QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT
By W. G. Guy
One of the admonitions of the apostle Paul is stated for a very important reason.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 – Quench not the Spirit.
Why is this so important? This is referring to the Spirit of Christ that we receive when we are born-again of His Spirit. This is walking in the new life that is furnished by His Holy Spirit. It is also the Holy Spirit that empowers us to be His witnesses on this earth.
Jesus described being baptized in the Holy Spirit as having a fire ignited within us that equips us to be His light in this world of darkness. As John testified of Jesus in preparing for His coming:
Luke 3:16 – John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
To quench the Spirit is to throw water on this Holy Ghost fire. This dowses the flames of His presence and diminishes our witness and testimony of Jesus Christ as our total redeemer. We as true Christians are to live and walk in the Spirit which is the evidence of having His new and redeemed life in us. Consider how important having, and hearing, the Spirit is as to living this life with Christ, and the Father, as listed in various verse of Romans 8:
Vs 1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Vs 4-5 – That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Vs 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.
Vs 13-14 – For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Thus we don’t want to quench the Spirit and put out the Holy Fire as much of the church of today has done; they even deny that the work of the Holy Spirit is for today.
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.
Such churches have become powerless to have a positive effect on the world as they merely operate as a social or fraternal organization that meets around a supposed theme. These churches have a form, but they lack substance, just as the apostle Paul foretold.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 – This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Where do you find a form of godliness but in a church that denies the power and works of the Holy Spirit. We are told not to be ignorant, or to ignore this power.
1 Corinthians 12:1 – Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
The power that is available is through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit which the Spirit initiates as we, by faith, show God’s love toward others, as commanded. There are nine of these Gifts recorded for us.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11 – For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
The churches that deny that this power is for today have also rejected the truth of His Word that says:
1 Corinthians 1:7 – So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
These Gifts, and this power, is to be in full operation right up unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Quenching the Spirit denies the fuel that keeps the fire and the light burning. It is that fire that purges sin in people’s hearts; purifies faith; it carries forth the Word, the true gospel into this vile and corrupt world. We are instructed to be filled with the Spirit, which means to be overflowing with Him in our lives.
Ephesians 5:17-18 – Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Churches that lack or deny the power and works of the Holy Spirit have become deaf to hearing from Him. Jesus repeatedly told us to “hear what the Spirit is saying”. But so much of the church today does not listen and cannot hear. People have always had various levels of hearing. Scripture gives us an example of some that could hear something, others heard more specifically, yet others heard nothing:
John 12:28-30 – Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
God’s voice by His Spirit is for our sake, if we will only hear and listen, then obey!
Jesus also gave us a teaching parable of the sower of seed. Jesus likened this seed as His Word falling on poor ground that does not yield the desired fruit because only the good ground will produce. Thus the poor ground does not hear or does not listen to what the Spirit is saying.
Luke 8:8 – And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus dictated to the apostle John letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3, and in each one He gives the same admonition. This admonition is for a very important reason. The reason is because obedience to the word given results in a marvelous reward to each church. (Revelation 2 and 3 for yourself to find out what the result is for hearing what the Spirit is saying to each church,)
Revelation 3:22 – He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
What we must understand for today is that Christ is building Himself and the Kingdom of God in believers by the Spirit. Quenching the Spirit hinders the building process. This is because we believers are the temple of God where He manifests His presence! It is the Spirit that reveals truth, Christ, and His Word, which is the Light of Life! It is the Holy Spirit that anoints (empowers) us true believers to carry on the work of true ministry to the world.
Therefore, QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT! It is the life that we are to walk in as God’s children!
