I Thessalonians 5:19
“Do not quench the Spirit.”
We use the word quench when it comes to thirst. When a drink quenches our thirst, it’s eliminated. When one quenches the Spirit, there is no place for Him. He is edged out, not listened to.
When we come to Christ we bow the knee and crown Him Lord of our lives. This takes time. He causes our old life to become distasteful and we learn to follow Him. Sometimes we come upon areas that we don’t want to let go of. It may take time for us to give up control. It may be weeks, months or years. In the mean time we are ignoring the Spirit’s promptings to let go. That is quenching the Spirit.
God wants the best for us. He seeks to remove the harmful parts of us. If we understood the big picture, we would comply. That’s not how it works. We are to walk by faith. From our perspective we are being asked to give up something prized. We wrestle with it. Yet, we would do better if we obeyed. It takes faith.
When the Lord asks us to not do something, it could be for several reasons. If it’s an unbiblical action or attitude, then we are to avoid. If it’s not forbidden in scripture, then we are to see it as more situational. It may ok for us, just not at the moment. Maybe we we are to avoid for a season. Finally there is the possibility that we are to make it part of our lifestyle to avoid it. This is how we make room for God. This is how we walk with Him. To do as we please would be quenching the Spirit.
Lord, we are grateful that You desire to be with us and to guide us. Help us to make room for You. Help us to not quench the Spirit.