GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT

Ephesians 4:30 -And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit is a personality. He is not a ‘power’ or a ‘force’ like electricity. The Holy Spirit speaks and hears; thinks and reasons; feel and has emotions; and decides, has a will, and self-determination. The Holy Spirit is God. Since He has emotions, He can be grieved or vexed. Ephesians 4:30 says and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. This brings us to the question of how does one grieve the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit can grieved in the following ways: Making Him sad by behavior contrary to the fruit of the Spirit –anger, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc ; Quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) – putting out of the fire of the Spirit by refusal to pray and be on fire for the gifts and anointing of the Spirit to work through you; insulting the Spirit (Hebrews 10:29)-Living a life of continual deliberate sinning after receiving the knowledge of truth; Resisting the Spirit (Acts 7:51)-Going in the opposite direction to the definite guidance of the Spirit; Vexing the Spirit-(Isaiah 63:10)-Living in deliberate rebellion against the leadership of the Spirit; Lying to the Spirit (Acts 5:3)-Telling intentional untruths and half-truths to anointed men/women of God with the intention of deceiving God’s people; Tempting/Testing the Spirit (Acts 5:9)-Teaming up to provoke God’s Spirit to do things he would not normally want to do; Blaspheming the Spirit (Matthew 12:31, 32)-Attributing the works and words of God’s Spirit to Satan and demons when you have a clear witness within yourself; Striving with the Spirit (Genesis 6:3)-Walking in the flesh continually against the promptings of the Spirit; Rebelling against the Spirit (Psalm 106:33)-Refusal to do what God’s Spirit expressly commands.We can also grieve the Holy Spirit by entertaining vain and sinful thoughts .

The fact that the Holy Spirit can grieved or vexed suggests the possibility of the Holy Spirit to be pleased too. Acts 15:28 says for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things. How does one please the Holy Spirit? By avoiding the sins against the Spirit and majoring in the character traits that reflect the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Another way to please Him is by avoiding grieving Him through our thoughts - vain and sinful thoughts. Philippians 4:8 says whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are good report; if there be any virtue , and if there by any praise, think on these things.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please sanctify me today and help to bring to bear the fruit of the Spirit.