The Unhindered Holy Spirit

Bill Brinkworth

The Holy Spirit indwells a Christian. Those that have trusted Christ alone as Saviour become the residence of the Spirit of God. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” I Cor. 3:16

His Spirit never leaves the person, as some unbiblically teach. The Spirit is “sealed,” or permanently confirmed, and the matter is closed in God’s eyes (Eph. 4:30). He does not come and go out of the believer’s life.

However, there are some things in a believer’s life that can cause God’s Spirit not to work or have control as He desires. Sin is the culprit that can sadden the Spirit of God that wants to work in a Christian’s life.
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:30

I understood this best after raising a child. On a very rare occasion, my child would do something that broke my heart. I did not do it out spite, out of anger, or to “teach a lesson”, nor was it a planned reaction, but the child’s commission of some wrong-doing made me so sad I could not talk to or even look at the child. The act did not change my love for the child one bit, and in a short time I was “over it” and things were back to normal; but for that brief moment, my spirit was crushed. That is exactly how the Holy Spirit must feel when we commit sin, or violate what God intends for us to do. Our activity, or lack of it, can grieve the Holy Spirit.

Not only can the indwelling Spirit be saddened, because of what we do or not do, His excitement and zeal in working in us can be “quenched.” Just as water puts out a fire, our sin can put out the flames of anticipation God has for using us for His glory. The “putting out” of the Holy Spirit’s activity in one’s life may be why so many have lost the joy of being saved (Psalm 51:12), when their sins do not allow God to work in their life.
“Quench not the Spirit.” I Thes. 5:19

Nowhere in the New Testament is it suggested that the Holy Spirit goes in and out of one’s life like He is in a revolving door, as some would have us believe. He is in us for good. We do not have to get saved again, but we do have to get some things resolved with the Holy Spirit in order to have Him work in us again.

The easy and fast way to resolve my broken-heart when my child grieved my spirit was for my child to simply admit the wrong-doing and apologize. After that was done, everything was back to normal, and it was never spoken of, or thought of, again (on my part).

The loving Spirit of God reacts much the same way. Although He knows exactly what we have done, humbling ourselves and admitting the sin is the first thing in soothing the broken heart of the Spirit. Secondly, a genuine apology and a sincere desire not to commit the sin again is what it will take to have the Holy Spirit again working in our lives. There is not one sin He will not forgive. The Holy Spirit will always love the believer and always desire the best for his life.

“The Spirit-filled life is life at its very best.”

This article was featured in The Bible View #384.

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