This post was last updated on September 29, 2026
Day 108 (Year 3)
Do Not Give the Devil a Foothold
“‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27 NKJV)
Cain murdered his brother out of jealousy. Today’s scripture reminds believers: be angry, but do not sin. In other words, anger does not necessarily cause a person to sin. But we must avoid the kind of anger that leads to sin. Otherwise, it gives the devil a foothold, allowing it to use fleshly anger to advance his schemes. The word “place” in this passage comes from the Greek word topos, translating “a locality, a room, or an occasion for acting.” Meanwhile, “do not let the sun go down on your wrath” means not to remain angry for too long. Indeed, prolonged anger is not only unhealthy but also gives the devil an opening.
I would like to share three points. First, recognize God’s righteous anger. In the four Gospels, believers can see Jesus becoming angry, including His cleansing of the temple and other instances. Thus, today’s scripture specifically addresses inappropriate anger that does not belong to God. A good way for us not to give the devil a foothold is not to suppress our emotions, but to understand God’s heart, including His feelings and emotions in specific situations, and to replace human anger with godly righteous anger.
Second, learn how to handle emotions. A believer’s immediate emotional reactions usually need to be acknowledged first, then understood, and then dealt with through the Lord. In particular, reflect on why some reactions occur. When angry about something, what exactly triggered you, and what beliefs and values lie behind that reaction? Often, the more expectations or assumptions a person carries about others, or the more rigid they are, the more easily they become angry. In other words, believers must thoroughly deal with emotions such as anger by using God’s truth to tear down wrong beliefs. When we entrust all things to the Lord’s control, we no longer need to control everything ourselves and become angry. If negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, or depression are not properly dealt with, we can really be used by the devil to harm people.
Finally, anger is not the only thing that can give the devil a foothold. For instance, if a believer is addicted to something, or in a certain area such as romantic relationships or speech habits, and is unwilling to accept Jesus’ guidance, that too can become a stepping stone for the devil’s oppression. To turn from Satan’s power to God, we must eliminate every place where the devil can gain a foothold.
Reflection questions:
1) What difficulties do you think need to be overcome first to understand God’s righteous anger and even agree with His emotions?
2) Besides anger, what other areas might allow the devil to enter and even control your life? If any, how will you deal with them?