Man, I know there are times when people, circumstances and things irritate me. That, “You have got to be kidding” sigh. Irritation is of the flesh, the “little anger burst.” Irritation tends to creep up on our souls, and grooms us overtime to set us up into anger and bitterness. Let’s see how to stop being irritated with irritations.
Dead To Flesh
As with any fleshly problem, or sin, we must stand on Romans 6. Being dead to sin. Death of the flesh, that is being in the likeliness of Christ’s death is how to overcome any work of the flesh. We must not be ignorant and know that our old man and all it’s irritations have been crucified with Christ and buried with Him.
Ultimately the flesh is already dead. It’s our understanding of how truly dead our flesh is that can be sluggish. It’s a matter of the mind be renewed to grasp the reality of the Cross and what it means for the nature of the flesh.
Put Off The Old
There now is an active “putting off.” “For those who have been baptized with Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). At rebirth and baptism the old has been “put off” and the new (that is Christ) has been “put on.”
We must “put off” (or “cast off”) the irritations of our flesh. Whether certain behaviors of people, objects, circumstances, and so on. All the things that provoke you must be cast off. Instead “cast on Christ” which is patient and loving. “Love is not easily provoked” (1 Cor 13).
The Devil Loves To Irritate
Now, there is a wicked agenda to irritation. Satan’s craft and cunningness is to set the elect up into sin. His strategy with irritations is ultimately progressive. “A little irritation here, and little irritation there.” A sort of “light sprinkle” of tiny irritable circumstances and traits of other people come showering your way from the enemy.
This is to provoke the elect to ungodly anger and impatience, and even bitterness. “Watch lest any fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring up and contaminate many” (Hebrews 12:15).
Finally, recognizing satanic plots to cause irritation is important. You must be watching. Be ready for that “sprinkle shower” of irritations the devil will rain on you and around you. Yet, if you are truly dead to sin and cast off the old and put on Christ you will be able to resist and overcome irritations. That is how to stop being irritated with irritations.
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