The Road of Revenge
Revenge is a powerful driving force. Revenge drives us to places we never intended to go. Every day we make emotional choices that alter our destiny—our destination—for good or for destruction. We must stay off the road of revenge.
Don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you into sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not even for a day. Don’t give the slanderous accuser, the Devil, an opportunity to manipulate you! (Ephesians 4:26–27, TPT)
We must resist the urge to let anger take the driver’s seat. The Bible says to be angry and sin not. This indicates there is righteous anger we might have from time to time, but it is to be channeled to make us and the situation more Christlike.
The anger in Ephesians 4 is the passion, the fury that quickly takes control. Paul warned against letting our anger be the fuel for revenge. Fuel moves things in one direction or the other; it takes us somewhere. Be careful. Watch and see where anger is trying to take you.
Paul gave us a heads-up in the next verse: Don’t allow the accuser, the devil, to manipulate you! Anger causes you to give in to fleshly impulses. Selfishness and pride rear up, and the devil manipulates you until you lose control. You think you are setting others straight, evening the score, or bringing justice…when the devil has influenced you to veer off course.
It only takes a small adjustment, an unbridled moment of anger, to move you from the highway to Heaven to the road of destruction. This is why God said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
Perhaps the most dangerous thing about the road of revenge is that when we chose that path, we put ourselves in the place of God.
Revenge is costly—so costly that we cannot afford it. Scripture is clear; when we don’t forgive others, God does not forgive us.
Right after God tells us He will repay, he lets us know what we are to do.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20–21)
The quickest way to exit off the road of revenge, is to lay aside self. Do good to your enemies. Rather than being overcome by evil, you overcome evil by doing good. Your destiny is too important. Your family is too important. Your salvation is too important. Make the right choices and keep yourself off the road of revenge. Heaven’s destination will be worth it.
© 2025 Kimberly Sciscoe
