Freedom From Anger and Sexual Lust — Zac Poonen

Walking as Jesus Walked in the Conscious Areas of Life

One of the things that we have proclaimed in our church for more than 40 years is this, that in the conscious area of our life, we can walk as Jesus walked. There are two parts to our life. One is what we are conscious of, where we know something is wrong.

Then there's another part of our life which we can't see, where we don't know whether we are doing something wrong. It's like, you know, if you put a cube of ice in a glass of water, 90 of it goes inside.

If it is some colored juice, you can't see that 90%. You can see only that top 10 of that ice cube. But if you take a knife and cut off that top 10%, then something which is underneath will come up.

You know that. So our life also is something that is only an illustration of our life. There are many un-Christlike actions and attitudes in our life, which we don't even know. And if we want to discover them, then we must deal with this top 10 that we know to be wrong.

So to grow in wisdom, we have to deal with what we know. So if you know there are certain things wrong in your life, that is like that top 10 of that ice cube. If you don't deal with that, if you don't battle it, if you don't ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to get rid of that, then that will remain there.

You will never discover any of that 90 which is below the surface. Then we can say you are not growing in wisdom. See take for the example this matter of anger. In the Old Testament, there was not much teaching on anger because nobody could overcome it.

Anger, Foolishness, and the Wisdom of Ecclesiastes

But see what it says in Ecclesiastes chapter 7. This is Old Testament, and it's written here in verse 9, chapter 7 verse 9. Don't be eager in your heart to be angry because anger dwells in the heart of fools.

What is a fool? Foolish is the opposite of wisdom. So anger is in the heart of a man who has no wisdom. And in the Old Testament, nobody could get victory over it. That is why in the Old Testament, there is no commandment in the Ten Commandments saying you must not get angry.

Was anger a sin in Old Testament times? Yes. But why didn't God make one of the commandments, you shall not get angry? God did not have a rule that you must give only ten commandments. He could have given fifteen commandments.

He could have said, do not be angry. Why he didn't give it? Because he knew without the Holy Spirit inside the heart, nobody can conquer anger. And he also knew that it is because of foolishness that anger is in people's hearts.

So remember this verse all your life. Ecclesiastes 7, 9. Anger dwells in the heart of a fool. Or I can say like this, anger proves that a man has got zero wisdom. Spiritual wisdom. He may have a lot of worldly wisdom.

But spiritually, he is a fool. Not if he gets angry and speaks something. Even if it is in his heart. You know, there are people who practice yoga. Yoga teaches you to control your tongue. And there are people who practice that and control anger from coming out of their tongue.

And they get a reputation, this man never gets angry. But he is a fool. Because his anger is still in his heart. With yoga and self-control, he is keeping it inside. It's like tightening the top of a bottle so that the poison is inside only.

But if poison is in your heart, it will still kill you. I'm just taking one example. How God never gave commandments in the Old Testament which he knew they could not keep. And so, throughout the Old Testament, many people remained spiritually foolish.

You know Moses, when he was 120 years old, he had a lot of wisdom in many things, earthly things. But at 120 years old, he got so angry that he hit the rock, disobeying God. And that was one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament.

But in his heart, he had anger. And one day he could not control it. So, you will never conquer anger unless you realize that it is making you a fool. Every time you get angry, say to yourself, I am a fool.

I am spiritually a fool. I may be an elder brother, but I am a fool. You may justify your anger by saying there is a reason for this and all that. Now, when you look at Jesus' life, you see the perfect example of how man should live.

And there you see that whether people slapped him or spat on him, he never got angry. He never even cursed them or said anything. When they called him prince of devils, when they tried to kill him, he never got angry.

That is our example. That is what we have preached in the church. And that is what every elder brother must seek to live by. And that is what every person must live by in our churches. In most other churches, they major on music.

Their conference, the main thing is music and drums and instruments and all that. And nowadays they also have different colored lights on the screen, on the platform. This is like the worldly music. These are not the marks of wisdom.

It is to walk as Jesus walked. See 1 John chapter 2 and verse 6. If anyone says that he is in Christ, he must walk as Jesus walked. Please read that in your Bible. 1 John chapter 2 verse 6. If you say that you are abiding in Christ, that is the first thing.

Do you say that you are in Christ? Then you have a responsibility to walk in the same way that he walked. And I gave the example of anger which is only one area. We do know that Jesus did get angry when he saw people making money in the name of religion in the temple.

Righteous Anger and Anger Directed at Self

So there is an anger which is sin and there is an anger which is not sin. Yeah, it says in Ephesians chapter 4, Ephesians 4 and verse 26. Be angry but don't sin. What does that mean? Be angry but don't sin.

So that means there is an anger which is not sin. So I could read that verse like this. If you get angry, it must be an anger without sin. So we need to find out which is the anger without sin and which is the anger with sin.

This is related to wisdom because anger we saw in Ecclesiastes dwells in the heart of a man who has no wisdom. Fool means no wisdom. Anger is in the heart of a man who has no wisdom. So where do we see Jesus getting angry?

When it concerned the glory of God. Where do we see him not getting angry? When it concerned himself. So that is our example. So how does it work out in practical life? If somebody insults me, makes fun of me, slaps me, spits on my face, tells false stories about me, if I get angry, I am a fool.

If you are angry because people cheated you, Judas Iscariot cheated Jesus, he did not get angry. If you get angry because people say bad things about you, they spoke bad things about Jesus all the time, calling him a false prophet.

Even if you get angry with somebody trying to kill you, they tried to kill Jesus all the time. He was not angry with them. Anything that concerned him, Jesus would never get angry. That is our example.

If I get angry about anything that concerns me, I commit sin. You won't hear this being preached in any church. Even though it is in the Bible. See Ephesians 4 .31. So clear. Put away all bitterness, all wrath, all anger, is there two words there in Tamil?

All clamor, all slander, all. He uses two words for anger there. Wrath and anger. Both. How much should we put away? All. Now supposing we say, we want to put away all the chairs in this room. How many chairs are left here?

Not even one. So when we put away all anger from our hearts, how much anger is left? Zero. Now I want to ask you an honest question. Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments. I read this many years ago.

After being born again, I was an angry man. I used to get angry many, many times. I never knew that I was a fool inside. Because nobody showed me this verse seriously. I never had a spiritual father. I had to learn almost everything by myself.

I went to a church where nobody ever spoke about anger. I went to many churches. Let me tell you honestly. I never heard one sermon against anger in any church I went to. You tell me, have you heard a message on that?

Is it written in your Bible that one must put away all anger? Is it written in your Bible that if you are angry, you are a fool? Or turn to Matthew chapter 5. It says here, the Old Testament standard, verse 21, was you must not commit murder.

That was Moses' standard. You must not commit murder. When Jesus came, he raised it. How much did he raise it? He raised it as high as Jesus is above Moses. And he said, now the standard is not just you shall not commit murder, but verse 22, if you are angry with your brother, that is only in your heart.

You haven't said anything. The Lord is speaking about three steps in anger. First, all three steps are in verse 22. First anger is in your heart. Are you guilty? Yes. You are guilty before the court even though you didn't commit murder.

In the Old Testament, verse 21, if you commit murder, you are guilty to the court. In the New Testament, verse 22, if you are angry, you are guilty. You are guilty in the court. And the second step, when the anger comes out of your mouth in some word, it can be any word.

Here he says raka. It's some Hebrew word. Yeah, okay. You get angry and you say something to your brother. Now it has come out of the heart. Then you are even more guilty. And then after some time, you go and say again something worse to him.

Then, third stage, you are ready to go to hell. Is it like that in Tamil? You'll go to hell. You are worthy to go to hell. Okay, let me ask you. Have you ever heard anyone preach to you that if you keep on getting angry, you are ready to go to hell?

I'll tell you honestly, this is the only church you will hear that. That is why the devil keeps telling us, telling everybody we are preaching a false doctrine. Is what Jesus taught a false doctrine? Now, do you know what Jesus also said about this?

About the same verse. At the end of the sermon, this is part of the sermon on the mount. He said in Matthew 7, verse 24, if you hear these words, what are these words? About anger. You hear these words, and you do them.

You decide, you are going to overcome anger. Then, you have built your house on a rock. Matthew 7, verse 24. And all the storms of life will not break down your house. Even the storms of judgment in the final day will not knock down your house.

But, if you hear these words, who are they who are hearing these words? All of you. You are hearing these words. And, you are either going to be in verse 24, or in verse 26. It doesn't matter who you are.

God doesn't care whether you are elder brother, or senior brother, or junior brother, or converted yesterday. If you hear these words, two types of people. Those who do them, those who don't do them. Those who do it, build their house on the rock.

Those who don't do it, verse 26, build their house on sand. And one day, the storms of judgment will come. The house will fall. Take it seriously. I took it seriously. And I tell you what I told the Lord.

I said, Lord, I don't care how long it takes. I want to get rid of anger 100 from my life. I want to get rid of all unrighteous, sinful anger. I never want to get angry when people insult me, slap me, spit on my face, call me the devil, Or cheat me, anything.

But, when I see people making money in the name of Jesus Christ, I want to be angry with them. And I want my words to be like a whip. I want my words to be like a whip and drive them away. These are the two sides of Jesus.

On one side, he was never angry when people hurt him. But he was furious when people made money in the name of God. What does it mean to walk as Jesus walked? For me, it came like this. You may not be called to do it because you are not a preacher.

But I am called to be a preacher. So, I have to do both sides. One, I must never get angry when whatever people do to me or say about me. But I must get angry with every possible pastor or bishop or preacher who tries to make money in the name of Jesus Christ.

Now you know why I preach so much about that for so many years. Because that is my calling to walk as Jesus walked. To preach like Jesus preached. To have the same attitude to people that Jesus had. If there is somebody who has fallen into adultery and is repentant like Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, I can also say you are forgiven.

Repentance, Forgiveness, and the Example of David

You are forgiven. Oh, adultery is a terrible sin. You have repented. To anybody here, have you fallen into adultery? Have you repented? If you have not repented, there is no forgiveness for you. But if you have repented, then don't let the devil torture you and torture you about your past failure.

If you have confessed your sin to the Lord, and don't say, oh, because that woman tempted me, I fell. Then, you will never be forgiven. Say, Lord, it is my fault. I sinned. Forgive me, like David said in Psalm 51.

You will be forgiven immediately. And the Lord will say, I don't condemn you. But don't sin anymore. That's how Jesus is. He is very compassionate to someone who is repentant of his adultery. But here is a pastor who is trying to make money from poor people.

There is no forgiveness for him. The Lord says, how will you escape the damnation of hell? That is how Jesus was. And a true servant of God must be like Jesus Christ in his preaching. So, anger dwells in the bosom of a fool.

And in the Old Testament, people could not overcome that. And the New Testament, Jesus would not have spoken against it unless he gives us the power to overcome it. There is another sin that is that Jesus spoke about.

Wisdom’s Protection From Sexual Sin

He turned to Proverbs chapter 7. In Proverbs chapter 7, he speaks about, you know, the whole book of Proverbs is about wisdom. He says in Proverbs 7, verse 4, say to wisdom, you are my sister. Fourth verse.

That means you are the one to help me. Supposing you have a sister, a pure sister, you are a young brother and you got a young, you got a very pure sister. And you are walking down the road and a very pretty girl tries to tempt you.

Your sister will protect you. That is how wisdom is. Say to wisdom, you are my sister. Then verse 5, it will keep you from this adulterous girl. From the girl who flatters you with her words. And then he talks about a young man who was walking down the road in Proverbs 7.

Walking on the road. And from the other side, verse 10, a woman comes to meet him. Dressed in a very tempting way with tight dress and showing off some parts of her body. What is the purpose of women wearing tight dresses and showing off some parts of their body?

It's only to tempt young men. That's all. And one day God and if that woman falls, if that man falls into sin, one day God will not only judge that man, he will judge this woman for dressing up like this.

So, it's a wisdom not only keeps us from anger, wisdom will keep us from sexual sin. And it says here that she invites him and then he goes after her. Verse 22, like an ox that is going to the slaughter.

As one who is in chains to the discipline of a fool. So, this is the other person who is a fool. One fool we already saw who has got anger in his heart. This is the other fool who sees some pretty girl and tries to go after her.

Or if he can't see her on the road, he tries to see that pretty woman on his computer. Or nowadays on the smart phone. It's the same fool. Whether you see it on the road or computer or your phone. He wants to see this woman.

And, whenever you young men and older men, whenever you do that next time. Remember Proverbs 7 .22. You are going like an ox to be killed. You are going like an ox to be killed. You are going like a man who is going to go in chains into the jail.

And verse 23 you are going like a bird going to be caught in a trap. An arrow will pierce through your life through your liver verse 23. So, verse 24 my son listen to me. Pay attention to my words. So, there are two sins where it speaks about being a fool.

And those are the two sins Jesus also spoke about in Matthew chapter 5. We already saw anger. What is the second thing? Sexual sin. And so Jesus speaks about that next. He said in Old Testament verse 27 the standard was you shall not commit adultery.

Matthew 5 .27. But that is Moses' standard. But Jesus' standard I say to you if you look at a woman in order to imagine in your mind that you'd like to have sex with her it doesn't matter whether that woman is on the road or on your computer screen or on your phone.

And it doesn't matter whether you're 17 years old or 70 years old. And you'll use your eyes to lust there it is better to pull out your eye. You pull out your right eye your right eye and then your left eye is committing the sin again pull out that also.

It is better to be blind and go to heaven than to have both eyes and go to hell. That's what he said in verse 29. It says your whole body will be thrown into hell. You say Lord you mean you're going to throw my whole body into hell just because I lusted after a woman?

It is a sin because that girl is somebody created by God to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. And you're treating her like an object to satisfy your sexual lust. There was a missionary who came to India 200 years ago young man his name was Henry Martin and he worked in North India among the Muslims and like every young man he was tremendously tempted by young women and he was he was honest about it.

He said whenever I'm tempted those days there was no computer or phones so it was only on the street or somewhere he would see and he said whenever I'm tempted with a pretty girl he said immediately I'm tempted immediately I will pray Lord you created her to be to be a holy temple for you.

I pray that she will be a holy temple for God. I pray that her body will be the temple of the Holy Spirit. And he said whenever he prayed like that it was impossible for him to lust after that girl after that.

I remember reading that story when I was a young man and it helped me many many many times I prayed that same prayer Lord she was created to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. Don't let me have any desire for her.

These are two very serious sins that rob us of wisdom. In the old testament there was no twelfth commandment saying thou shalt not lust after a woman because Jesus knew it was impossible. But now why has he given us these commandments.

Because now we can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Now let me tell you Paul's testimony. You know the tenth commandment was that you should not lust after your neighbor's wife or daughter. I told you you can all keep the nine commandments.

The Tenth Commandment and Paul’s Struggle With Coveting

The tenth commandment nobody can keep. When you get time read Exodus chapter 20 all the ten commandments are there. I would have read it to you but we don't have time. But you go home and read Exodus 20 you will see you can keep all nine commandments all of you.

But you cannot keep the tenth. Then why did God keep the tenth commandment there. You shall not desire your neighbor's wife your neighbor's daughter anything that is your neighbor. The nine commandments were outside.

Only the tenth commandment was inside. Why did God keep it there to test people. How many people will go through the commandments and come to the tenth and say oh lord I can't keep this. They stop with nine.

I am happy they don't think about the tenth. I will give you one example. In Mark's gospel chapter 10 10 there was a young rich man who came to Jesus. Mark 10 verse 17 he said good teacher what shall I do to inherit eternal life.

No. Today if somebody comes with that question we will say repent of your sins and believe that Jesus died for you and rose again and receive him into your life. But this was old testament time so that was not the message Jesus gave.

So when he asked Jesus about eternal life Jesus said verse 19 you know the commandments. Keep them. Keep the commandments. That's how you get eternal life in the old testament. So the old testament was in two tablets of stone.

Moses got it like that. One side was four commandments dealing with God. No. Don't have any other gods. Don't take the Lord's name in vain. Don't worship idols. Keep the sabbath day holy. Those commandments all the Jews kept so Jesus did not even mention them.

But in the other tablet with the remaining six commandments honor your father and mother. Don't steal. Don't commit adultery. Don't murder. Don't bear false witness in the court. And the tenth one. Don't desire anything that your neighbors.

But here Jesus does not mention the tenth commandment. He says five six seven eight nine. He says you know don't murder. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Don't bear false witness. Don't dethrone. Honor your father and mother.

And you say Lord why did you leave out the tenth one if you were there. And you asked Jesus why you haven't mentioned the tenth one. If you were there and you asked Jesus why did you leave out the tenth one.

Jesus would have said nobody can keep that. I won't even mention it. And this man says I have kept all these commandments for my youth. Even then Jesus did not mention the tenth commandment. If that rich young man was really honest he would have said Lord there is also a tenth commandment I cannot keep.

If that rich young man was really honest he would have said Lord did you leave out the tenth commandment. I cannot keep that. He would have said why didn't he say that. I will tell you another rich young man.

His name was Paul. He was Saul of Tarsus. His father was a very rich businessman in Tarsus. He was a young man who tried to keep the commandments. He says in another place I kept all the commandments in the law that means one to nine.

Nobody tried to keep the tenth. So when an old testament Jew said I have kept all the commandments he means one to nine. That's all. But Paul was different from the rich young ruler. He said Lord but there is a tenth one I cannot keep.

See Romans 7. What shall we say then verse 7 is the law sin. No. I would not have come to know sin without the law. And he is not talking about the nine commandments. He has kept all that. But when the law said you shall not covet you shall not lust after your neighbor's wife and daughter and all that.

Then I would have been alright. But because of this what did I discover. Verse 8 I discovered every type of lusting in my heart coveting of every kind. He says in verse 8 he said Paul did you lust after somebody's wife.

Yes. Did you lust after somebody's daughter. Many many daughters. No Paul. Paul when you were a young man were you lusting after the girls walking on the street. Yes many times. You mean you could not get victory over that.

Never. But the other nine commandments I kept faithfully. When it came to the tenth commandment I was just defeated. And verse 9 sin became alive in me and I died spiritually. And what does he say. Verse 24 oh wretched man who will deliver me from this.

You are also defeated by this sin. Many of you even some of you young girls and women when you desire after some boy do you say oh wretched man that I am. How will I be free. Because Paul said that he got freedom.

He said lord I want to be free. I have heard about this for 30 years and I am still defeated. Wretched man that I am. When will I get wisdom. And when the lord heard that cry he delivered him. He says listen to this Romans 8 verse 2 the law of the holy spirit which is not hundred commandments but which is life in Christ Jesus.

The holy spirit brought the life of Christ in me and that set me free from this law of sin. And then verse 3 what the law could not do. What was it. The law could not do. The law could not help. Set me to keep the tenth commandment.

God did it. What the law could not do God did so that now verse 4 the requirement of the law can be fulfilled in me. What is the requirement of the law. You shall not desire your neighbor's wife or daughter or any girl or anyone.

It says it can be fulfilled in me. Because now I don't walk according to the flesh. I walk according to the prompting of the holy spirit. It's not automatic. Some people think if I am filled with the holy spirit then all these things will go.

But God does not make us like robots. You know a robot is a machine made to look like a man. But they put all types of computer programs inside and it will do whatever you tell it to do. Say hello hello.

Don't go there go here. That's a robot. God did not make Adam like a robot. He gave us free will. Because of free will is only why you sin. God will never take away that free will. He didn't take it away when you were born again.

That's why you sin so much. He will not take it away even when you are filled with the holy spirit. He will give you the power. But you have to say yes. See it's like if I were to use an illustration I use illustrations because Jesus was always using illustrations.

Cooperation With the Holy Spirit in Sanctification

See when you build a new house it's all dark. Then you apply to the electricity board to give you an electricity connection. You know you have fitted the bulbs and fans and everything. But it's still dark.

All the bulbs are there. It is dark. Then you ask the electricity board give me a connection. And they give you the connection. That is like being filled with the holy spirit. That is like being filled with the holy spirit.

Then what do you do. It's still dark. You have to do something. You can't tell the electricity board now please come here and put on the switch. In the morning you call them and say please switch it off.

They say we give you the connection. You have to put on the switch. That is what the lord tells us also I'll give you the power of the holy spirit to drive away the darkness from your heart. But you got to put on the switch.

You got to use that power to deny your will. That's the meaning of the spirit of life. Verse 2 the spirit set me free from the law of sin. But it is because verse 4 I refuse to walk according to the flesh and I walk according to the spirit.

So holiness is a cooperation between the holy spirit and me. If it is entirely up to me I'll be defeated everyday. If it is entirely up to the holy spirit I'll become a robot. That means I can't. I don't have a choice.

You know how these robots walk. Have you seen pictures of these robots. So if god had made Adam like a robot Adam Adam and Eve they will walk up to the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The program inside says turn right.

Ok. It turns right. Now the program says go to the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And he goes there. Then the program says now go to god and say I love you. So he walks up to god and says I love you.

You think god wanted children like that. Do you want children like that. Would you be happy when you come home from work when small robot comes to the door says hello daddy. What can I do for you. I love you so much.

Can I bring you your slippers. I don't want a robot. I say give me a 3 year old naughty son. I don't want a robot. God is like that. He is not going to force you so that you can never get angry. You can never lust.

So that you can never get angry. You can never lust. God is not going to force you. He is not going to force you. Sometimes you wish it could be like that but you will become a robot. You will never be.

You will never sin. But you can never be a child of god. Look at the planets and the stars. They never sin. For thousands of years. They have obeyed god perfectly. But they cannot be children of god. You cannot be a child of god if you don't have free will to choose.

But as you exercise that will in god's favor you become strong to do the will of god. See like these people who go to the gym and exercise themselves with one hand they can lift 50 kilos 100 kilos. Those who don't do exercise even 15 kilos they are struggling.

But constant exercise. They can do amazing things. I have seen pictures of a person holding a rope in his teeth and pulling a car. Amazing what they can do with exercise. So if we exercise to listen to the holy spirit.

Small things big things. Start with the small things. Sometimes when you are doing something very important you are doing an important thing. The holy spirit says stop it for 2 minutes. Spend some time to talk to me.

Will you do that. God i am doing an important thing. Please wait. At the time of preparing you. You didn't get the strength to half an hour. After half an hour another test is going to come. In that test can you win.

Can you prepare yourself. Now stop for 2 minutes and spend time with me like this. Peter, John, Jacob in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus wanted to prepare himself. Pray. They didn't listen. So when temptation comes Peter takes out the sword and cuts off somebody's ear.

He would not have done that if he had obeyed god and prayed when Jesus told him to pray. And many times the lord has prompted you to spend 2 -3 minutes in prayer. However important your work. Stop. Or sometimes when you are tempted to say something to somebody the holy spirit says don't say it.

That is an exercise. It's like building your muscle. You don't listen. Then you don't become strong. So from now onwards you say lord I want to listen to that still small voice that says that says do this or don't do this.

Don't say that. Now keep quiet or go and ask forgiveness from your wife. Now go and ask forgiveness from your husband. Now you keep listening to the holy spirit. Like that you will become a spiritually strong man.

Fleeing Sexual Temptation and Resisting the Devil

You see the temptation to anger is a very strong temptation but not stronger than the holy spirit. What about the temptation through women. What about the temptation through women. There were two people in David's life who was stronger.

Tell me. Have you read the story. No you look at them. Goliath can crush Bathsheba like that with one hand. And Bathsheba says I can conquer David. You could not conquer David. You see the power of a woman more powerful than Goliath.

Another example Samson. Who is stronger a lion or Delilah. Delilah. When you see a lion what do you do. You run the other way. What about when Delilah comes. You must run faster the other way because she is stronger than a lion.

I am not joking. See 1 Corinthians 6 verse 18. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 18. Flee from immorality. It does not say walk away. No. If you try to walk away it will capture you flee from it. That is what Paul told Timothy also flee from youthful lusts.

You read that in 2 Timothy chapter 2. Flee from youthful lusts. 2 Timothy 2 .22. Not. Walk away. Run. Ok. Now let me. It is not for Samson it was the lion or Delilah. For Samson it was the lion or Delilah.

He could face the lion but he could not face Delilah. He got defeated. For David it was Goliath and Bathsheba. He could conquer Goliath but he could not conquer Bathsheba. For you and me it is some pretty woman.

And Satan who is stronger. You may say Satan is stronger but do you know what the Bible says. When you see Satan what you should do. It never says run away. James 4 and verse 7 when you see the devil it never says run away.