Don't quench the Spirit

[PATrobas]

Reminders Definitions - Quench

            There aren’t many Q’ words found in Scripture, but this one stood out to me in several ways. Quench means, 1) To put out or extinguish, as, to quench a flame. 2) to calm or satisfy a desire, as, to quench a thirst. And 3) to hinder or repress, as, to quench the Spirit. The two Greek words for ‘quench’ are, ‘sbennumi,’ (pronounced sben-new-me,) meaning to extinguish a flame or fire, and the other is a derivative of it, ‘asbestos,’ meaning, that which can’t be quenched, or, unquenchable.

            The use of ‘sbennumi’ is seen in Daniel 3 when God saw Shadrach’s, Meshach’s, and Abednego’s faith and quenched the effects of the burning fiery furnace. ^{Hebrews 11:34} This was a supernatural act of God. The word ‘asbestos’ speaks of something that can never be extinguished. Asbestos is a natural, fibrous mineral that is extremely strong and fire resistant. Until banned in building materials for its harmful side effects, it is still used today in candles and oil lamp wicks because of its longevity to carry fuel to the flame. We see it in Scripture speaking of the fire of Hades that cannot be quenched. “And if your hand offends you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.” ^{Mark 9:43,45} The metaphorical use of quench in Scripture speaks of two things. The first is an encouragement to believers, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” ^{Ephesians 6:16} In other words, whatever darts our enemy or his minions shoot at us, such as temptations, adverse circumstances, or doubts, we are to quench them by standing behind our shield of faith. The shield of faith is believing and trusting what the Word has spoken to us. When we do, those darts will fall harmlessly to the ground. The second is an admonition to not quench that which the Holy Spirit is leading us to say or do. “Quench not the Spirit.” ^{1 Thessalonians 5:19} When the Holy Spirit prompts, leads, alerts, or convicts us, we are to respond affirmatively saying “Yes Lord” and then obey what He says to do. It might be by praying for a certain person that comes to mind, or by giving of yourself to supply a need, or to answer the call to minister your gift to others, or to confess a wrongdoing. Whatever it is, don’t quench the Holy Spirit.

            Final Thoughts: Thanks be to God who keeps the flames of Hell from touching us by our faith in the Gospel, who quenches the darts of adversity by our shield of faith, and who reveals His will to us by the prompting of the Holy Spirit to obey Him by faith. _ph

[FreeGrace]

20 minutes ago, PATrobas said:

Reminders Definitions - Quench

            There aren’t many Q’ words found in Scripture, but this one stood out to me in several ways. Quench means, 1) To put out or extinguish, as, to quench a flame. 2) to calm or satisfy a desire, as, to quench a thirst. And 3) to hinder or repress, as, to quench the Spirit. The two Greek words for ‘quench’ are, ‘sbennumi,’ (pronounced sben-new-me,) meaning to extinguish a flame or fire, and the other is a derivative of it, ‘asbestos,’ meaning, that which can’t be quenched, or, unquenchable.

            The use of ‘sbennumi’ is seen in Daniel 3 when God saw Shadrach’s, Meshach’s, and Abednego’s faith and quenched the effects of the burning fiery furnace. ^{Hebrews 11:34} This was a supernatural act of God. The word ‘asbestos’ speaks of something that can never be extinguished. Asbestos is a natural, fibrous mineral that is extremely strong and fire resistant. Until banned in building materials for its harmful side effects, it is still used today in candles and oil lamp wicks because of its longevity to carry fuel to the flame. We see it in Scripture speaking of the fire of Hades that cannot be quenched. “And if your hand offends you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.” ^{Mark 9:43,45} The metaphorical use of quench in Scripture speaks of two things. The first is an encouragement to believers, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” ^{Ephesians 6:16} In other words, whatever darts our enemy or his minions shoot at us, such as temptations, adverse circumstances, or doubts, we are to quench them by standing behind our shield of faith. The shield of faith is believing and trusting what the Word has spoken to us. When we do, those darts will fall harmlessly to the ground. The second is an admonition to not quench that which the Holy Spirit is leading us to say or do. “Quench not the Spirit.” ^{1 Thessalonians 5:19} When the Holy Spirit prompts, leads, alerts, or convicts us, we are to respond affirmatively saying “Yes Lord” and then obey what He says to do. It might be by praying for a certain person that comes to mind, or by giving of yourself to supply a need, or to answer the call to minister your gift to others, or to confess a wrongdoing. Whatever it is, don’t quench the Holy Spirit.

            Final Thoughts: Thanks be to God who keeps the flames of Hell from touching us by our faith in the Gospel, who quenches the darts of adversity by our shield of faith, and who reveals His will to us by the prompting of the Holy Spirit to obey Him by faith. _ph

Thanks for this very important and thoughtful post!  Believers can't be warned enough, or encouraged enough regarding our spiritual lives.  I think of the spiritual life as having 2 sides, like a coin.  One side is the command to "be filled with the Spirit" per Eph 5:18.  On the other side are 2 commands:  stop quenching the Spirit and stop grieving the Spirit, per Eph 4:30.

It seems very few pastors even preach/teach on this subject.  Almost as if assuming believers are generally filled with the Spirit by the things they do, otherwise known as the "spiritual disciplines".  However, there is nothing in the Bible that indicates such a thing as being filled with the Spirit through lifestyle/behaviors.

Since being filled with the Spirit is a command to obey (imperative mood), we must know HOW to obey that command.  As a command, it is not either automatic or guaranteed.  There are specific things that must be done in order to be filled with the Spirit.

But first, we must understand the issue of being in fellowship with the Lord.  1 John 1 mentions "fellowship" 4 times in 3 verses, so this is a very important issue.  Just like in a marriage, the couple out of fellowship with each other is a very poor relationship.  We don't want that to be the case in our relationship with the Lord.  And what causes a believer to be out of fellowship with the Lord?  Sin.  In fact, it's so serious that when out of fellowship, our prayers will not be heard!  Psa 66:18 - If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.  So sin offends the Lord.   Not only that, but all "energy of the flesh", which can be all the moral and decent things people do also offend God.  Isa 64:6 - Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

The literal Hebrew for 'filthy rags' means "used menstral rags".  So think about it.  If believers are not confessing their sins regularly, they are out of fellowship and no matter how moral, upright and honest/etc they may be, and helpful around the church, that all comes from their own flesh, and not the Holy Spirit.  So, both sin and morality from the flesh offend God, and put the believer out of fellowship.

So the only way to restore fellowship with the Lord is to "keep short accounts" by confessing (admitting) our sins to God.  That alone restores fellowship.  Now the believer is in a position to obey the command to be filled with the Spirit.

When Jesus was teaching the apostles how to pray, He ended by saying this, in Luke 11:13 - So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

To be clear, Jesus said this in an age when the Holy Spirit did not universally indwell every believer, but only those who had special jobs, etc.  He was telling His disciples to ASK for the Holy Spirit.  I believe this applies today for the filling of the Spirit.  Every believer is indwelt with the Holy Spirit, who is given at the moment a person believes in Christ.  

1 John 5:14 - And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 - And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

He only hears the believer when the believer is in fellowship with Him.  So when we "know that He hears us" we also "know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him".

[steve morrow]

FOR  BY  FIRE  AND  BY  HIS  SWORD 

 

PSALM 29:7  the voice of  THE  LORD  divideth the flames of fire 

PSALM  106:18  and a fire was kindled in their company the flame burned up the wicked 

PSALM 21:9  thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger  THE  LORD  shall swallow them up in  HIS  wrath and the fire shall devour them

 

JEREMIAH 23:29  is not  MY  word like as a fire saith  THE  LORD  and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces 

JEREMIAH 5:12  they have belied  THE  LORD  and said it is not  HE  neither shall evil come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine 

--5:13--  and the prophets shall become wind and the word is not in them thus shall it be done unto them 

--5:14--  wherefore thus saith  THE  LORD  GOD  of hosts because you speak this word behold I will make  MY  words in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shall devour them 

 

ISAIAH 5:24  therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble and the flame consumeth the chaff so their root shall be as rottenness and their blossom shall go up as dust because they have cast away  --THE  LAW  OF  THE  LORD  OF  HOSTS-- and despised the word of  THE  HOLY  ONE  OF  ISRAEL 

ISAIAH 47:14  behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burn them they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame there shall not be a coal to warm it nor fire to sit before it 

OBADIAH 1:18  and the house of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame and the house of Esau for stubble and they shall kindle in them and devour them and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau for  THE  LORD  hath spoken it 

 

MALACHI 4:1  for behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all --the proud --- and all that do wickedly-- shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith  THE  LORD  OF  HOSTS  that it shall leave them neither root nor branch 

 

ISAIAH 30:30  and  THE  LORD  shall cause  HIS  glorious voice to be heard and shall show the lighting down of  HIS  arm with the indignation of  HIS  anger and with the flame of a devouring fire with scattering and tempest and hailstones 

 

ISAIAH 66:15  for behold  THE  LORD  will come with fire and with  HIS  chariots like a whirlwind to render  HIS  anger with fury and  HIS  rebuke --with flames of fire--

--66:16--  for by fire and by  HIS  sword will  THE  LORD  plead with all flesh and the slain of  THE  LORD  shall be many

 

EPHESIANS 6:17  and take the helmet of salvation --and the sword of the spirit-- WHICH  IS  THE  WORD  OF  GOD

JOHN 6:63  it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life 

 

1 THESSALONIANS 5:19  QUENCH  NOT  THE  SPIRIT

 

MATTHEW  3:12  whose fan is in  HIS  hand and  HE  will thoroughly purge  HIS  floor and gather  HIS  wheat into the garner but  HE  will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire

 

LUKE 6:45   a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil --for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh--

--6:46-- and why call you  ME  LORD  LORD  and do not the things which I say 

 

PROVERBS 4:19  the way of the wicked is as darkness they know not at what they stumble 

--4:23--  keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life 

LUKE 10:16  he that heareth you heareth  ME  and he that despiseth you despiseth  ME  and he that despiseth  ME  despiseth  HIM  that sent  ME

EPHESIANS 6:16  above all taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to --quench all the fiery darts of the wicked--

 

2 TIMOTHY 1:13 hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in  CHRIST  JESUS 

 

 

LOVING  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST

[TheBlade]

Many quench the sweet sweet holy Spirit before He even gets a chance to move because it does not fit or follows their own personal belief, doctrine. Yet its He that leads us and guides us. Just let go..have faith. 

[steve morrow]

THE  DOCTRINE  OF  CHRIST  ---  WHAT  IS  MAN 

 

PROVERBS 3:5  trust in  THE  LORD  with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding 

--3:6-- in all thy ways acknowledge  HIM  and  HE  shall direct thy paths 

--3:7--  be not wise in thine own eyes fear  THE  LORD  and depart from evil

 

PROVERBS 21:16  the man that wandereth out of the way of understanding ---shall remain in the congregation of the dead---

 

MARK 12:27  HE  is not the  GOD  of the dead but the  GOD  of the living ---you therefore do greatly err---

 

 

PROVERBS 15:10  correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way  and he that hateth reproof shall die 

 

JOHN 14:6  JESUS  saith unto him --I  AM  THE  WAY  --  THE  TRUTH  --  AND  THE  LIFE  --  no man cometh unto  THE  FATHER  BUT  BY  ME

 

1 TIMOTHY 2:5  for there is one  GOD  and one --mediator-- between  GOD  and men  --the man  JESUS  CHRIST--

 

2 TIMOTHY 2:7   consider what I say and  THE  LORD  give thee understanding in  --ALL  THINGS--

 

LUKE 8:21  and  HE  answered and said unto them  --MY  MOTHER  --  AND  MY  BRETHREN-- are these which hear the word of  GOD  and do it

 

2 JOHN 1:9  whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of  --CHRIST--  HATH  NOT  GOD  --he that abideth in the doctrine of  CHRIST  he hath both  THE  FATHER  AND  THE  SON

--1:10-- if there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him  GOD  speed

 

PSALM 52:3  thou lovest evil more than good and lying rather than to speak righteousness   SELAH

 

PROVERBS 8:8  all the words of  --MY  MOUTH--  are in righteousness there is nothing froward or perverse in them

 

2 THESSALONIANS 2:8  and then shall that wicked be revealed whom   THE  LORD  shall consume with the --SPIRIT  OF  HIS  MOUTH-- and shall destroy with the brightness of  HIS  coming 

 

PSALM 144:3  LORD  what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him 

 

PSALM 60:11  give us help from trouble --- for vain is the help of man ---

 

1 CORINTHIANS 8:5  for though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be gods many and lords many 

--8:6--  but to us there is but   ONE  GOD  THE  FATHER   of whom are all things and we in  HIM  and   ONE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST   by whom are all things and we by  HIM

 

LOVING  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST