The idea of spiritual authority is a curious thing. Ephesus was a place where Paul would mark the rights and wrongs of it and emphatically declare the exercise of it as it ought be.
The first thing he speaks of in the realm of Apostolic authority is to the men in their natural environment, the home.
Only when holy hands can be lifted can Apostolic authority be exercised because the hands are those things that either protect and provide responsibility correctly.
It is in the home where those hands are known to be holy or not.
And holy hands are not easily come by…
It is the next two things that holiness, personal holiness, that are particularly male issues. Besetting sins, if you will.
First, in order to have holy hands, we have to release anger. Nothing is more detrimental than anger in the hands of authority. It maims and it destroys because the anger is like the Greek word picture it comes from- a fruit that bursts because it has been let become overripe.
Anger, in its place, is demanded. “Be angry” but held from bursting forth “but sin not.”
When anger bursts forth, it destroys itself, and it gets all over the surrounding things, often destroying other fruits as it does.
This is why anger is not holy-holiness completes. Anger is destructive and tears apart.
The Bible is clear about the second issue, the one particularly at hand here- hindered prayer.
Anger is demanding and when we are in prayer, it is not a place of demanding but submission.
It prevents prayers from God hearing them.
So not only is anger absolutely destructive, it effectively becomes the idol that sits in the throne of your life.
In other words, it is impossible to please God.
And it is also impossible to lead you family with anger as your guide.
It will destroy a family.
It has.
It will destroy a church.
And it has.
Anger becomes the drug of choice for otherwise pure men. And it is as destructive as meth to a home environment…
The release of anger is demanded in the hierarchy of church.
And I think it is safe to assume that it works the other direction- in your home as well.
If fear is the prevailing way that your wife and kids relate to you, then anger is probably an issue.
If saints fear more than love you in your congregation, then it’s an area of holiness in your personal life that needs breakthrough.
–MH