Do Not Quench

Do not quench the Spirit, do not utterly reject prophecies, but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, abstain from every form of evil. – 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

There are a few things that a person should never do to the Holy Spirit. The list includes blaspheming and grieving, but Paul informs us here that we also never want to quench Him (other translations use the word stifle, suppress, or subdue). While blaspheming the Spirit seems to speak of attributing His works to Satan or rejecting His quickening work that leads to regeneration, grieving the Holy Spirit is a result of our stubborn desire to do that which He has prohibited.

So, what about quenching? Since the life of a Christ-follower should be lived in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, to quench His work is to refuse to respond to His prompting. It would be to pour water on a flame that God has started in your heart or to ignore His inspiration to obedience. Such action shuts down your means for personal renewal. Spiritual refreshment is hindered, and the result is that we become calloused and incapable of helping others as God intends.

Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Heed His inspired words in Scripture. Follow His lead in all of life and you will remove the hindrances to His effectual working in you and through you for His glory.

The less Holy Spirit we have, the more cake and coffee we need to keep the church going. – Reinhard Bonnke