And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30
June 7, 2022
There are multiple ways we can sin against the Holy Spirit. He can be resisted, insulted, lied to, tested, and grieved. We know about grief. A significant loss provokes sorrow and limitations that can keep us from functioning as we should. Sins of the tongue bring sadness to the Spirit of God. The Ephesian believers were, in so many words, told “to wash their mouths out.” Slander, gossip, profanity, and filthy language make the Spirit weep. My friend, Tony Evans, has some pertinent thoughts on this: “The Spirit’s joy, presence, and power will not be yours if you make him sad when you open your mouth.” The Holy Spirit won’t leave us, but love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control can suffer. The Holy Spirit fights against sin defensively and offensively. Are you in a season of joylessness and impatience? Could it be that the Spirit’s work in your life is being squelched by unkind and cruel things you have said? God the Spirit never becomes less than God. However, He can be pushed away and rejected. We pay the price for that. As Christians we can be tempted to grieve God’s Spirit who loves us. H
A time to pray: “Lord, I confess that I have been too careless with my tongue. Forgive me, and give me a fresh experience of power in my life by your Spirit whose first name is ‘Holy.’”