Anger is like a spider that creeps down your bloodline poisoning each generation. It artfully spins unique cobwebs of rejection to trap its victims.

Rejection is the birthing ground of strongholds. It was introduced in the Garden of Eden when the serpent convinced Eve she was left out of the fullness of God’s knowledge.

Rejection induced the original sin that caused Adam and Eve to hide in fear. They were disconnected from the Glory of God for the first time in their lives, and they felt abandoned.

The events in the Garden of Eden created the template of a stronghold built on rejection:

• Rejection>Abandonment>Isolation> Distrust> Anger

This stronghold will harden your heart, so anger becomes your bodyguard.

Where do you fall on the anger spectrum?

Outward Anger

Bullied children become bullies.

The outward form of anger is easy to identify. Children abused with anger have a boiling point where the roles switch. I often hear clients say, “At thirteen, I decided I was no longer going to be abused by my father’s anger. The first time I yelled back at him, I recognized anger’s power. I embraced anger as a weapon that day, and I became my father.”

Anger that is Buried

Children that cower and stuff their emotions.  They say, “I’m not really angry; I am just hurt.”

Hurt is anger that grows in the dark because it lacks boundaries. It simmers until it explodes, making its victim look crazy. These people are marginalized because the root of their anger is hidden.

They view themselves as doormats and become passive/aggressive. They use sarcasm to indirectly get their point across.

Self-Anger

This form of anger is linked to the perfection necessary to get parental approval. Clients tell me, “I had to be perfect to get my father’s attention. I can still hear his critical words, only now it’s my voice. I can never live up to my expectations. I feel unworthy and rejected if I am not perfect.”

I call spirits of perfection, legalism, and self-condemnation the unholy 3-ply cord.

Perfection sets the bar, legalism calls you a failure because you didn’t do it right, and self-condemnation follows to punish you. It’s all rooted in rejection that produces self-anger.

Righteous Anger

Righteous anger is rare.

It occurs when significant injustice exists but is always anger under control and directed at the condition and not at a person. Righteous anger is wrapped in love, never threatens or uses revenge. Anger is a warning sign that a boundary was crossed. Allowing broken boundaries breeds resentment that leads to bitterness.

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,  nor give [a]place to the devil. (Eph. 4:26-27 NKJV)

Don’t let generational rejection leave you trapped with anger. It’s time to see where you fall on this anger spectrum and get help. Deliverance is a critical element God gave us for freedom. Use the key to unlock it!