Do Not Quench the Spirit — Bob Jennings

Lord, we stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how you could love us sinners condemned unclean. What you did, you loved us and gave yourself for us and left behind such blessings.

We stand amazed, Lord, that you would come to live in our hearts and tabernacle with us. That the tabernacle of God is with men and you promised, Lord, to dwell in us and walk in us and live through us and we bless you for it.

And want, Lord, that you might dwell richly in our heart in an ever greater way. Pray, Lord, that something this morning in the meeting and in this sermon might be a benefit to your dear people. Amen.

The Exhortation Not to Quench the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5 .19. We'll just be taking this one simple exhortation. Do not quench the Spirit. And you know the parallel. I'll be referring to that in Ephesians 4 .30. Ephesians 4 .30, there's a little more substance to it.

It says, do not grieve. Do not grieve. Thessalonians, do not quench. See, essentially, any difference between the two. Grieve, you know, sounds a little more of a person like you're referring to. Where Thessalonians, do not quench, sounds more like you're dealing.

And so here in Ephesians 4 .30, it says, do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. And then, a reason by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. So if we weren't going through Thessalonians, I'd prefer to speak from Ephesians.

But I'll be referring to it interchangeably. This exhortation is sort of the negative side of Galatians 5, walk in the Spirit. There it's stated positively, here it's sort of stated negatively, do not quench the Spirit.

And this exhortation, by way of a foreword, you know it presumes something, doesn't it? Presumes something really big. It's presuming that you are born of the Spirit. And the Spirit of God dwells in you.

And that you are a child of God. This exhortation only pertains to those who are born of the Spirit. Those who have the Spirit of God within them. Think of the uniqueness of this call. Very, very unique.

I mean, it's a reminder that Christianity is, it is not just, it's not religion. But it is a very delicate, intimate relationship with this person of the Holy Spirit of God. Not rules, but a relationship with the Spirit of God.

Not externals, not ceremonies, not rituals, but a relationship with this Spirit of God. And that our, this business called Christianity is not centered around us, but rather we're centered around the Spirit of God.

So we ought to think, we ought to, and the Christian will, be perpetually, constantly, morning, noon, and night, thinking about the Spirit of God. Thinking about Him who lives in us. Every thought, every word, every decision, every step, everything that we're thinking in terms of the Spirit of God.

That is normal, mere Christianity. We're walking in the Spirit. And wanting to be sensitive to this delicate dove of God that lives within us. It is amazing, isn't it? How, I mean, it's just so much finer, it's so much more delicate, it's so much more sensitive than anything that could be written.

That anything could be spelled out. It's in between the lines of the sacred page. This call to not grieve, to not quench the Spirit of God. I mean, I've seen it, you know, in the best of things you might say.

In singing a song, you can sing it in such a way as to grieve the Spirit of God. That shout that I made this morning, that little exhortation that I said this morning, you know, I had the thought afterward, was that flesh or not?

Did I say it too strongly or not? Did it grieve the Spirit of God or not? In prayer sometimes, our finest prayers, you know, you come away feeling like, I missed it, you know, and it was subtle flesh.

It was inadvertent flesh, but it grieved the Spirit of God. And so these things we're talking, this thing that we're talking about here, how intricate it is, how delicate it is, really we're talking about the heart of sanctification here.

This matter of walking with God and not grieving, not quenching the Spirit of God. Very distinguishing, very distinguishing from all other religions. And very searching. And so I'd like to mention right off some reasons that we have for not quenching the Spirit of God.

Some reasons that are given. There's two reasons. One is the person or the nature of Him with whom we have to do. The very nature of Him with whom we have to do. That is, the Spirit of God. That He is a person and then the second reason is His work.

And that's brought up in the Ephesians account. By whom you are sealed to the day of redemption. So, His person and His work. Those are the two big reasons that are given right here in these sister texts for not quenching the Spirit of God.

And then finally, we'll talk about some ways in which the Spirit of God can be quenched. The reasons for this call is because of the nature of Him with whom we have to do. I mean, that's only reasonable, isn't it?

I mean, if we're going to talk about not quenching, not grieving someone, it behooves us to know something about that person. I mean, you know, you get around somebody and you find out a little more of what they're like.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that grieves you. And I didn't realize that's what pleases you. And so, the more we get to know the Lord, the more we can see and understand and the more we understand of what might be a quenching, a grieving of the Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit as a Divine Person

And I refer to the Holy Spirit as a person. Is that right? Is that right? Some people say that the Spirit of God is not a person, but a force. You know, the Worldwide Church of God used to hold that position.

At least they used to. And others, you know, just the idea that the Spirit of God is a force and not a person. Is that right? How would you prove it? Think of it and just scan it in your mind. I've listed some reasons right here.

You've probably already seen it. I'll just list them off very quickly. One reason is because He is distinguished from His power. For example, the prophecy of Mary was, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

They are separated. Acts 10, Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power as though there was a difference there. Paul says, my preaching was not with enticing words, but in a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power.

So there's a distinguishing of the Holy Spirit with this power of the Spirit. Another reason is the masculine pronoun. I don't know Greek, but that's what I read. He will glorify me, the masculine pronoun.

So that's personal. Another reason is the Spirit of God has a mind. It says in Romans 8, He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is. Another reason is that He has a will. It says in Corinthians that He distributes to each one individually just as He wills.

A will. Another reason, that He guides. He will guide you into all truth. Another reason, that He teaches. The Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. Another reason, that He cries out.

God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, Abba, Father. It's like you've got some machine and you put this part on it and it produces this sound when it's on that machine and so the Holy Spirit is sent into our heart and He, in our hearts, produces the cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit of His Son. And when Jesus was here in the days of His flesh, that's the way He prayed, Abba, Father. And so, the Spirit of the Son is crying out. It doesn't sound like some force, does it?

He speaks. The Holy Spirit speaks. You know, just as the Holy Spirit says. Revelation, it says, let him who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Man reveals and searches.

The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. He strives. My Spirit shall not always strive with man. And He intercedes. He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. He has emotions.

In James 4, at least one reading is, the Spirit which God has made to dwell in us, jealously desires us. Here's the Spirit of God in you, jealously desires you. Why is He so jealous? Well, the preceding verses tell us about friendship with the world.

That's enmity with God. And so, He is jealous that we not be worldly. So, He has emotions. And also, we can have fellowship with Him. It says in the benediction in 2 Corinthians, the fellowship of the Spirit.

Fellowship with the Spirit of God. Another reason is He can be lied to and says in Acts 5, Ananias, why has Satan tempted you to lie to the Spirit of God? It can be lied to. Another reason is He's placed in juxtaposition with the apostles.

It seemed good to us. And to the Holy Spirit. Placed in juxtaposition with the Son of God. I will give you another Helper, another Comforter. Also placed alongside the Father. You know, in Matthew 28, that great commission, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

What is the point in bringing out the personhood of the Spirit of God? The point is this again, that we're dealing with a person, not just some impersonal force, not some abstract force, not with a machine, not with rules, regulations, but rather with the person of the Spirit of God.

And I can remember when Terry and I were married, you know, it was just so different. I've got this other person now living with me and I must think in terms of another person living with me. And so, how much more we should think that way.

I have this person of the Spirit of God living in my heart. A very tender guest, symbolized by the dove. A very honored guest. Every sin that a man commits will be forgiven him. He who sins against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

I don't understand it, but there's something special even there indicated about the Spirit of God that we don't want to insult Him. We don't want to do despite to the Spirit of Grace, Hebrews 10 says.

And so, here we have this very special guest living in us. As Leonard Ravenhill says, if I am a guest of the Spirit of God, if I am hosting Him, then I better be very careful where I take Him. Another reason why we wouldn't want to quench the Spirit of God, not only because He's personal, but also because He is deity, right?

The Deity and Divine Attributes of the Holy Spirit

Again, scanning that in your mind, how would you prove that the Holy Spirit is deity? Anyone? Have a thought. Good. Now, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, right alongside with the Son of God and God the Father.

Yeah. Same way in the benediction in Corinthians. Once again, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Spirit. Divine honor given to Him. Divine virtues attributed to Him like omniscience.

In Isaiah 40, who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or who has been His counselor. Omni-presence. Psalm 139, where can I go from Your Spirit? Omnipotence. In 1 Corinthians 12, He distributes the gifts of the Spirit just as He wills.

In Hebrews 9, it says, Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God. Whatever that means. Nevertheless, the Spirit of God is eternal. Going way back into eternity with the other persons of the Godhead.

And Job 33, it says, the Spirit of God has made me. So we're talking about the Creator. And then also comparisons with deity. You know, in Acts 5, why has Satan tempted you to lie to the Holy Spirit? Next verse, you've not lied to men, but to God.

And so comparisons like that indicate once again that the Spirit of God is deity. And what is the point? This one that we're not to grieve, this one that we're not to quench is none other than God the Spirit.

And our obligation is supreme. The fear and the respect that is due Him is infinite. And so it makes a difference, doesn't it? I remember one time we were preaching on campus and really holding forth.

And then I noticed coming down the sidewalk about 30 feet away is the president of the college. And the temptation was very great to tone it down. Because here's this one coming along in our presence that has got this authority and it makes a difference.

The Spirit's Work in Applying Redemption

You feel it. And so we want to remember that the Spirit of God, God the Spirit, One who lives in our hearts and no other. First, then I've tried to point out the reason we shouldn't quench the Spirit is because of who He is.

The second reason is because of the work that He has done. The Spirit of God is the One who applies redemption. You go back into eternity past and you think of God as the One who appointed redemption, election and predestination and so on.

And then in the days of the Son of God, He comes and He accomplishes redemption for the elect. And then we're now in the age of the Spirit where the Spirit of God applies redemption for the elect. And so the Spirit of God, He is the One who calls.

He is the One who produces the new birth. The Spirit of God, He is the One who then guides us, who inhabits us, who teaches us, who leads us, who glorifies Christ to us. He is the One, the Comforter. He is the One who ministers grace to us.

And in the end, He will be the One who raises us from the dead and finishes the work of redemption. But one of the big works of redemption is what? It's the sealing of the Spirit. And that's the thing that is mentioned in the counterpart in Ephesians 4.

Do not grieve the Spirit of God by which you are sealed to the day of redemption. And so Paul is holding that forth as a reason why we should not grieve or quench the Spirit of God because you're sealed to the day of redemption.

The Seal of the Spirit as a Mark of Blessing

Sealed by the Spirit. Isn't it something, brethren, that Paul puts that forward as an incentive to not sin? I mean, he doesn't mention as an incentive to sin, he doesn't mention our need. Our need of the Spirit.

Oh, what are you going to do without the Spirit? Our desperate need of the Spirit. He doesn't mention that. He doesn't mention something negative like that pertaining to our danger of trying to get along or trying to do something apart from the Spirit of God, but rather he mentions the Spirit of God as pertaining to the blessing that He has communicated to us.

I remember when I first started thinking about this years back, that's the way I took it. Do not grieve the Spirit of God by which you're sealed to the day of redemption. In other words, you don't want to lose Him.

You don't want to lose His power because you need the Spirit of God to make it. You need Him for your preservation. But Paul doesn't say it that way even though that's very true. That was not the reason that he put out.

That was not the supreme reason, but rather the reason that he puts out there is because of the blessing that the Spirit of God has bestowed upon us. The great honor that has been given us. We're sealed to the day of redemption.

The great blessing that He's lavished upon us. We're a privileged people. We're honored people. Look at what the Spirit of God has done for you now. Are you going to quench such love? Are you going to hurt such love?

Injure such love? Don't you feel it? That's New Testament sanctification. Love so amazing, so divine, demand my life, my soul, my all. How can I be sloppy? How can I hurt? God who has loved me so, the Spirit of God who has dealt so bountifully with me and sealed me to the day of redemption, put His mark on me so fair.

That ought to be a great incentive to not quench, to not grieve the Spirit of God. It says, by which you are sealed to the day of redemption. You know, there's different pictures regarding the work of the Holy Spirit.

In one place it says He has anointed us. Anointed us for our calling and for the work and for the power to which we are called. In another place it says that the Spirit is a down payment. You buy a car, right?

And you give a down payment. That's that earnest money. It shows you're in earnest. And it's a down payment. It's of the same nature as what the rest is coming. And so here we are. We've tasted the powers of the age to come.

But here the thing that's mentioned in Ephesians is by which you are sealed. By which you are sealed. And so when we think of a seal, we ought to think of a mark. Again, it's not on the backside of the envelope, it's not the flap that you lick, but rather it's the mark on the front.

It's the seal. It's the mark. I think of ownership, right? Always the easiest thing for me is to think of a cattle rancher. In the old days at least, they used to put their brand, their seal, their mark on that cow, on that steer to show that they owned it.

And so if a guy's got a special tool, he writes his name. He puts his seal on it. It speaks of ownership and it also speaks of genuineness and authority. You get a letter from someone and you wonder is it really from him?

Oh yeah, it is from him. It's got to be real because it's got the seal of the mayor on it. And so you know it's genuine. And so, that's what the Spirit of God has done for us. For example, in the days of His flesh, the Lord was sealed Himself by the Spirit.

In Luke 3, verse 22, you know the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God came down and said, this is My beloved Son. And in another place, you are My beloved Son. And so it was personal to Him and it was also a testimony to everybody that was around.

John the Baptist said, I wouldn't have known He was the Lamb of God except the Spirit of God came down and put His seal upon Him. And so, that is what the Spirit of God has done for us. What a privilege!

What a blessing! What an honor! That we should be children of God and know it. That we should be children of God and enjoy it. That we should be children of God destined for such a high and holy purpose.

The Day of Redemption and the Revealing of God's Children

And that's why the next phrase comes up again in Ephesians 4. Do not quench, do not grieve the Spirit of God by which you are sealed till the day of redemption. The day of redemption. The great day of redemption.

You know we're redeemed right now, but yet we're not fully redeemed, right? There's more to come. There's way more to come. We just got a down payment. We just got a little bit right now. We just got a foretaste of glory divine.

And so that work's begun. Like old Rutherford said, the streams on earth I tasted, more deep I'll drink above. There's so much more coming. And so we've been sealed to the day of redemption. Romans 8 speaks of the revealing of the sons of God when our bodies will be redeemed.

The Lord's coming back. And He's going to raise the dead. And everybody's going to stand before Him in judgment. He'll judge the world in righteousness. And the sons of God at last will be manifested.

It's right now Christianity and whoever the true Christians are, they're mocked. They're scoffed. They're despised. They're belittled. They're questioned. They're persecuted. But there's a day coming in which the sons of God will be manifested.

You know, they put out a new car and they have their premiere showing of this new car. They put out a new movie and they have a premiere showing of this new movie. And those are just little pictures of what's going to happen on the great day when God who has redeemed the world to His Son, God who has saved the people out of this world to His Son, this God who is there, there's going to be a day in which He's going to manifest His children.

His children that are so belittled. The world doesn't know us. His children that were put off, that weren't believed, they were scoffed at and ridiculed and set aside. There's going to be a day in which they'll be manifested.

We'll be revealed with Him in glory. What a day it will be. And the world is shaking. In Romans 8, it says, you know why these earthquakes are going on? Because the world is loaded under sin. It's feeling the weight of sin.

It's groaning under the curse and the weight of sin. But there's a positive side as well. Not only sins are causing the groaning of the world, but also the sons of God. It speaks of the sons of God. Yes, it says it's birth pangs.

These earthquakes that are going on, it's none other than birth pangs. Soon to produce, soon to yield, soon to give birth to the children of God when they shall be displayed and revealed with the Lord in glory.

Yes, those ones that didn't listen to you, that didn't listen to your Gospel, that rejected you, they'll have to come and they'll bow at your feet and say, I should have listened. Yes, the saints will judge the world.

The saints will judge the angels. What a day it will be. And so it says we're sealed. Sealed by the Spirit of God until the day of redemption. That great, that wonderful day. What a privilege. What a blessing has been bestowed upon us.

What honor has been given us that the Spirit of God would come and not only save us, regenerate us, but also come and seal us, put His mark on us whereby we can know we're saved, we know we're headed for heaven.

Blessed assurance. Blessed assurance. What a thing. And so, that's the reason there. That's the idea, right? Now, in closing, let's talk about some ways in which the Spirit of God can be grieved, can be quenched.

Sin as a Cause of Grieving the Holy Spirit

It's sin, right? Sin in all of its forms. I mean, do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, Ephesians 4 says. So sin in all of its forms. That's what grieves the Spirit of God. God is there. The God who is there, He can be grieved.

The Spirit of God can be grieved. Sin does hurt God. Oh yes, we're talking about someone who is infinite. Someone who is sovereign. Someone who is ruling and reigning and plowing a stream right down through the path of history.

And ultimately, whatever He wills gets done. Nobody can do anything against Him. No, not at all. On the one hand, God is 100 sovereign and can't be touched. But on the other hand, God is 100 personal and He can be touched.

I know it's a mystery. I know you can't explain it, but you better live with it. It's 100 both. And that's the only thing that fits reality. It's the only thing that fits Scripture. The Bible says right away in Genesis chapter 6, that God was sorry that He had made man.

Figure that out. Isaiah 63, it says, they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. Yes, God feels it. Now all down through the history of the Old Testament, old covenant people, it says they vexed His Spirit.

They grieved His Spirit. They provoked Him. They hurt Him. And so on. And so, God, yes, He is holy and sin is contrary to His nature. I mean, we see it on the personal level, right? There's things you can do to one another that grieve them, that hurt them, that quench them, that put them off, that back them off.

There's things we can say to husbands, say to wives, that injure them, that hurt them, that cause grief. You know, the reason that's the way that is is because we're made in the image of God. We're people because He's people.

He's a Person. And so, sin in all of its forms. Deeds of the flesh, for example. I mean, it says in Galatians 5, the deeds of the flesh. And then it's got a list of the fruit of the Spirit. Right? And so it says the flesh strives against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh.

They're contrary one to another. And so, deeds. Sinful deeds indeed grieve the Spirit of God. David fell into adultery and committed indirect murder. And so what we find him praying when he finally comes back into reality is do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

The Spirit of God has been grieved. Deeds. Stephen addresses those Pharisees and he says, you uncircumcised of heart, you stiff-necked, you're resisting the Holy Spirit just like your fathers did. You can resist the Holy Spirit.

Resisting the Spirit's Guidance and Promptings

And then forms of lesser resistance. You know, like guidance. I mean, here it says as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God, right? And so it must be that the Spirit of God wants to lead us indeed and guide us.

And so, you know, the Spirit of God said to Philip, go up and join yourself to that chariot. And so the Spirit of God tells us, go here, go there. You know, you have an inner sense that the Spirit of God wants you to do this.

You don't do it. And that can grieve the Spirit of God, right? And He's calling us to prayer. And we put Him off. There are times, you know, we ought to be sensitive to that where it's just a sense that the Spirit of God wants you to come and pray, wants you to come and just draw near right then and right there.

And you don't do it, and you have the thought, I'll come back later, and you don't have it. You don't have that reality that you just sensed could have been there. And so, you know, you find the Lord telling old Simon the Pharisee, come on, you gave me no kiss.

And so, you know, the Spirit of God is wanting kisses of affection and thanksgiving. Procrastination and Bible reading and so on. You know, procrastination, that can grieve a parent. You know, son, come on, I want you to do that now.

Right now is when I expected it done. Well, then, you know, same way with the Spirit of God. Neglect can be as much an insult as an action. Treating a person as though they weren't even in the room. So these are ways of grieving the Spirit of God and quenching.

Words and Thoughts That Grieve the Spirit

Another thing is our words, right? In Ephesians 4, that text there is right in the context of words. Right before that is verse 29. Let no rotten word, no unwholesome word, no vulgar word proceed out of your mouth.

And right after that, let all bitterness and wrath and all of that stuff be put away from you. And so, our words can grieve the Spirit of God. You know, Peter says, Ananias, why has Satan tempted your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?

It was words there that grieved the Spirit of God and the man fell dead. Our thoughts can grieve the Spirit of God. Wrong thoughts about God, right? You know, the Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth.

Three times He's called the Spirit of truth. And so it must be that this Spirit who is there, He likes truth. He doesn't like lies and He doesn't like errors. You know, how do you feel when somebody had a wrong thought of you?

Chris said that Jim Hutchison was coming. And so you know, he's mentioned Jim at different times and weeks gone by and you know, somehow you get thoughts of what Jim is like. And not that I had any bad thoughts of him, but you know, you just have these pictures and so now you meet him.

And here's what the reality is. And so, you have wrong thoughts of a person why they might not appreciate it, you know. Why did you think that about me? Well, how much more the Spirit of God? He wants to have us write thoughts about Him.

And so the more truth you can get a hold of, the more error that you can chase out of your life, the more you'll be liable to be pleasing to the Spirit of the living God. One thing to do, you know, talking about thoughts, that applies to the conscience also, right?

You know, I think the conscience is really tied up with the Spirit of God. Paul says in Romans 9, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not. My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit. Right?

My conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit. And so, I don't know what to make of it, but it looks like the Spirit of God really is working in conjunction with the conscience. And when you feel something in your conscience that you're a little bit ashamed about that, you can be sure that the Spirit of God feels the same way as your conscience does.

Examining Conversion and Obedience

Things that grieve you, grieve Him. In conclusion, this ought to be for our examination, right? I mean, am I born again by the Spirit of God? Does the Spirit of God live in me or not? Have I had a conversion experience?

Have I ever had a conversion experience? Have I ever been born again? I mean, this little fellow, Gabriel? Yeah, that was pretty real. Once he was inside, now he's outside. And so it is with everybody.

I can remember when it dawned on me that the Bible teaches a conversion experience. I thought you just kind of slide into these things. You just kind of evolve into these things. The Bible teaches you've got to be saved and born again.

And so we ought to ask, has the Spirit of God ever invaded my heart? But then secondly, if He has, this ought to be for the Christian. It ought to be an incentive to be perfect in obedience. You know what?

Acts 5 says He gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. Of course, that's true. I mean, Christian, non-Christian, but it also pertains to the subjective experience of the Christian. He gives more of the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him.

And I believe I can read that into it, right? No doubt you can. And so, it ought to be an incentive to be sensitive, just to obey God. You know, just perfect. Lord, I want to obey You perfectly. Why dabble around?

Why mess around? Why be half-hearted at all? You know, just everything. I want to obey You perfectly with all that is in my heart. And if you do, I mean, if you maintain that attitude, I mean, we know there's nobody who does.

And we're always surprised at how far short we come. But nevertheless, we're not talking about perfection. We're really talking about direction. We're talking about attitude. And if you've got that attitude and find more of the Spirit of God, why, you're going to be finding more of heaven on earth in your heart.