Heartache
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. ~Ephesians 4:30
Grief is an unbearable sorrow due to a loss, disappointment, or adversity. Grief produces sadness, heaviness of heart, and many tears. Grief can lead us into a state of inactivity and ineffectiveness until we have recovered. In some cases, grief results in such heartache that the person grieving can even die from it. This morning, we want to consider how the Holy Spirit can be grieved by certain actions on our part.
There is the resident ministry.
When we get saved, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. This means that God places His invisible seal of ownership on us. The devil has no claim on our soul. We belong to the Lord. Our bodies become the temple of the Holy Ghost, Who permanently indwells us. His indwelling is to teach us concerning the things of God. His indwelling represents the presence of God that is always with us. It gives us power and the ability to live a life that is pleasing to God. To walk in the Spirit represents a life that is consistent with the Spirit’s control over us.
There is the remorseful mourning.
Sins of the spirit on our part result in the Holy Spirit being grieved and hurt. Sins of the spirit are evil speaking, anger, wrath, bitterness, malice, jealousy, envying, and unforgiveness. These sins are typically against other people. When these sins are manifest in our life, the Holy Spirit is grieved. He is hurt that we allowed those sins to take over and injure someone else. He causes us to feel the hurt deep within. These sins of the spirit are insidious and dangerous. Left unresolved, we wind up walking in the flesh instead of in the Spirit. Left unresolved, they will produce hardened hearts within us. When the Spirit is grieved, we render God’s power in our life ineffective until matters are made right. Maybe right now is a good time to examine our hearts and ask, “In what way have I grieved the Holy Spirit? Which of these sins is present in my heart and has been unresolved for a period of time?”
There is the restorative medicine.
What do we do when the Spirit is grieved? We must confess our sins of the spirit to God and ask for forgiveness. We are to look diligently for the grace of God, lest the root of bitterness springing up defile us and others. We are to put away the sins that grieved the Spirit of God. We are to replace these sins of the spirit with kindness, a tender heart, and forgiveness. We are to look on others better than ourselves.
During a tour of a large manufacturing plant, a visitor noticed a man using a fiery torch of high intensity to work on huge slabs of steel. Operating from a blueprint on a nearby table, a pointer traced the pattern and then, by a clever system of levers, enlarged the design as it was burned into the metal. There were times, however, when the flame would not make any impression. When this happened, a chemical substance was applied to the resisting patch, and immediately the cutting could be resumed. The worker explained that although the torch was able to go through clean steel 8 inches thick, if it encountered the slightest film of rust on the surface, the flame could not penetrate it. The Bible-believing visitor remarked, “It struck me forcefully that this is a picture of the Christian. The Holy Spirit is seeking to produce in us God’s perfect design. If the life is unblemished, He is able to continue His efforts; but if we become carnal or backslidden, His work of shaping us is hindered until the area in question has been thoroughly cleansed.”
Have we grieved the Holy Spirit through corrupt communication from our mouth, unresolved anger, or bitterness? Staying this way results in long-term powerlessness. Examine your heart, and determine to seek to make things right.
Have a Spirit-fulfilling God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalm 51-57