Quench Not the Spirit

Sermon delivered on September 30th, 2018
Sunday Morning Service

By: Pastor Greg Hocson

Scripture Text: I Thessalonians 5:14-28

 

1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15: See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16: Rejoice evermore. 17: Pray without ceasing. 18: In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19: Quench not the Spirit. 20: Despise not prophesyings. 21: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22: Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23: And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24: Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 25: Brethren, pray for us. 26: Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 27: I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. 28: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

 

Introduction

In our theme this year we have been considering the nature and the ministry of the Holy Spirit both in the lives of the unbelievers and believers. There are a number of analogies used in the Scriptures to describe the nature and ministry of the Holy Spirit, one of these is fire.

 

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

The Holy Spirit and His ministry is the fire that consumes and burns up the dross of sin in our lives

 

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3: And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4:  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Holy Spirit is also the fire of power and energy that fuels our efforts to labor for the glory of Christ and the good of His people. 

 

The Holy Spirit wants to intensify the heat of His presence among us, to inflame our hearts and fill us with the warmth of His indwelling power. So don't put out the flame! Don't put out the Spirit's fire! That's what we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. 

 

Here Paul warns the early church not to quench the Spirit! The word "quench" in this verse means to extinguish, to put out, to snuff out. It means to extinguish a fire by dousing it with water. 

 

You and I need to understand the work of the Holy Spirit to understand the severity and seriousness of the warning. The work of the Holy Spirit is so critical. It is extremely necessary. It is a vitally important. In quenching the Spirit, we do ourselves much harm and bring on ourselves great loss. How serious a problem is this in our churches today?

 

It is serious because a quenched Spirit means no conviction of sin; no sinner drawn to the Saviour; no regeneration; no drawing closer to the Lord; no sanctification; no help in our infirmities; no help in our prayers; no guide into all truth, no one teach us all things; no empowerment in service; no helper and comforter in this life; no fruit of the Spirit.

 

A quenched Spirit means no knowledge of God; no nearness to God, no love for God and His word, no warmth in prayer, no power in our witness. 

 

A quenched Spirit is a hindered Spirit. When we quench the Spirit we hinder the ministry of the gifts of the Spirit, or the convicting ministry of the Spirit, or the teaching ministry of the Spirit, and comforting ministry of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is willing and ready to give us a divine assignment, but we hinder His wonderful plans when we quench Him.

 

If these are the consequences of quenching the Spirit, I want to know the ways I may be quenching the Holy Spirit and by His grace will seek to avoid them. There are numerous ways we may be quenching the Spirit. That's what I want to focus this morning.

 

1. By Ignoring the Spirit and His Promptings

One way we could be quenching the Spirit is when we ignore or suppress His promptings. We are to be sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit. We must learn to listen and obey the Spirit's inner workings - either directing us what to do and what not to do. We should welcome the Spirit, watch for His presence, and submit ourselves to His leading. Otherwise we quench the Spirit by indifference and neglect.

 

To ignore the Holy Spirit is to invite trouble.

"A story was told about two young women who lost their lives in a fire that swept through their apartment as they slept. Their home was equipped with a smoke detector that was in good working order, but it did not go off during the fire. Why? Fire inspectors discovered that the smoke detector had been deactivated for a party the night before. The unit had been disconnected to keep it from sounding off because of the smoke from cooking and candles. They tried to suppress the sound of the alarm by disconnecting it. What a tragedy! Sadly that happens many times over in the spiritual realm." 

 

"We need to realize that the Holy Spirit was not given to annoy us like a sensitive smoke detector. He doesn't sound false alarms. When He activates our conscience by bringing to mind a principle or warning from God's Word, it is really His love and wisdom in action.

 

By weighing the warnings of His love against the cost of our foolishness, we'll soon realize that it's always better to be safe than sorry." — M R De Haan II

 

2. By Neglecting our Spiritual Gifts

Not only do we quench the Spirit by ignoring the Spirit and His promptings, we also quench Him by neglecting the Spiritual gifts He has given us.

 

Paul in this letter warns Timothy not to hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in his life.

1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

 

2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

Timothy had been given spiritual gift during his commissioning service. In these passages, Paul encourages him not to neglect his spiritual gift but rather, to stir up, to fan the flameto kindle afresh the gift of God which is in him. 

 

"Spiritual gifts are divine abilities distributed by the Holy Spirit to every believer according to God's design and grace for the common good of the body of Christ." 

 

Timothy received spiritual gifts from God. But it's not just Timothy who received gifts. Each one of us has God-given gifts. And there are many different spiritual gifts such as speaking gifts: which include word of wisdom, prophecy, evangelism, pastor-teacher, and teaching. Then there are the service gifts, such as, administration, exhortation, faith, giving, helps, serving, and mercy.

 

Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7: Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8: Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

 

Please understand that these spiritual gifts are given not for our own edification or pride but for the furtherance of God's message and plan. Our spiritual gifts are to be used to exalt the Saviour; edify the saints; and evangelize the sinners

 

When we do not use the spiritual gift God has given us, we quench the Spirit; we hinder His essential ministry.

 

Furthermore, do not hinder the ministry of the Holy Spirit by despising another's spiritual gift. Seek to encourage others to use their spiritual gifts. Help others find opportunity for ministry.

 

3. By Despising the Means of Grace 

Not only do we quench the Spirit by ignoring the Spirit and His promptings and by neglecting the Spiritual gifts He has given us, we also quench Him by despising the means of grace.

 

By "means of grace" I mean the instruments that God uses for our sanctification. God works by means. In His grace and in His wisdom, God has provided ways to help us grow in grace and serve in grace. These means of grace include the reading of Scripture, hearing God's Word, personal time with God in the Word and prayer, assembling of ourselves, partaking the Lord's Supper, etc. 

 

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. 20: Despise not prophesyings.

 

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 

Sad to say many professing Christians despise these instruments God has provided as a result growth and serve are stifled. You and I cannot neglect these means of grace without reaping its consequences. Neglecting these means of grace, as it were, stop up the channel by which the Spirit would come to us. Thus we quench the Spirit.

 

These are three of the many ways in which the Spirit may be quenched.

 

Closing Thoughts

Let me close with this quote from a 19th Century  preacher, Octavius Winslow. He had written something which all Bible-believing, gospel-centered Christians need to hear and heed. 

 

He writes:

"All that we spiritually know of ourselves, all that we know of God, and of Jesus, and His Word, we owe to the teaching of the Holy Spirit; and all the real light, sanctification, strength and comfort we are made to possess on our way to glory, we must ascribe to Him. . . . Where He is honored, and adoring thoughts of His person, and tender, loving views of His work are cherished, then are experienced, in an enlarged degree, His quickening, enlightening, sanctifying and comforting influence."

 

Brothers and sisters, quench not the Spirit of God. You and I cannot afford to quench the Spirit. Everything we know of God, everything we understand in God's Word, we owe to the Spirit and His ministry. 

 

Seek to avoid anything and everything that hinder His working. How about this subject of spiritual gifts. What are your gifts? Are you neglecting them — or using them for the advancement God's and God's glory? O, do not quench the Spirit by neglect of the gift He has given you. Never discount your gifts. Never think they are meaningless or useless to God. Give yourself wholly to those gifts and use them for God's  glory and for the building up of His church.

 

Stir up, fan the flame, and stoke the fire so that it burns higher. Let the Spirit of God consume you! God bless you all!

 

AMEN!