To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Tag: Grieve not the Holy Spirit

Displeasing Marriages

Genesis 26 starts out with the
– deception of Isaac that nearly killed the lineage of the then king Abimelech (verses 1-11),
– discord over water rights between Isaac’s servants and the servants of Abimelech (verses 12-22),
– defense and declaration of God’s covenant with Isaac (verses 23-25),
– deal of peace between Isaac and Abimelech (verses 26-33)
and finally ends with the
– displeasing marriages of Esau, Isaac’s firstborn son (verses 34-35).

The Bible accounts that Esau was forty years old when he married not one but two Hittite wives – Judith the daughter of Beeri and Bashemath the daughter of Elon and these pagan women made the life of Isaac and his wife Rebekah, miserable. These daughters-in-law were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau marriages were displeasing.

Points to ponder:
Before we go about condemning Esau for his foolish marriages of worldly (not godly) wives, let us take a moment to introspect ourselves. Many a times, we would find ourselves getting married to the things of this world (be it power, position, prosperity, or pleasure). Our marriages to the worldly things brings displeasure to God and so we ought to divorce ourselves from the things of this ephemeral world and keep ourselves chaste (by the power of the Holy Spirit of God) and look forward to the wedding of the Lamb of God as the bride of Christ (Revelation 19).

What are the things of this world that you are married to that you ought to divorce so that you dont grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and displease God? (2 Samuel 11:27). Answer that question and act on it, today.

Genesis 26:34-35 (KJV)
34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

Christian Acronym :: W.Y.S.I.W.Y.G

Those in the technology industry, must be acquainted with WYSIWYG (pronounced wiz-ee-wig) which is the acronym for What You See Is What You Get. This is used in computing to describe, that the content displayed (what you see) pre-production is the final output (is what you get) as well.

But in our Christian walk and war, is there an application of this acronym? Yes, there is. Ephesians 4:30 counsels us to grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. What does this mean? To grieve the Holy Spirit is to live an alienated life from God, in an ungodly sinful manner, with vain minds and blind hearts. In other words, to grieve the Holy Spirit is to sin, whether it be in thought, word or deed.

To sin is to indulge in any or all of the following lifestyle:
– be lustful/lewd (Ephesians 4:19),
– work uncleanness with greediness (Ephesians 4:19),
– be corrupt with deceitful lusts (Ephesians 4:22),
– lie (Ephesians 4:25),
– be angry with unreconciled issues (Ephesians 4:26),
– give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27),
– steal (Ephesians 4:28),
– speak in an unedifying and evil manner or curse (Ephesians 4:29, 31),
– be bitter (Ephesians 4:31)
– be malicious (with a desire to cause pain) (Ephesians 4:31)
– not forgive as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32)
– partake in immorality (Ephesians 5:3-5)

When You Sin Is When You Grieve (W.Y.S.I.W.Y.G) and so let us live in a godly manner so that we may not grieve the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:17-32 (KJV)
17
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20
But ye have not so learned Christ;
21
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27
Neither give place to the devil.
28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 5:1-7 (KJV)
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7
Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Quench not the Spirit

1 Thessalonians in Chapter 5 counsels that we ought not to quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). In other words, the Fire of the Holy Spirit must not be put off. How can one put off the Holy Spirit? By walking according to the flesh for the flesh is at war with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18). Apostle Paul writes for that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (Romans 7:15). We can all empathize and relate with Apostle Paul. Many times we do things willfully that we dont want to and dont do things that we have to, and in that manner, we grieve the Holy Spirit God. So what can we do to not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit? We can submit to the will of God, mortifying our selfish desires and we can walk accordingly to the Holy Spirit; and we can earnestly pray with a sincere heart as King David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a steadfast Spirit within me…” (Psalm 51:10-12)

Romans 7:15 (KJV)
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Psalm 51:10-12 (KJV)
10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right [steadfast] spirit within me.
11
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free [generous] spirit.

Galatians 5:16-18 (KJV)
16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV)
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén