Command 48 : Receive God's Power | Day 335

Do Not Grieve Your Power Source!

There was no future for him as a Christian in his native land. He desperately wanted freedom from the oppressive Communist regime, but was not sure what he should do about it. As he sought the Lord for direction, God made it clear that he was to leave. In the days that followed, he made an unusual acquaintance with a former border guard who offered to lead this Christian to freedom. They met together and made careful plans for the escape.

On the appointed night, they started out. The former guard told him, "You must follow me closely or this will not work." The Christian agreed and they began what turned out to be a harrowing experience, but when it was all over, he was free!

The Holy Spirit is the only One Who can lead us to spiritual freedom. We are not to grieve Him or quench His power in our lives.

Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to the disciples after He departed from them. (See John 16:7.) The power of the Holy Spirit came upon them as He descended in "a rushing mighty wind" and filled the room. Each disciple had a tongue like fire upon his head, and they began doing mighty deeds. (See Acts 2.)

It is important for us to realize that the Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity, not simply a power. He responds to us as a person. Therefore, we are instructed to “grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). If we grieve the Holy Spirit, we will quench His power in our lives and violate the command: “Quench not the Spirit” (I Thessalonians 5:19).

On the other hand, if we walk in the power of God's Spirit and follow His instructions, He will lead us to freedom from the bondage and destruction of sin! Thus Paul stated: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ..." (Galatians 5:16-18).

The Scriptures go on to list the types of things that grieve the Holy Spirit, beginning with the works of the flesh, which are: “sexual immorality, impurity of mind, sensuality, worship of false gods, witchcraft, hatred, quarreling, jealousy, bad temper, rivalry, factions, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like that" (Galatians 5:19-21--J. B. Phillips Translation).

“And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

In order for God's Spirit to be "at home" in our lives, we must give careful attention to the matters that concern Him. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ... But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [make alive] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:6-11).

Let's examine our lives and ask the Holy Spirit to show us what things we are doing that grieve Him and quench His power within us. By confessing these sins and obeying God's Spirit we will be able to delight in true freedom and have His power flowing through our lives.