DON’T GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
I Thessalonians 5:19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
In Matthew 12:31 Jesus says, “And so I tell you, that every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 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 in the age to come.” As you can see from this a person needs to be very careful in how they respond to the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that helps a person become a Christian. He convicts us of our sins, the righteousness of Jesus and the judgment of God. Once we are a Christian he sets us free of our carnal nature, helps us to want God’s will for our life, fills us with Christ-likeness, gives us gifts and abilities to serve Jesus in helping the church be all he would want it to be, and he even helps us to know what to say when witnessing about Jesus.
It was the Holy Spirit that brought life to the church in the upper room. He united the believers of Jesus into the body of Jesus. But as unifying as the Holy Spirit was and is, the church has also made him a dividing point. Some denominations, pastors and laity refuse to recognize his importance in today’s church. Some will go so far as to expel any Christian that believes in the gifts of the Holy Spirit certainly the speaking of tongues. Even in the general operation of the church it is done by the will of the leadership,rather that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Men and sometimes women govern the laity and business of the church as if it was their own. In much of the church little is said about the Holy Spirit, and much of the time he is not even considered a personality but rather a force or power of God.
In many churches any movement by the Holy Spirit is quickly quenched. The clergy want to be in control and see the Holy Spirit as potentially moving in the laity in a way that might threaten their leadership, authority, or influence. For some clergy there is a fear that their lack of having the Holy Spirit in their life will be made known. Instead of encouraging the laity to trust in the Holy Spirit they are taught to fear, and even make fun of anyone that lets the Holy Spirit have control of their life.
To put out the Holy Spirit’s fire, or movement in the church is the work of Satan and the powers of darkness. Any church or pastor that denies freedom of the Holy Spirit in their life or the life of the church will soon find themselves influenced by the powers of darkness and they will quickly turn the church into a civic club.
If you have given your heart to Jesus, you also need to give it to the Holy Spirit as well. Jesus will resent any rejection of the Holy Spirit. John 14:17-23 tells of how the Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus need to abide in the Christian. If you have not asked the Father, Son and Holy Spirit into your heart you need to do it right away.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank you for loving us so much, and wanting to come into our heart. Please help us to be all that Jesus saved us for. We love you, and ask this in Jesus’ name.
