Quenching the Spirit
Sunday Evening Bible Study
July 11, 1999
Introduction
I want to talk a little about things that quench the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We’ve been desirous of the Holy Spirit’s work to grow in our church, but one aspect of this we need to be sensitive to is whether or not we’re "quenching" the work when it happens.
It’s one thing to get a fire started, but if you keep dumping buckets of water on the flames, it’s going to be hard to keep the fire burning.
Unbelief
(Mark 6:1-6 KJV) And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. {2} And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? {3} Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. {4} But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. {5} And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. {6} And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
The people had a hard time believing that Jesus could do anything special for them. Do you have a hard time believing that?
Our walk and our talk
(Eph 4:29-30 NLT) Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. {30} And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
I’ve heard people kind of give you the impression that if you use foul language, or act in a sinful way, that the Holy Spirit leaves you. I don’t think that’s the case. I think He’s still there, He’s just bummed. He’s grieved. He’s sorrowful over our actions.
I’m not talking about legalism in thinking that the Holy Spirit can’t work unless we’ve become perfect or something. But is our heart and mind in a place that saddens the heart of the Lord? It’s not a matter of whether we’ve been in sin, it’s a matter of where our heart is.
Our desire for the Holy Spirit’s work
(1 Th 5:19-22 KJV) Quench not the Spirit. {20} Despise not prophesyings. {21} Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. {22} Abstain from all appearance of evil.
As we mentioned on Wednesday, when we don’t take time to judge prophecy, and we allow questionable things to happen, then one of the byproducts is that people can become of the heart that says they don’t want anything to do with the work of the Holy Spirit.
Do you desire more of the Lord’s work in you?
Our relationships with others
(1 Pet 3:7 KJV) Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
When our relationships with others aren’t in a good place, and we don’t want to do anything about it, it can hinder the work that the Spirit wants to do in our lives.
Illustration
Farmer Jones got out of his car and while heading for his friend’s door, noticed a pig with a wooden leg. His curiosity roused, he ask, "Fred, how’d that pig get him a wooden leg?" "Well Michael, that’s a mighty special pig! A while back a wild boar attacked me while I was walking in the woods. That pig there came a runnin’, went after that boar and chased him away. Saved my life!" "And the boar tore up his leg?" "No he was fine after that. But a bit later we had that fire. Started in the shed up against the barn. Well, that ole pig started squealin’ like he was stuck, woke us up, and ‘fore we got out here, the darn thing had herded the other animals out of the barn and saved ‘em all!" "So that’s when he hurt his leg, huh, Fred?" "No, Michael. He was a might winded, though. When my tractor hit a rock and rolled down the hill into the pond I was knocked clean out. When I came to, that pig had dove into the pond and dragged me out ‘fore I drownded. Sure did save my life." "And that was when he hurt his leg?" "Oh no, he was fine. Cleaned him up, too." "OK, Fred. So just tell me. How did he get the wooden leg?" "Well", the farmer tells him, "A pig like that, you don’t want to eat all at once!"
Too often we treat our spouse just like the farmer treated the pig. We might say we value the other person, but we’re busy chopping them to pieces.Basically, Peter is saying, "Guys, treat her right".
The phrase "your prayers" is plural. It could be referring to all the husbands’ prayers. But it could also be referring to the prayers of the husband and the wife together.
If you don’t treat her right, she’s not going to want to pray with you.
Make things right. Learn to pray with each other. Don’t just wait for the crises to pray, we need to learn to pray regularly together.Pray together now.