Short verses can be special. This one is. Many times Paul implores and urges and requests and asks for effort, not here, he gives a directive. The attitude, behavior or practice that quenches the Spirit is particularly egregious. Why is that? The Spirit should be free and not limited by anything human being do. As a matter of fact you might be asking how humans have any say in what the Holy Spirit does anyway. Well, it seems that the function of the Holy Spirit as it works in and through people is connected to our will. We naturally do not allow the Spirit to move and work, it takes our surrender, our cooperation and our willingness in order for that to happen. And, it is not only that which happens when we, ourselves dampen the Spirit, it is also when we squelch the Holy Spirit in others. How can that happen?
Someone raises their hands in worship and you roll your eyes. Someone gets excited about what God is doing in their lives and you don't encourage that. Someone shares how God is being powerful in their lives and you just pass it off as circumstantial. Someone says something about His Word and you give a little bit of that "yadayadayada" kind of response. Someone is joyful and you make sure to rain on their parade because you are not in the mood today. Several people are 'amped up' about a new ministry at Grace Harbor and you just have to "Wait and See".
Happens all the time. It is hard to find freedom in the Spirit too and it just takes a little rain to dampen it. Nobody likes those overly ebullient believers who are just overflowing with that 'Praise the Lord' stuff, right? Wrong.... I love it. It is far easier to tone down the rare overly spiritual person than it is to rev up anybody about The Lord, even a little bit. Spiritually the world is like Eeyore, with Tigger locked up. Not like Tigger running out of control with Eeyore trying to calm it down. If you miss that illustration you don't know your Winnie the Pooh, and maybe that is part of your problem.
People, DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT, IT GRIEVES GOD!!!! Now, go and celebrate the Spirit in you and in everyone else too. With Love,
Pastor Fred
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