Walking Christian on the Holy Spirit CAUSES

III. CAUSES FOR HINDERING THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

One of the symbols used in the Bible to represent the unseen power of the Holy Spirit is the wind.

No one is more aware of the force of the wind than those who pilot aircraft.

Everyone grieves the tragedy of an airplane crash. What needless loss of life!

A seasoned pilot always heeds weather reports.

Wind information is especially important.

It vitally affects safety at takeoff and landing … and accurate navigation en route.

Novice pilots would do well to do the same to assure a safe flight.

Every person who is trained and licensed to fly knows the regulations governing every aspect of flight.

Pilots ignore them at their own peril.

The Holy Spirit gives us direction much like weather reports guide a pilot.

However, some people ignore the Spirit’s call and His cautions.

Though the Holy Spirit (the Wind) “speaks,” they resist Him and refuse to obey.

When they resist, they may very well find themselves in a spiritual “crash.”

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:8

John 3:8 ESV

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

A. Are You Rejecting God’s Flight Reports?

ARE YOU … RESISTING THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Unbelievers demonstrate their resistance to the Holy Spirit …

— by ignoring their God-given conscience

“Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

Romans 1:20

Romans 1:20 ESV

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

— by rejecting the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”

John 14:6

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

— by holding to a form of religion without having a relationship with Christ

“Having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

2 Timothy 3:5

2 Timothy 3:5 ESV

5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

“You stiff-necked people.… You always resist the Holy Spirit!”

Acts 7:51

Acts 7:51 ESV

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

ARE YOU … QUENCHING THE HOLY SPIRIT?

In Scripture, another symbol for the Holy Spirit is fire … representing His judgment and purifying presence. Believers hinder the work of the Spirit in their lives …

— by refusing to act or speak as the Holy Spirit leads

— by resenting circumstances that God allows to come into their lives

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.”

1 Thessalonians 5:19

1 Thessalonians 5:19 ESV

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

ARE YOU … GRIEVING THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Another symbol in Scripture for the Holy Spirit is a seal like the official ones used by kings … indicating ownership, security, and a completed action. Believers bring sorrow to the heart of the Holy Spirit …

— by doubting and distrusting God’s love and promises

— by refusing to submit completely to God

— by neglecting personal time with God through His Word

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Ephesians 4:30

Ephesians 4:30 ESV

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

B. Are You Refusing God’s Provision?

When you enter into a personal relationship with Christ, God places His Holy Spirit within your human spirit.

Through the presence of His Spirit in you, God will meet your inner needs.

He may do this in many ways.

For instance, God may use other people, directed by the Spirit, to meet your needs.

By refusing to rely on God’s provision of the Holy Spirit, you are choosing to rely on your own resources to meet your God-given needs for the following:

• Unconditional love

“Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Romans 5:5

Romans 5:5 ESV

5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

• Significance

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Romans 8:16

Romans 8:16 ESV

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

• Security

“It is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

2 Corinthians 1:21–22

2 Corinthians 1:21–22 ESV

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

C. Are You Remaining in Control?—The Root Cause of Not Being Spirit-filled

WRONG BELIEF:

“It is only natural for me to be in control of my life and depend on my own efforts to achieve all that I can.”

• The Unbeliever:

“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

1 Corinthians 2:14

1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

• The Believer:

“Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?”

Galatians 3:3

Galatians 3:3 ESV

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

RIGHT BELIEF:

“Life is not to be lived in my own strength but in submission to the Holy Spirit, giving Him complete control.”

“ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Zechariah 4:6

Zechariah 4:6 ESV

6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

Hunt, J. (2008). Biblical Counseling Keys on Holy Spirit: Living Free in the Power and Peace of the Spirit. Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 9:21 AM June 03, 2019.