Quenching the Holy Spirit
Quenching (noun) the act of extinguishing
Have you ever gone to Church and heard a sermon that makes you want to just hop out of your seat and run? You just feel so hyped up by the Pastors sermon you want to run and yell and testify, right then and there?
When you hear a sermon that really fires you up, and you leave the Church really feeling the sermon, then what? How do you convey the feeling of “being on fire for the Lord”?
This is not just a metaphorical or hypothetical situation. There are times in all our lives when our Sprit filled enthusiasm is doused by worldly concerns, or doubt, or laziness. Here are a few examples.
After church, you go home, and maybe discuss the sermon with your wife and even spend an extra hour or so researching the scriptures and you feel the influence of God’s Holy Spirit but instead of nursing that influence…….
You grab the remote and relax from your weeks work and settle into the recliner and slowly quench the Spirit filled enthusiasm you left Church with and it may be another week while back in church before you even remember the feeling.
You go outside and start working on the vehicle. The sermon is fresh in your mind but you have to replace a serpentine belt on the car. Before long, things are going wrong. A bolt is stuck, you’ve bang your knuckles when the wrench slipped and there is blood all over the tool. You are sweating everywhere and the stinging in the eyes does not help. It is then that the fire from God is replaced with anger and possibly a few choice words. And the Spirit filled enthusiasm you left Church with is slowly extinguished.
You head to Wal-mart after church, traffic is slow and you need to get home and get some work done. No one has eaten yet, you are hungry. Besides, you know that your husband does not really need the new camouflaged vest for deer season, the one he has now is fine. Traffic starts moving and the person ahead of you is doing 20 instead of 35 and you start wishing things would move along and you start doing a slow boil and slowly quench the Spirit filled enthusiasm you left church with.
Witnessing too can be frustrating. While witnessing to my aunt Carol and her family, there was a time I drove from Salina to Hays to take her to church in Hays. Before going to her house to get her, I went to Wal-mart and saw her there bike shopping for her daughter.
She asked why I was in town and when I told her it was Wednesday and we were to meet at her house and go to church, she told me she forgot. She did not go that night and I felt as though I made a 200 mile round trip for nothing.
But we are encouraged to “Rejoice evermore” and “Pray without ceasing” and we are also encouraged to “Love thy neighbor” and to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Things happen in our lives and we at times handle them wrong, that’s a given. But how is our reflection to others during our trials?
Reflection, what am I a mirror? Yes, every Christian should reflect their faith, love, and devotion. People should see the love that is in us through the Holy Spirit.
How many people will go to a football game and wear a silly looking cheese hat and cheer their favorite team, while painted up in the team colors, but will not discuss matters of faith? Where is the enthusiasm, where is the Spirit filled joy that comes with being a believer?
Some will enthusiastically go to a race, or a game, or a movie, or fishing, or golfing, but has no enthusiasm for church. That too is a reflection of the person.
It is so easy to rattle off “yea I believe in God” but James 2:20 says “But wilt thou know, o vain man, that faith without works is dead?” Enthusiasm for God should promote works as a means of demonstrating faith. It also shows growth in the Lord.
I know as well as anyone how hard it is at times to stay enthusiastic when it seems the world around you is collapsing and you are alone. But sooner or later a Christian should remember that Romans 8:31 states……”If God be for us, who can be against us? With God in our corner we can not be spiritually defeated unless we concede.
Folks, don’t loose enthusiasm for God, don’t let the world beat you down to the point of not caring. Don’t go to church out of any sort of obligation; go out of faith, to learn how to serve. If you are looking for something bigger or better then God to devote your time to, you will come up empty.
I will now close with Psalm 55:22 and Psalms 84:11 and hope these verses encourage you. If you want the blessings these verses will bring, grab a Bible.
that was very good i liked it