“Do not quench the Spirit.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:19
Main Thought: When we think of something being quenched, it normally is a good thing. We quench our thirst with a cold drink, or when we hear of a fire or blaze being quenched it is something that has preserved property or a home, and perhaps even saved a life. But when we read these words, Paul is not speaking of quenching in a good way. The Holy Spirit has been given to all of us as believers, sealing us to the Father (Eph. 1:13), giving us assurance that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:15-16), equipping us for service in the Church (1 Cor. 12-14) and the displaying in our lives of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). These scriptures point to what happens when the Holy Spirit is quenched: we begin to doubt our salvation and lose the assurance of our relationship to Christ, our service to other believers and the church becomes ineffective, and the fruit of the Spirit becomes less evident to the unbelieving world, causing not transforming into the image of Christ, but a conforming to the world and losing our witness for Christ. How do we not quench the Spirit? We continue to do those things that are pleasing to God, that He has commanded us to do in His Word. First of all, we saturate our hearts and minds with His Word (Ps. 1:1-3; 119:9-11). Then, we make daily prayer a priority, confessing our sins and going to His throne for grace and fellowshipping with God in His presence (Heb. 4:14-16). Next, we make sure we are a part of a congregation that makes its focus the glory of God, the preaching of the Word and the Gospel, and Christ-centered living (Heb. 10:24-25). And last, we make sure we are not neglecting the Lord’s Supper, which causes us to examine ourselves and reminds us of the breaking of His body and the shedding of His blood for our sins (1 Cor. 11:23-34). In doing these practical things revealed to us plainly in the scriptures, we are not allowing worldliness and complacency to come in and quench the work and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May each one of us who know Christ be diligent daily in our Christian walk and make not quenching the Spirit a constant priority.
David Webber
David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.
More from David Webber
2 Corinthians 8:9
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” – 2 Corinthians 8:9
Job 14:1-2
“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.” – Job 14:1-2
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
“And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
Proverbs 28:13
“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13
Psalm 119:41-42
“Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me.” – Psalm 119:41-42
Psalm 86:9
“All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.” – Psalm 86:9 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (ESV)