WE CAN PUSH GOD TOO FAR!
Jeremiah 7:16 So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.
Jeremiah had been preaching to the Hebrews that lived in Jerusalem and Judah for around twenty-three years. And just as the Lord had told him before he began to preach repentance and return to the Lord no one did. Infact as time progressed they grew more hostile towards Jeremiah. Now sad to say their hard hearts had pushed God too far and they had missed their day of salvation. Now God tells Jeremiah that he no longer wants to hear any prayers from Jeremiah for mercy to be shown for them. Now thousands will die, and other will be sent into exile never to return.
It is scary to think that we can push God too far and he will give up on us, and no amount of prayer for us will help us avoid God’s judgment and wrath on us. The thing it is true, and it all comes about by us hardening our heart towards God. It is not a matter of even saying something or doing something. It all takes place within us, and God knows when it happens.
Jesus talked about this very thing. In Matthew 12:32 it says, “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or the the age to come.” The reason people can sin against Jesus and it will be forgiven is his atonement is perfect and without limit. Our sin can not be too many or too great that the blood of Jesus can not bring forgiveness. The problem with the sin against the Holy Spirit is that it is the Holy Spirit that convicts of our sins, the righteousness of Christ and the judgment of God. Without the help of the Holy Spirit people will not ask Jesus to forgive them of their sins. The Holy Spirit brings the first step to salvation through Jesus. If we reject the call of repentance from the Holy Spirit, we will never seek forgiveness from Jesus.
This sin against the Holy Spirit doesn’t come all of sudden, but rather over a period of time a person will harden their heart towards the Holy Spirit's conviction. The Holy Spirit knows the person's heart. He is a respector of a person’s free will, and if they don’t want his conviction anymore he will simply stop trying and that person will be eternally lost. They will have sealed their own fate. Just as they could have chosen eternity in heaven, instead they chose eternity in hell. Their day of salvation came and left. There will no longer be any need to pray for that person, just like the Hebrews of Jeremiah’s day. Sad to say it will be this rejection of the Holy Spirit’s call on people's lives that will bring about the seven years of tribulation, followed by Jesus’ return to earth with great wrath. The false prophet that is associated with the antichrist will turn people from Jesus with his own signs and miracles. His deception as we see in
Matthew 24:11 & 24 will lead many astray. When this happens the Holy Spirit will pull back from them and all that will be left for them will be God’s great wrath. When can we know when the Holy Spirit will stop trying to help us become a Christian? We don’t. The reason for this is we are the ones that make the decision. So, do we know when we do this? I believe we do, and we don't care. It is sobering to think that this can happen, but it happens everyday! Something will happen and the Holy Spirit will convict us of what we just said or did and our heart will respond with I don’t care and anger, hatred and bitterness will fill our heart. As the Holy Spirit leaves us we may even feel a sense of victory and pride as if to say, “Good riddance!” From that day forward life will not seem to change too much with the exception that with each new sin there seems to be less and less guilt and remorse. There may even be an attitude of dominance like a bully might display. The day of Salvation came and went and they will never feel the conviction to be a Christian or find forgiveness and be reconciliation with God again.
Well, if we don’t know when the day of losing our chance for salvation comes, do we know when the Day of Salvation does come to us. I believe we do. In II Corinthians 6:2b it says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the Day of Salvations.” It happens basically the same way that losing our salvations does. It happens in our heart. Someone will say something or do something and the Holy Spirit will touch our heart and we know we need to become a Christian. At this time we can make one of two decisions. We can go on and become a Christian or not. You might say,“Well, how about if I just say I will think it over or wait?” That answer is basically a no answer!
I once had a pastor tell me how he came to the day of his salvation. His name was Pastor Allen. He told me that he farmed many years and his wife was religious, but he never was. One summer day he was on his horse drawn waggon to go pick her up. He said that his wife was a wonderful woman and in spite of his refusal to go to church, each time she would ask him to go in with her. While this day was really no different than any other, as he approached the church, he said a remarkable thing happened that changed his life. Suddenly he said, “In my right ear I distinctly heard the words, ‘Go on and become a Christian.’” He told me that as he walked into the church and down the aisle, every eye was on him. The preacher just look at him and Reverend Allen said, “I am going on to become a Christian.” He heard the call in his heart and he responded with a surrendered heart. Later he became a pastor and served the Lord faithfully for many years. It’s all a matter of the heart. When it happens you will know. Then because of our free will it is up to us to go on and become a Christian, or reject the call.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank you for helping us to become a Christian. Please help us to always have a tender heart towards you and your instruction for us. We love you, and it is in Jesus name we ask this.
