Read 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In churches today, there is much confusion about the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. Many falsely think they are praising the Holy Spirit when they dress immodestly, dance sensually and sing shallow religious words to a rock tune. Others babble in unbiblical tongues and claim the Holy Spirit enables them. Still others claim to receive visions and revelations from the Holy Spirit. If that were true, their words would be equal with Scripture. Most people who view the Holy Spirit in this manner do not see the importance of separating from false doctrine or from the world. Instead, they work hand in hand with religious unbelievers.

When God said, “Quench not the Spirit”, He was not saying that we should cooperate with those who have an unbiblical view of the Holy Spirit. God was actually saying the opposite.

Transition

This morning we are going to answer three questions that will help us biblically understand this verse.

Who is the Spirit in this Verse?

  1. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit
    1. He is the third Person of the Trinity. He is God. He is holy.
    2. He is a real person not just an influence or force.
    3. He is the Author of the Bible. He inspired the writers.
    4. He may be vexed (Isa 63:10), grieved (Eph 4:30), resisted (Act 7:51) or quenched (1Th 5:19).
  2. He is the down payment of our inheritance
    1. (Ephesians 1:13-14) “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” He is God living in us while we wait for heaven.
    2. He lives inside of every true Christian from the moment of salvation. (Romans 8:9) “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
    3. The early church did not have a completed Bible as we do. Therefore, the Holy Spirit gave to some men temporary gifts of prophecy, knowledge and tongues to reveal what God wanted people to know and to authenticate God’s message. Paul wrote in (1 Corinthians 13:9) “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” They did not yet have the whole of God’s word; they only had parts of it. When the Bible was completed, the parts of revelation were no longer needed and these Holy Spirit gifts ceased. (1 Corinthians 13:10) “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”
    4. Churches that claim that the Holy Spirit is still giving them prophecies, knowledge and tongues are mistaken. Frequently, their services are disorderly, emotionally driven by sensual music, they contain what they call prophecies, revelations, tongues, and they allow women speakers, yet 1 Corinthians 14 condemns these practices. (1 Corinthians 14:33-35) “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Churches that do not obey these verses are not biblical churches. Do not be deceived! Evaluate their actions by the Word of God (1Th 5:21-22).
    5. Today, the Holy Spirit works in many ways. He convicts of sin (Jn 16:7-11); He regenerates believers (Tit 3:5); He seals new believers (Eph 1:13); He teaches and comforts (Jn 14:26); He guides into truth (Jn 16:13); He helps us pray (Ro 8:26); He produces fruit in submitted believers (Ga 5:22-23); He empowers to witness (Ac 1:8); He gives victory over sin (Gal 5:16-17); and He fills Christians who allow Him (Eph 5:18).

What does it mean to Quench Him?

  1. The word “quench” means to extinguish.
    1. It describes putting out a fire.
    2. A fire may be put out by neglecting it. That is passive quenching. Or it may be put out by pouring water on it. That is active quenching.
  2. Quenching the Spirit is extinguishing His power.
    1. If you are truly a Christian, the Holy Spirit began indwelling you the moment you trusted Christ to save you. Quenching the Spirit is not losing His indwelling. You can never lose the Holy Spirit. He is God’s down payment until you get to heaven. He will never leave you.
    2. The Holy Spirit may be quenched passively by ignoring His conviction, His ministry or His Word.
    3. The Holy Spirit may be quenched actively by refusing to obey His leading or by openly disobeying His Word.

How Does This Apply to Our Lives?

  1. We must not passively quench the Holy Spirit.
    1. We must not neglect His Word. He inspired the writing of the Bible. It is His Word. He uses the Bible to help Christians grow spiritually. When we neglect the Bible, we are neglecting the Spirit. (2 Timothy 2:15) “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” During my Bible training, I wrote these words in my Bible. “This Book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this Book.”
    2. We must not neglect His help to pray. He offers His help, but if we are not in close fellowship with Him, we will miss that help. (Romans 8:26) “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
    3. We must not neglect the Spirit’s desire to produce fruit in our lives. (Galatians 5:22-23) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” These fruits do not automatically grow in a Christian’s life. They grow as the Christian submits to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
  2. We must not actively quench the Holy Spirit.
    1. We must not sin. All sin grieves the Spirit. (Ephesians 4:30) “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” If we grieve Him, we also quench Him. We are pouring “water” on His fire.
    2. We must allow Him to fill us. We do this by keeping sin out of our lives and by yielding our will to His. (Ephesians 5:18) “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Literally, allow yourself to be filled)
    3. We must honour His holiness by living holy lives. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
    4. We must walk in harmony with Him. (Galatians 5:16-17) “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Galatians 5:25) “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Recently in a Sunday evening message, we examined this verse and found that this walking in the Spirit means to march in step and in line with Him. That is harmony!
    5. We must obey His promptings to witness. When He stirs us to witness to someone, He will empower us as well. We must obey Him or we will quench His desired work. (Acts 1:8) “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Conclusion

I agree with Warren Wiersbe who said, “The Holy Spirit does not work instead of us, or in spite of us, but in us and through us.” Have you been pleasing the Holy Spirit by daily studying His Word? Have you been depending on Him to help you pray? Are you allowing Him to fill you and produce His fruit in you by yielding to His will? Are you walking in step with Him day by day? Have you been obeying His promptings to witness? Have you been living a holy life in His honour?

If not, you are quenching the Spirit. You are putting out His fire in your life. You need to seek His forgiveness and begin honouring Him.

Song: Cleanse Me – 166
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Quench Not the Spirit
12 June 2016 AM – 1Thessalonians 5:19 – 1Th2016 – Scott Childs