paul. He introduces a topic, in this case “Be ye angry, and sin not” (Ephesians 4:26), and then he proceeds to explain that topic with the usage of a colon. The colon is followed by “let not the sun go down on your wrath” which ends with another colon, meaning the thought is being furthered. The thought is completed in the next verse with “Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). Each thought leads to the next, with each following statement giving fuller definition to the one that preceded it.
In this case, we have three distinct statements, each furthering the topic. We find that anger is okay, as long as it does not lead to sin. How can it lead to sin? If the sun goes down on our wrath, then our anger has set in without us dealing with the source of it, thus the seed of sin has begun. These two lead to the terrible third statement, that we have now given place to the devil. Note the progression: we are angry and rather than resolve it, we let it fester inside of us which gives the devil an advantage in our life.
Of larger concern than how to overcome anger is the fact that this text shows us that believers can “give place to the devil”. If place can be given, it denotes that Satan currently occupies no place in our life, and that any place that he has must have been given to him by the believer. Remember that Satan is a defeated foe, and he has been defeated at the cross. If he is operating in different areas of our life, it is not because he is all-powerful; it is because he has been given all-access by you and me.
When we allow resentment and unforgiveness; or any other problem for that matter, to stir inside of our hearts, we are giving the enemy a place to stand in our life. Jesus told the church that we have the power to bind and to release. Whatever we bind on this earth is also bound in heaven (Matthew 16:19), which means that if we are bound by anger or jealousy or whatever, then heaven is bound from moving with authority in our lives.
This in no way puts works back into our righteousness, for we are righteous whether we are bound or not! This does, however, place a responsibility on the believer to allow grace to work in every area of their life if they are going to experience freedom and power. When we feed our anger or resentments, we are keeping ourselves bound to others and we are binding them from freedom as well. Jesus gave us the power to free people from their guilt or to set them free, and that includes ourselves:
“Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained” (John 20:23).
Let’s not let Satan have an advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of the way he works (2 Corinthians 2:11).
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