Biblical Counselor Training Class Lesson 11: Anger & Depression.

Biblical Counselor Training Class

Lesson 11: Anger & Depression

XIII. Anger

A. God and anger

1. God gets righteously angry (Ps. 7:11, Rom. 1:18, John 3:36)

2. God’s anger is a right and just response to what is wrong and offensive. God’s anger is not sinful (James 1:13, Lev. 11:44, )

3. Jesus was righteously angry at times (Matt. 21:12-13, Heb. 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22)

4. Therefore, God demonstrates that anger can be utterly holy, right, good, and even a loving response to sin

5. Though the capacity for human anger may be linked to being made in the image of God, sin has so twisted the human heart that human righteous anger, untainted by sin, seems unlikely

B. Definition of anger

1. Anger is a whole-personed, active response of negative moral judgment against perceived evil

2. “…the rising up in the heart in passionate displacency against an apprehended evil, which would cross or hinder us of some desired good” – Richard Baxter

Definition adapted from Robert Jones, Uprooting Anger (P&R, 2005), 15.


3. The New Testament has three words for anger:

a. Thumos – explosive anger, the boiling agitation of the feeling and passion of anger (“wrath” in NASB) – Eph. 4:31

b. Orge – an abiding, settled attitude of indignation that frequently seeks revenge (“anger” in NASB) – Eph. 4:31

c. Parorgismos – anger mingled with irritability, exasperation, and embitterment (“anger” – NASB) – Eph. 4:26


4. Anger has an object (a target)

5. Anger is often used as a tool to get what a person wants or as a weapon of punishment when a person doesn’t get what he wants (James 4:1-3)

6. Anger judges things. It weighs something and find it wrong, lacking or displeasing. Then it moves into action.

7. Though righteous anger is possible, the vast majority of human anger is sinful anger

C. Anger is disguised by names

1. Miss Hurt, Upset, Offended, Bothered, Annoyed, Needs a Nap

2. Mrs. Irritated, Resentful, Irate, At the Boiling Point, Enraged, Infuriated

3. Mr. Disturbed, Disappointed, Frustrated, Ticked Off, Hot Under the Collar, Worked Up, Distressed, Bitter, Displeased, Got Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed

4. Help the counselee see his own anger (halo data is important here)

Adapted from material on anger by Dr. Wayne Mack

D. The Bible’s perspective on anger

1. Anger is something that a person chooses to do. People do not make us angry (Ps. 37:8, Eph. 4:31)

2. Anger comes as a result of idolatry: putting self in place of God (Rom. 12:19, James 4:3)

3. Anger is mental murder (Matt. 5:21-22, James 4:3)

D. The Bible’s perspective on anger

4. Anger is extremely deceptive (Heb. 3:13)a. It deceives us into thinking that it is right for us

to hurt people who have hurt us

b. It deceives us into thinking that we must obey it – that we can’t help our angry response

5. Anger is both taught and modeled to us in life (Prov. 22:24-25). It can become a habit or second nature through practice (Prov. 19:19)

E. Most people have a faulty view of anger

1. Most think their anger is a justified and normal response to how they have been treated

2. Some even think that not expressing or “validating” your anger is the real source of people’s problems

3. Yet the Bible consistently warns people to not be angry (Ecc. 7:9, James 1:19-20, Rom. 12:19, Eph. 4:31, Ps. 37:8)

4. Instead, the Bible calls for a different response to what most people think is a normal and justifiable occasion for anger (Matt. 5:44, 22:39, Rom. 12:18, Eph. 5:25)

F. How to deal with sinful anger

1. Recognize that the vast majority of anger is sinful

2. Help counselees adopt a biblical view of their anger (section D and E in notes)

3. Teach them the log principle (Matt. 7:1-5)

4. Identify the thinking and ruling desires (idols) that govern their heart (James 4:1-3)


a. What did I want that I didn’t get?

b. Is there something I am wanting too much?

c. What sinful thoughts and desires was I entertaining?

d. Does my anger tend to fit a pattern?i. With whom am I typically angry?

ii. In what contexts am I likely to get angry?

iii. Under what circumstances am I likely to be angry?

iv. How long am I angry?

v. Do I tend to blow up, clam up? Volcano or slow simmer? Deny it? Attack a substitute? Leave?


e. Is my anger “primed and ready” to respond to another person’s sin? (1 Cor. 13:4-7, James 1:19-20)

f. What needs, rights, expectations, and demands do I impose on God and other people?

g. Has my lack of repentance led me to be bitter and resentful? Am I regularly angry?

5. Confess your sin to God and others. Be specific!

6. Ask God and others for forgiveness (1 John 1:9, Luke 17:3-4)


7. By God’s grace, repent of your angera. Ask for God’s help and wisdom (James 4:2b, 3)

b. Identify and “put-off” any desires, thoughts, or beliefs that are sinful (Eph. 4:22, Rom. 12:2a). “Purge your personal pantheon of idols” – Rick Holland

c. Renew those desires, thoughts, and beliefs by looking to God’s Word (Eph. 4:23, Rom. 12:2b)

d. Replace and “put-on” righteous desires, thoughts beliefs, and motives built on the worship of Jesus Christ alone (Eph. 4:24)


e. Develop a specific plan for dealing with angeri. Memorize helpful Bible verses

ii. Identify your person pattern – develop a “plan for righteous responses”

iii. Meditate on the truths of God’s Word daily. Ask for His help regularly. Review your plan.

iv. Consistent practice of righteous responses is the key to growth and change (1 Tim. 4:7b-8)

v. Quickly stop and repent when you begin to respond in anger. Don’t pretend it didn’t happen. Don’t ignore it. Confess and seek forgiveness quickly (Eph. 4:26)


vi. Keep an anger journal to help you

vii. Monitor your thoughts and “self talk.” Repent as soon as you catch yourself thinking angry, sinful thoughts. Replace them with biblical thinking.

viii.Be aware of other sins which often accompany and feed anger (pride, bitterness, slander, gossip, evil intent, murder, sexual sin, other deeds of the flesh)

ix. Make sure you seek forgiveness from all whom you have been angry with.

g. See God in the midst of the trial (Gen. 50:20, Rom. 8:28-29)

h. Make room for the wrath of God (Rom. 12:19)


i. Return good for evil (Rom. 12:21)

G. Helpful Bible verses

1. James 4:1-3, 1:19-20

2. Ephesians 4:31-32

3. Philippians 2:3-5

4. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

5. Proverbs

6. Matthew 5:21-22

H. Helpful resources

• Robert Jones, Uprooting Anger (P&R, 2005)• Lou Priolo, The Heart of Anger (Calvary, 1997)• Lou Priolo, Get a Grip (Calvary, 2006)• Robert Jones, Angry at God? (P&R, 2003)• David Powlison, Anger (P&R, 2000)• Stuart Scott, Communication & Conflict Resolution

(Focus, 2005)• Ken Sande, The Peacemaker (Baker, 2004)• Wayne Mack, Strengthening Your Marriage (P&R), Unit

4; and A Homework Manual for Biblical Living (P&R), section on anger.

XIV. Depression

A. A Definition & Description of Depression

1. NANC – “a debilitating mood, feeling, or attitude of hopelessness, which becomes a person’s reason for not handling the most important issues of life.”

2. Description:

B. The Bible and Depression

1. Biblical terms: downcast, despair, countenance falling, disturbed

2. Biblical examples:a. Cain – Genesis 4b. Elijah – 1 Kings 19c. David – Pss. 32, 38, 51d. The Psalmists - Pss. 42, 43e. Jeremiah – Lam. 3f. Paul – 2 Cor. 1:8

C. Depression Today

1. Labels and terminologya. From a psychological standpoint, someone who

has been “diagnosed” as “depressed” or “bi-polar” should be distinguished from someone who simply feels down, discouraged, or blue

b. Psychologists distinguish between Dysthymic Disorder (less severe, often called situational depression) and Major Depression (more severe, often called clinical depression)1

1 Ed Welch, Depression (New Growth Press), 27-28.

C. Depression Today

2. The biological or medical modela. The most widely accepted theory of depression

today is called the biological or medical modelb. This theory proposes that depression is the

result of a chemical imbalance in the brainc. Today, most would hold that depression is the

result of low levels of the neurotransmitter, serotonin.

d. Usually medications are prescribed which supposedly “fix” the chemical imbalance and thus “cure” the depression

C. Depression Today

3. Problems with the medical modela. Brain physiology is still so poorly understood

that no neurotransmitter imbalance or balance has ever been documented

b. Even if brain chemical levels were able to be measured, one could not determine if the chemical levels caused the depression or if the depression changed the chemical levels

c. The mechanism of many psychological drugs is unknown or inconclusive

C. Depression Today

d. Research continues to show that cognitive behavioral therapy is just as effective as psychological medications in treating depression1

e. Furthermore, medications are not remotely close to 100% effective

1 Welch, Depression, 212

D. A Biblical Model for Understanding Depression

1. Causes of depressiona. Medical problems

b. Side effect of prescription medications

c. Spiritual problems

2. The cycle of depression:

Godly, righteous response

Ungodly, sinful response

HOPE

GUILT

DISCOURAGEMENT

DISPAIR

CIRCUMSTANCES

For God’s glory, seek to honor and please Him

To please self, seek to get my idol or lust

By flesh through unbelief

By grace through faith

DISPAIR, DEPRESSION

S

S

S

COMMANDMENT ORIENTED (Matt. 7:24)

FEELING ORIENTED (Matt. 7:26)

Adapted from material by Jay Adams & Stuart Scott


3. Biblical principles:a. Feeling-oriented versus commandment-oriented

ways of living (Matt. 7:24-27)

b. Circumstances are not the issue. The issue is always how we respond to the circumstances. Consistently responding sinfully to circumstances is what feeds the feelings of depression

c. The goal is to honor and please God, not to get my way or have my feeling change (2 Cor. 5:9)


d. Feelings follow actions (Gen. 4:7). Right feelings follow right actions.

i. People think they cannot do what is right until their feelings change.

ii. People think that changing their feelings is of first priority.

iii. The Bible teaches that we must go against our feelings and do the righteous thing for God’s glory.

e. We must learn to talk to ourselves instead of listening to ourselves (Ps. 42:11, 43:5). Our feelings often lie. We must tell ourselves the truth (Phil. 4:8).


4. The bottom line is that people who are depressed must learn to respond righteously for the glory of God, regardless of how they feel.

“In depression, the new way of living is to believe and act on what God says rather than feel what God says. It is living by faith.” – Ed Welch

“The key to warding of depression, then, is this: do not follow your feelings when you know that you have a responsibility to discharge. Instead, against your feelings, you must do as you should. And when you do, even if at first you do so mechanically, simply because you want to please God and you know that He wants you to do this, in time your feelings will change. You must not wait until you feel like it, or you may never feel like doing that task. Nor must you try to change your feelings directly; you cannot do that. Do what you know God wants you to do, WHETHER YOU FEEL LIKE IT OR NOT, and a change in feelings will take place, as a by-product, in time.” – Jay Adams

E. Counseling Those Who Are Depressed

1. Gather lots of information2. Make sure they have had a recent, thorough

medical exam3. Establish a God-centered view of life (Rom.

8:28-29, 2 Cor. 5:9, 1 Cor. 10:13)4. Teach them the cycle of depression,

including:a. Circumstances versus their own responseb. Commandment-oriented living versus feeling-

oriented livingc. Feelings follow actions


5. Teach them to “listen” to their depression. What is their depression teaching them about their own heart?1

a. “I am afraid”

b. “I am guilty” or “I am ashamed”

c. “I lost something”

d. “I need something”

e. “I am angry”

f. “I must avoid something”

Ed Welch, Depression: The Way Up When You Are Down (P&R), 12ff.


g. “Woe is me”

h. “I have no hope”

i. “I am trusting in Christ and waiting on Him”

6. What do those beliefs, thoughts, desires, and motives reveal about who or what I am worshipping? What are the idols?

7. Confess and repent of anything that does not honor God. Actively trust in Christ.

8. Practice the put-off and put-on principle. Change thinking and beliefs (Rom. 12:1-2)


9. Habits you want to help them develop:a. Thankfulness (Eph. 5:20)b. Serving and ministering to othersc. Taking every thought captive. Thinking on

things that are true (2 Cor. 10:5, Phil. 4:8)d. Thinking biblically about God, self, and

circumstancese. Pleasing God versus changing feelings or

circumstancesf. God-confidence and self-discipline (Prov.

14:26, 1 Tim. 4:7)

F. Helpful Resources

• Ed Welch, Depression: The Way Up When You Are Down (P&R, 2000). – booklet

• Ed Welch, Depression: A Stubborn Darkness (New Growth, 2004).

• D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression (Eerdmans, 1965).

• Jay Adams, What to Do When You Become Depressed (P&R, 1975).

• Dan Wickert, Counseling Those Who Are Depressed (NANC audio). Available at www.soundword.com

Biblical Counselor Training Class Lesson 11: Anger & Depression.

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