Christian Challenges

Quench Not The Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:19

In the Bible the Holy Spirit is sometimes represented as a fire (Matt. 3:11; Acts 2:3). As such He enlightens, quickens, and sanctifies the soul (John 16:13; Rom 15:16). After admonished the Thessalonian to do good works Paul continues this theme by saying, "Quench not the Spirit." Therefore we need to be careful that we don't quench the Holy Spirit by doing, saying, or portraying wrong or evil things.

So how would we define the things that could quench the Holy Spirit? They would be the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit:-

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:19-23.

As fire can be quenched by heaping earth on it, so the Holy Spirit can be quenched out of our lives by the love of the world or continually following the ways of the world as opposed to being transformed into the likeness of Christ (Rom. 12:2). If we become conformed to this world the prince of the world, Satan, can take control of the mind and can turn excellent men and women into fools who act in demonic ways. Instead of producing the fruit of the Spirit they will produce the work of the flesh.

As our fruits or character reveals whether we are filled with the Holy Spirit or not, there are also gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are many, varied, and given by the Holy Spirit to profit or benefit all men (1 Cor. 12). Some of these gifts include – wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking other languages, etc. Some people claim to have gifts from the Holy Spirit but if they use them for selfish reasons such as money, prestige, fame, etc., instead of for the benefit of others which is why the Holy Spirit gives these gifts, then we can know that their gift is a counterfeit.

It is Satan’s purpose to mingle truth with just enough error to deceive people, so that through the people using counterfeit gifts he might make of none effect the genuine work of God (Matt. 24:24).

"The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. 'Where there is no vision, the people perish.' Prov. 29:18. Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony. He will bring in spurious visions, to mislead and mingle the false with the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that bears the name of visions, as a species of fanaticism; but honest souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish between them." Selected Messages Vol. 2 by E. G. White, p. 78 par.2.

"When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction." The Faith I Live By by E. G. White, p. 296 par. 7.

"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:20.

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