D-THE EMPOWERED CHRISTIAN-4

D – THE EMPOWERED CHRISTIAN – 4

The Scripture has told us how the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  Jhn.16:8   The Holy Spirit gives us the power to produce fruit for the Lord, our Light. The sum of this fruit is all goodness, righteousness and Truth.  Eph.5:9   Jesus prayed for the disciples that they would receive the Helper (Holy Spirit) to bring remembrance to them and give them words to say.  He also prayed that they would be kept from the evil one.  Jhn.17:15   Not only did He pray these things for just His disciples but also for those who would believe in Christ through their word.  Jhn.17:20   Jesus taught that we need to ask or pray for the Holy Spirit.  Lk.11:13

Just as we can be grieved by many things, so the Holy Spirit can be grieved by us.  We are told not to grieve the Holy Spirit.  Eph.4:30   As man began to turn away from God to serve self, God said His Spirit would not contend with them forever.  Gen.6:3   The Spirit of God was grieved.  Why?  Man served self with his own passions and desires.  The Israelites had received so many blessings as they were removed from under Egypt’s enslavement.  Yet they rebelled and grieved Him.  Ps.78:40   God gives us grace far beyond what we deserve, but when we loose our faithfulness, the Holy Spirit is grieved.  Isa.63:10   We grieve when we suffer a loss.  When the Holy Spirit looses us because we are not paying attention to Him or trying to please the Lord, He feels a loss and grieves.

We must realize that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him.  Acts 5:32   When we fail to do this, we not only grieve the Holy Spirit, we resist Him.  Acts 7:51   We are told to resist the devil so he will flee from us.  Jam.4:7   What does this mean?  We push Satan away and have nothing to do with his temptations.  So how do we resist the Holy Spirit?  We push away our Helper, our Comforter, that indwelling Holy Spirit that temples in our inner being.  Perhaps He is trying to convict us in our conscience of some sin in our life.  Or maybe He is trying to increase our righteousness that we may bear more fruit for the Lord.  Are we going to push away—resist—the very seal that is given to us as a pledge of our inheritance in heaven?  Eph.1:13,14   As Steven was preaching to the Jews, he called them stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart.  Why?  They were resisting the Holy Spirit.  Acts 7:51   We become stubborn and resist the Holy Spirit as well.

In the weakness of our sinful self, we so desperately need the help of that Holy Spirit that we have been given to dwell within us.  The Holy Spirit stirs our spirit to do those things which are pleasing to our Savior.  Do we quench the Spirit?  We quench a fire.  We extinguish a blaze.  Do we put out that desire to serve our Master that has been lit by the Holy Spirit within us?  1 Thess.5:19

As we became a Christian, whether we realize it or not, we made a commitment.  It is like a marriage commitment—for better or worse as long as life shall last.  (Not like too many today—until we can no longer get along.)  Jesus made a commitment.  I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.  Matt.28:20   Jesus bought us with His precious life’s blood.  This was a heavy price.  1 Cor.6:20`   As the song says, “Now I Belong To Jesus”.  We no longer serve men nor do we serve self.  The Jews had a temple made with hands.  Now we are a temple.  Our inner being is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.  Our physical bodies and our spiritual bodies must be kept clean without pollutants of sin.  1 Cor.6:19   Our eyes and our ears work in conjunction with our thoughts.  These must all be kept clean.   2 Cor.7:1   As we stay away from defilements, we guard our flesh and spirit.  Isa.33:15,16; Ps.101:3   We control our thoughts.  Phil.4:8   That is our filter through which our thoughts sift.  Phil.1:10,11

As we press on to that goal of heaven (Phil.3:14), we don’t do it alone. The Holy Spirit is our Helper. Phil.4:13   Scripture gives us so many reminders of the help we need.  The angel told Mary, “For with God nothing is impossible.”  Lk.1:37   As Jesus taught about the vine and branches, He said, “For without me you can do nothing.”  Jhn.15:5   Scripture also states that we might be made the righteous of God in Him.  2 Cor.5:21  

We are an open book before our Lord.  He know our going out and our coming in.  He knows our need of a Helper.  That’s why we are given this gift of the Holy Spirit as soon as we become a Christian. We must not grieve Him, never resist Him, and certainly not quench nor extinguish the Holy Spirit.  We must cherish Him and pray that the Holy Spirit would help us in our daily walk to please Jesus.  May we abound in peace, joy and hope as Paul prayed in Rom.15:13.