Prayers to Overcome Anger
by Priscilla Van Sutphin
9-25-01
And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Gen 4:4-8 NKJV
Oh Lord, forgive any areas of my life where I have been jealous, or angry and not forgiven. Help me to walk in righteousness by Your grace, that I would be able to
obey all You want for me to do.
But now, do not therefore be grieved nor angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. Gen 45:4-5 NKJV
Lord, help me to be as Joseph was in forgiving those even closest to him who desired to kill him. Help me to love my enemies and to be good to those who hate me, and to pray for those who spitefully use me.
"And the LORD heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, 'Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, Deut 1:34-35 NKJV
Father, I do not want to reap what I have sown in anger, I pray that You would deliver me from all violence, bitterness, hatred , murderous attitudes and anger. I want to inherit all You have for me.
"The LORD was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, 'Even you shall not go in there; Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Deut 1:37-38 NKJV
Father, You were angry with Moses, because He acted in pride and anger again, I do not want to walk in impatience, but to be free from all things that would keep me from Your best for me. Help me to identify oh Lord, those things in my heart that are unpleasing to You, and to forgive all who have offended me. Help me to be quick to forgive Father.
"But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: 'Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter. Deut 3:26 NKJV
Father, You know all things. You alone are almighty. You have said that vengeance is Mine, says the Lord ! So Father help me to give up my right to be angry or vengeful, that I might inherit the promises You have made, and not walk in any rebellion in my life. I want Your ears to be open to my prayers so help me to give up any hold I have to doubt, unbelief or anything else that would rob and steal from me.
Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land.
Deut 4:21-22 NKJV
Father, I want to cross my Jordan. I want to possess all the good things You have for me. Help me Lord , to be brave and of good courage; to let go of all wrath and anger.
Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew." And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground. Judg 6:39-40 NKJV Father, like Gideon, sometimes I have tested You. I pray You will help me to grow in faith and trust in You, and to die to my own self sufficiency. I pray I will depend on You like Gideon did, and that I will trust in Your kindness like David did.
Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?" So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the spear, for he said, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David escaped his presence twice. Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul.
1 Sam 18:8-12 NKJV
Father, I do not want to be a Saul and walk in fear, delusion, anger, hatred and jealousy. I want to know Your love for me and to understand Your lovingkindness, that I could be filled with Your goodness. Pour in Your love and extract all ungodly fear from my life that I would walk in TRUTH.
And the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times." 2 Kings 13:19 NKJV
Father, instill me with confidence in Your ability to defend me and fight for me ! Remove all ungodly anger and wrath, that I would walk in obedience to you. Extract any pain from my life that is the root of my anger, that I could face it, and forgive those who offended me. Take away my tendency to walk in my own self-sufficiency instead of depending on You & obeying You.
Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. 2 Chron 26:18-19 NKJV
Father, help me to walk humbly with You, to not walk in presumption and pride, that would cause me to get angry without cause. Grant me the grace to walk in humility and thankfulness Lord.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Ps 2:12-3:1NKJV
Father, help me to walk in intimacy with You, not hiding anything, and trusting in the blood of Jesus, that paid the price for my sins. I never want to get so far away, that I don't experience Your kisses, Your voice, Your tenderness and Grace towards me. Pour out Your perfect love in me, that it would cast down all fear. Fill me with the fear of the Lord instead of the fear of man!
Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.
Selah Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD.
Ps 4:4-5 NKJV
Father, Give me Your peace, when that peace has been disrupted by the enemy's voice ! Help me to remember Your truth, when he comes to sow doubt in my heart. Help me to remember, when others fail in their love for me, that Your's is never ending, and Your presence is always close to those who fear You. Help me to get still and listen for Your wisdom and comfort in every situation that brings turmoil to my heart.
God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.
Ps 7:11-12 NKJV
Father, Your word is truth. Help me to know when I feel angry about something or someone, that I am not warring against flesh and blood, but powers and principalities and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, and that You are my strong tower, my refuge from the enemy's taunts.
You, Yourself, are to be feared; And who may stand in Your presence
When once You are angry ? Ps 76:7 NKJV
Father, I have no rights, because I gave them up when I gave my heart to You. I surrendered my whole life and I choose to trust you and to depend on You to help me with all my emotions. I do not have to give in to my emotions. Give me the grace to see what the enemy is doing when I am acting out of hurt, intolerance, impatience, or frustration. Help me to remember You are in control of my life and that all things work for the good to those who are called according to Your purposes.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them me not turn back to folly.
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land. Ps 85 NKJV
Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman. Prov 21:19 NKJV
Father, Help me to face all the anger in my heart, that I would not be a contentious person , or project any anger on those I love. Let Your hand be upon me that I would not do harm to anyone. Change my attitude to reflect Your own Lord, that I would fulfill the call on my life to be an ambassador for You; to love others as You have loved me.
Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go,
Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. Prov 22:24-25 NKJV
Father, keep me from ungodly relationships. Give me discernment to recognize when bitterness is rearing it's ugly head and to not agree with it. Keep me from aligning myself with strife and rebellion that comes through angry men or women . Help me to quiet myself within, that I could hear what You would say.
An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression. A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.
Prov 29:22-23 NKJV
Lord, Your word indicates that anger comes with transgression and that unrealized anger stirs up strife and arguments. Help me to walk in humility. Grant me the grace to cast all my cares upon You and to realize I need You more than the air I breathe, everyday. Help me to keep up the communion with You and to get alone with You, that You can work Your goodness in me.
Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry , for anger rests in the bosom of fools. Eccl 7:9 NKJV
Father, I don't want to be foolish. Help me to change my reactions to align with Your will in my life. Help me to change my habits and to look for You to know how to react in different situations. Help me to stop and look to You instead of reacting.
For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners. "I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "And I will heal him." Isa 57:17-19 NKJV
Lord, always help me to remember You lovingkindness and patience, even when I have blown it. Help me to not ever compromise to the extent I would backslide away from Your heart. You always promise to heal if we come to You in our pain , in our sadness, in our anger. I thank You Lord that You create the fruit of the lips and that You have promised to give us peace. You have said that You will make even our enemies to be at peace with us.
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!" Then the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" Jonah 4:1-4 NKJV
Lord help keep me from the pride of self righteousness, that then looks only at the problems in other people. Help me to remember Your goodness, that You are SLOW to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and give me the grace to be like You. Keep me from doing harm to another person. Keep me from self-pity and all the ways of anger and violence. Restore to me a pure and undivided heart. Never let me get so prideful that I would align Your heart to injustice, for You only have my good in mind in all that You do.
Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" But the LORD said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left--and much livestock?" Jonah 4:9-11 NKJV
Father, crush all the pride in me that would not allow me to have Your mercy and compassion for others, even though they are rebellious or imperfect. Never let me get into the pride of self-sufficiency and self-righteousness without Your immediate correction. Do not let me do harm to another through my words. Put a guard on the door of my lips and heart Father ! In Jesus' name !
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Matt 5:22-24 NKJV
Father, help me to be quick to forgive any offenses and to never judge another man. You are the One and only Judge. Father, never let me succomb to jealousy over the well being or ministry of another. I don't know what others have been through. I don't know the price they have paid. Let me never assume about anyone.
Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. Matt 18:33-34 NKJV
Father, never let me forget Your lovingkindness to me, or to be less than kind to another. Forgive me Lord for my many indiscretions with my lips, and any anger I have at not being able to control my life. For my life is in Your hands, and You work all things to the good for those who are called to Your purposes. Fill me up with Your love that I can love others. Your love never fails.
Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.' Luke 14:21-22 NKJV Never Lord, do I want to presume on Your relationship with me. Help me to stay close to You. Fill me with passion for You, that I would not reject Your Holy Spirit when He calls to me; that I would never be too busy to spend time with You which is the only way I can get filled up with more of YOU.
And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' " Luke 15:27-32 NKJV
Father, Your love is so unconditional and everlasting. Keep me from jealousy towards my own brothers and sisters in the Lord. Root out any discontentment with how You have dealt with me. Root out any jealousy for how you choose to use others. Help me to be content in all situations. Fill me more with Your love and kindness, that I can rejoice with those who rejoice and be grateful for the life and ministry You have given me and others, without anger at what I have not been given to do. Help me to press in to You with all my heart, and to be free from any selfish ambition.
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." John 7:24 NKJV
Father, You alone are the righteous Judge. Help me to seek Your opinions of others and not yield to my own fleshly tendencies to judge for myself. You alone know the hearts of men, and help me to love them as You love them.
Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Eph 4:25-27 NKJV
Lord help me to come to You with my anger, and not to use it against others to hurt them. Help me to lay all my cares and concerns onto You. Show me the way of LIFE Lord. I give my anger and pain to YOU. Help me Lord to forgive deep in my heart, and not just on the surface. Help me to see the other person's point of view and to see them with Your eyes.
They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage. But You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them
Neh 9:17 NKJV
Thank You Father for helping me to see in Your word, that You never leave us or forsake us, that Your love never is taken away, even when we get rebellious or angry or hurt others, that You continue, by Your grace to be concerned with healing us, and changing us, by pouring in your love, even when we don't deserve it.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret--it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.
Ps 37:8-9 NKJV
Father, I see a relationship between fear and nervousness , with anger and wrath. Father deliver me in Your lovingkindness from every fear in my life, from all impatience, intolerance, worry, and doubt, that I could be filled with the knowledge of the depth of Your love for meand be confident in that. Help me to not be presumptuous and keep me from acting in impulsiveness, that I would WAIT on You , to do only what You lead Father !
When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me. The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; Ps 103:8-11 NKJV
Oh Lord, I praise You for Your great love and mercy towards me ! Thank You for Your ever loving kindness and unconditional love, and help me to forgive those who don't love me unconditionally. Help those persons I have offended to forgive me Lord. Heal my heart from any hidden hurts and pain, that I will not react in bitterness, but only in Your love, by Your Spirit.
The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. Ps 145:8-9
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. Prov 15:1-2 NKJV
Lord, help me to be filled up with soft answers; to react in PEACE towards those who are angry and tormented. Help me to react in LOVE and kindness to those who seem offensive and bitter themselves. I want to walk in Your love, and see others with Your eyes and react in Your heart. Put Your words on my lips. Let no corrupt communication come out of my mouth Lord.
A wrathful man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger allays contention. Prov 15:18 NKJV He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Prov 16:32 NKJV The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. Prov 19:11 NKJV
Father, I acknowledge that there are many times I have failed and have been provoked to react in anger and wrath. Help me to stop before I react, and to have the mind of Christ in all situations, that I may react in love . Take away any impulsivity, that I would wait, and look to You for how to respond in my communications with others. Help my words to always edify, comfort and build up others Lord, like You do.
The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life. Prov 20:2 NKJV
Father, always help me to have a healthy respect for authority that I would not incur Your anger. Help me to love, and pray for those in authority in my life and to always respond as You would.
It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel. Prov 20:3 NKJV
Father I want to be free from any foolishness in my life. Break the power of strife in my life; uproot any pride that would engender strife.
Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy? Prov 27:4 NKJV
Lord, Your word seems to indicate that jealousy is worse than anger or wrath. Root out any place in my heart where I have been jealous of others, including my natural family Lord. Heal the deep bitter root judgments I have made, that I could forgive deeply like You forgive and love them as You love them Lord. Keep me from the sins of jealousy, envy, wrath and anger that I would not put anything in the way of our relationship. Lord, I know that jealousy in Saul led him to a murderous attitude of heart. I renounce all jealousy and murder that could be in my heart and ask You to increase Your Holy Spirit in me, that I could live totally in YOU.
Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Prov 27:5-6 NKJV
Lord help me to accept Your correction, even when coming from unlikely vessels. Help me to discern when the words of people are coming from You, or from their own hurts, that I would not react in anger, but with Your Spirit of understanding.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. NKJV
Father, Jesus's words were that offenses will come. Help me to forgive my friends when they are insensitive to my needs or feelings. Help me to realize that when the kisses of the enemy come through another, that I fight not against flesh and blood, but powers and principalities and spiritual wickedness in high places. Help me to feel Your love and comfort, and to quiet myself when offenses come, that I can feel Your love. Help me to love those who seem to be my enemies.
And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger. Eccl 5:16-17 NKJV
Lord, help me not to yield to self-pity, but understand that bad things happen to all people and I am not alone in my suffering. You are there with me suffering with me, feeling my pain and sorrow. Help me to rejoice in my sufferings and to continue to wage the good fight that I may earn the prize of Your presence. Help me to have a thankful heart.
So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him--A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God ? Joel 2:13-14 NKJV
Search my heart oh God and tell me if there is any wicked way in me. Show me anything I have not repented of. And grant me the grace to turn away from sins that easily beset me. Bring the power of Your love that leads to repentance and destroys the yoke of bondage over my life Father ! In Jesus' name !
Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Mic 7:18-19 NKJV
Thank you Lord that Your character delights in mercy. Your heart is ever towards me. Have compassion on me Lord, and subdue my iniquities, that I may walk in light all the time.
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Eph 4:29-32 NKJV
Oh Lord, give me a tender heart; an undivided heart, that I may know You and the fellowship of Your sufferings, that I may share in Your glory ! Help me to be a braveheart. Do not let my heart bring forth words that would hurt others, but that would only bring LIFE to others.
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Col 3:8-11 NKJV
Father, any sin in my life means compromise and deception somewhere in my mind or heart. Help free me from my sins. Deliver me from all evil as Your word says You will do Lord ! Give me a passion for You and obeying Your word! Help me to live what I have read in Your word, that I may bless and represent You well to the world that does not know You. Help me to love them as You love them Lord , even when they treat me with misunderstanding help me to react in LOVE. Pour Your love in me Lord, that I may love others as You love them.
