Do We Quench the Spirit
Two weeks ago we looked at what resisting the Spirit was, who does it, and how it affected God. In Acts 7:51, we saw the word or action used by Stephen, the only place in the Bible where that word is used, and found that the regenerating work of the Spirit was resisted. And this was done by those who are not born again. And last week we looked at what grieving the Spirit was, who does it, and how it affected God. In Ephesians 4:30, we see that the Holy Spirit causes Paul to use that word. It is a word that literally means, to cause sorrow, to make sad. In human terms, a Spirit-filled believer can cause God to be grieved. This week we will look at what it means to quench the Spirit.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Paul says, "Do not quench the Spirit." The greek word for quench is of fire or things on fire, to extinguish (literally or figuratively). In Acts 2:3, we see the disciples receiving tongues as fire distributing themselves, which rested on each one of them. Fire was a symbol of power to praise, to pray, and to prophesy. As seeing Christ glorified and lifted back up into Heaven to be with the Father again, and the showing of obedience to their Master to wait for the sending of the Spirit, and thus showing their utter helplessness that without Him they could do nothing, they were finally fit to receive those tongues of fire.
G.Campbell Morgan says, "To each one some Fire-gift of speech or of influence has been given, but it has been lost, when it it has ceased to be used in loyalty to Christ. Very many men have lost their gift of power in service, and have become barren of results in their work for God, because they have prostituted a heavenly gift to sordid, selfish service, to the glorification of their own lives, instead of exercising the gift only for its true end. The Spirit is quenched by disloyalty to Christ, or when His gift is used for any purposes than that which the heart of God is set."
The manifestation of the Spirit of God is given for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7). Not that you or I would look good or be able to call attention to ourselves, but that He would look good and attention would go to the One who gave us this Helper. These gifts that we have been given should be used for the edification of the church (1 Cor. 14:12). Galatians 5:16 states, "Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh." So how can we do that? Let us search the scriptures daily so that we might know the mind of the Spirit, and let us pray to God daily so that we might know the will of the Spirit.
Elder Randy Slak