The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry (Part 6 of 7)

Hello Friends!

Welcome back! As we learned and discussed in our prior studies of The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry we considered GRIEVING the Holy Spirit according to God’s wonderful Word…

Therefore, let’s now consider the SIXTH critical concern regarding this important subject matter surrounding the third PERSON of the thrice Holy Trinity within the Godhead – QUENCHING the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry (Part 6)

QUENCHING the Holy Spirit!

OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: As a sincere “Christian” and FOLLOWER of “Jesus Christ” our Lord, do you ever struggle with the pressures of on-going “sin” issues in your life? And as a result, do you ever doubt that God is actually PLEASED with your “life” even though the Bible states otherwise? If we’re honest with God and ourselves, we ALL feel this way from time to time – Our Sanctification Struggle!

QUIZZING QUESTION: Perhaps YOU have “quenched” the “Holy Spirit” Himself. But, HOW do we know WHEN and IF we have – QUENCHED the Holy Spirit?

Quench not the Spirit – 1 Thessalonians 5:19

What does this mean? We can also “quench” the “Holy Spirit” of God. The full context of the Apostle Paul’s admonition gives us a further clue to its meaning and application:

Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil – 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22

POIGNANT POINT: Here Paul further expands his commands as the “Holy Spirit” speaks to “us” through His wonderful Word! These particular “prophesyings” refer to “prophetic utterances” and has the idea of “speaking forth” the “Word” of God. Therefore, one is “quenching” the “Holy Spirit” when he RESISTS the “preaching” of God’s Word, when he MOCKS the “teaching” of God’s Word, when he CRITICIZES the humble “preacher” of whom is doing his very best to accurately and faithfully expound upon the Biblical text. And although “we” are commanded to “test” the “preaching” and “teaching” of every “man” with the “sound doctrine” of the Scriptures, to WILLFULLY go on rejecting, mocking or criticizing the TRUE Biblical “preaching” and “teaching” simply because you do not like the particular delivery style is also another matter indeed – Very serious!

To not “hold fast” onto the “good” Word of God, to DISOBEY the clear “exhortation” to reject every kind of “evil” within the Biblical text being taught, is to “quench” the “Holy Spirit” of God. The “Holy Spirit” is seeking to work IN and THROUGH the “preacher” to promote God’s “holiness” fully IN you! Therefore, taking lightly the “speaking forth” of God’s Word is to “throw water” on the refining FIRE that the “Holy Spirit” is seeking to BURN within you – Praise the Lord!

Here are a FEW more poignant passages from the “Apostle Paul” that addresses the issue of “quenching” the “Holy Spirit” of God:

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all – Ephesians 4:1-6

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him – Colossians 3:5-10

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire – 1 Corinthians 3:1-15

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Although the true “Christian” will continue to “sin” in the fallen “flesh” throughout God’s “sanctifying” work of “grace” in their life, they will not remain in habitual willful “sin” the way they did prior to their SALVATION in Jesus Christ. WHY? Because of the CONVICTING power and presence of the “Holy Spirit” within the “believer’s” heart. The LIFE of a true “Christian” will be marked by a deep DESIRE to PURSUE personal “holiness” by “walking” in “obedience” to God's Word – We DIED to SIN!

Beloved, there is a BIG difference between stumbling into “sin” and willful defiant DISOBEDIENCE unto God – Jumping into SIN with both feet!

REAL REFLECTIONS: Our “walk” with the Lord is NOT one of PERFECTION but one of DIRECTION!

There is a distinct difference concerning our eternal RELATIONSHIP with God verses our earthly FELLOWSHIP with Him. There are MANY FILLINGS received FROM the “Holy Spirit” in your “sanctification” and YOU have ALL of HIM at the MOMENT of your “salvation” in “Jesus Christ” alone – HOWEVER… Does HE have ALL of YOU?

Don’t miss our next exciting study – “The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry”

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – Come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><

The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry (Part 5 of 7)

Hello Friends!

Welcome back! As we learned and discussed in our prior studies of The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry we considered The WORK of the Holy Spirit in SANCTIFICATION according to God’s wonderful Word…

Therefore, let’s now consider the FIFTH critical concern regarding this important subject matter surrounding the third PERSON of the thrice Holy Trinity within the Godhead – GRIEVING the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry (Part 5)

GRIEVING the Holy Spirit!

OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: As a sincere “Christian” and FOLLOWER of “Jesus Christ” our Lord, do you ever struggle with the pressures of on-going “sin” issues in your life? And as a result, do you ever doubt that God is actually PLEASED with your “life” even though the Bible states otherwise? If we’re honest with God and ourselves, we ALL feel this way from time to time – Our Sanctification Struggle!

QUIZZING QUESTION: Perhaps YOU have “grieved” the “Holy Spirit” Himself. But, HOW do we know WHEN and IF we have – GRIEVED the Holy Spirit?

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption – Ephesians 4:30

What does this mean? The Koine Greek text of Ephesians 4:30 literally reads: “Grieve not the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God.” This point is quite emphatic and is representative of a present tense command. In other words, “we” are always and everyday actually COMMANDED by “God” to NOT grossly “grieve” the “Holy Spirit” Himself – Very SERIOUS!

POIGNANT POINT: The full context of this VIBRANT verse FURTHER provides “us” with the AMAZING answer! HOW? In the PREVIOUS and PROCEEDING poignant verses 17-32, Paul lays out a serious series of COMMANDS on HOW the “believers” in first-century Ephesus (and “us” today) were to LIVE before ”man” and “God” Himself. Paul “therefore” plainly continues his INSPIRED instruction:

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness – Ephesians 4:17-19

Paul continues to “testify in the Lord” that WE promptly “put off” the “old man” and to be “renewed in the spirit” of their “minds,” to “put on” the “new man” in the “righteousness” and “true holiness” of “God” Himself. HOW? By the “putting away” of a “lying” tongue, to “speak every man truth” towards “one another” in Him, to be “angry, and sin not” and to NOT allow the “sun go down upon your wrath” unto each other. WHY? As to not “give place to the devil” in OUR lives! Also, do not “steal” but GO to work. Do not speak “corrupt communications” and to “put aside” all our fleshly bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice…

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you – Ephesians 4:20-32

Rather, “we” all ARE to be “kind one to another” and “tenderhearted” toward our “own” by “forgiving one another” as “God” has already DONE for us! And as “we” also see here, to “grieve” the “Holy Spirit” is to DISOBEY our Holy “God” according to these very SPECIFIC captured COMMANDS from Him. Therefore, “we” can be supremely SURE that ANY of these serious “sins” indeed GRIEVES the “Holy Spirit” of God. HOW? It greatly disappoints Him. And when “we” do not LISTEN to and OBEY His promptings of which SPEAK directly to our “heart” and “mind” of CONSCIENCE He is thus “grieved” by our – Sinful ACTIONS!

And as we LEARN throughout the New Testament early years of the “church” body, there were certain times when the “grieving” of the “Holy Spirit” was so DANGEROUS it became a HINDERANCE to the PURITY of God’s “elect” few. HOW? It became so SERIOUS in nature that “God” decided to TAKE them “out” of FELLOWSHIP as Dr. Luke excruciatingly explains…   

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things – Acts 5:1-11

Here “we” find that a FOOLISH yet BORN-AGAIN married couple named “Ananias” and “Sapphira” had “agreed together” to greatly “tempt” the “Holy Spirit” of God. HOW? They actually “lied” to the third PERSON of the Holy Trinity by the “filling” of “Satan” himself! WHY? It was “because” they had “conceived” of a WICKEDNESS in their “heart” of which ANGERED God. WHAT? They DESIRED the applause of MAN rather than GOD regarding their financial “offering” derived from the “sale” of a certain “possession” mentioned in CONTEXT of the previous chapter:

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet – Acts 4:32-37

Therefore, due to such SELFISH and SINFUL intentions, God KILLED them both! WOW! And as a result, “great fear” came UPON the “church” as well as “many” others OUTSIDE of God’s “faithful” family flock – I’m quite SURE it DID!

And the Apostle Paul further demonstrates for “us” another SERIOUS situation where “God” decided to REMOVE the CORRUPT Corinthian CARNALITY when they had “come together” during their COMUNNION service represented by the “Lord's supper” fellowship meal:

When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not – 1 Corinthians 11:20-22

…Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep – 1 Corinthians 11:27-30

Things had gotten so EVIL within the CARNAL and IMMATURE caustic “Corinthian” assembly that “many” had actually INSTIGATED God’s great JUDGEMENT upon themselves. HOW? Sadly, “many” of these PHONY followers had “eateth and drinketh” during the “Lord's supper” in such an “unworthily” manner, they became “guilty” before the “Lord” unto “damnation” of their SOUL! Therefore, they actually became so “weak and sickly” to the pivotal point that these FOOLISH folks would thus “sleep” unto their DEATH!  Both in the – PHYSICAL and SPIRITUAL!

Finally, the Apostle John also pronounces this incredible WARNING regarding “sin” that CAN actually LEAD to the “death” of a “brother” who is IN the Lord “Jesus Christ” Himself:

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it – 1 John 5:16

In these caustic cases, God “says” that “we” should NOT even “pray” for such a bothersome “brother” living in such UNRPENTANT serious “sin” of the HEART unheeded – SERIOUS Sin!

Although “we” do indeed BELONG to “God” Almighty, the ready results of “grieving” the “Holy Spirit” can indeed BECOME a sharp short-circuiting of HIS mighty POWER in “ministry” and HIS gracious influence in “our” lives. Subsequently, the MORE a FOOLISHLY fickle “follower” of “Jesus Christ” does WILLFULLY go on “sinning” against ones CONSCIENCE without care, the LESS they are SURE of God’s “love” for them. This CANTANCEROUS condition leads to spiritual CONFUSION and thus, the LESS of GOD’S wonderful “joy” they will experience in their life – TODAY!

Beloved, we MUST readily REPENT of our “sins” unto “God” as necessary. And WHEN we diligently DO so – He will ANSWER our PRAYERS!

REAL REFLECTIONS: Our “walk” with the Lord is NOT one of PERFECTION but one of DIRECTION!

There is a distinct difference concerning our eternal RELATIONSHIP with God verses our earthly FELLOWSHIP with Him. There are MANY FILLINGS received FROM the “Holy Spirit” in your “sanctification” and YOU have ALL of HIM at the MOMENT of your “salvation” in “Jesus Christ” alone – HOWEVER… Does HE have ALL of YOU?

Don’t miss our next exciting study – “The Holy Spirit: His Work & Ministry”

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – Come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><