INSENSITIVITY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 (NIV)
I remember the first time I read this verse. It felt shocking that I could do something to affect the Holy Spirit’s role in my life. To be clear, God alone changes us through the Spirit. Transformation is the Spirit’s business, but you have a part to play. You can aid the work of the Spirit or pour cold water on it. Remember when, as a kid, you used to fold the hose pipe or pinch the line so the water would stop flowing? Once you let go, the water would shoot out with intense pressure. That illustration is a reminder that you aren’t the one who’s getting the water from the ground, and most of us never ran a line to connect our outside spigot to the water source so it would flow. But you can do something that affects the flow of the water.
Far too many Christians have twisted the Spirit’s flow in their lives because of sin or disobedience. When we quench the Spirit, we cut off the flow of the Spirit in our life. If the Spirit is fire, then sin and disobedience are cold water. They don’t mix well together. The danger is that we can grow spiritually stagnant instead of growing and becoming more like Christ.
Paul illustrates this same concept in Ephesians 4:30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Just as we can grieve a friend by our actions or words, so can we grieve the Holy Spirit. We’re told in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. If sin grieves the Spirit, these things show us what we are to do to fan into flame the Spirit. The good news is when you remove the knot from the hose pipe, the water comes flowing out, and when Christians begin rejoicing, praying regularly and giving thanks, the Holy Spirit starts rushing through and out of us.
APPLICATION: Don’t quench the Spirit's fire.
PRAYER: Spend time rejoicing and giving thanks for all circumstances in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit if there’s an area blocking His flow in your life.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?