How To And How Not To Grieve The Holy Spirit

Unbelief. What would grieve the Spirit more than to have the Father’s own child question His truthfulness? If we truly believed God’s promises then those scary and frightening tribulations that we inevitably go through in life would not be sources of worry and pain but sources of unspeakable joy (James 1:2) and faith (1 Timothy 1:7) that He who has taken our right hand (Isaiah 41:13) has not left (Joshua 1:9) but strengthens us (Isiah 41:10) so that we might overcome even the darkness of valleys (Psalms 23:4). If we truly believed in the promises of God, we would not become overwhelmed from our heavy burdens (Matthew 11:28) but would place our hope in the Lord so that we might soar on the wings of eagles (Isaiah 40:31). If we truly believed in the promises of God, we would not fear the evil of this world but would put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20), resist the Devil and praise God as he flees from us (James 1:7)! And if we truly believed in God’s promises we would not only meditate on His word day and night (Psalms 119:148) but would also refuse to see them as a burden (1 John 5:3) by “tearing out” what is most offensive to us (2 Timothy 3:16)! “God forgive our unbelief, and may we ever grieve His Spirit more.”

Conclusion

When we born-again believers refuse to put off the old self of deceitful desires and put on the new self of righteousness and holiness, it grieves the Spirit of God living inside of us! When a tongue of a Christian is one that lies, gossips, slanders and is abusive and vulgar it defiles their witness and grieves the Spirit of truth whom testifies with our spirit that such speech is a sin against the holiness of God! When a believer steps out into the world that they profess to be “gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful” (Romans 1:28) and yet perch and indulge in the dust and vanity of their works they do not testify to the holiness of God but of the duplicity of their hearts! The lofty unconcern of those with “haughty eyes and proud hearts” (Proverbs 21:4) greatly grieves the Spirit who was present when author and perfector of their salvation was (Hebrews 12:2) was mocked (Matthew 27:27-31), beaten, spit on and crucified on a tree (Matthew 27:27-31; John 19:1)! When we refuse to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:16) are we not grieving the Spirit who sees us leaning upon our own understanding rather than submitting to the will of God who will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6)? And does not our unbelief grieve the Spirit more than anything else? To avoid grieving the Spirit we need to put on the new clothes by praying without ceasing, speaking the truth without falsehoods, having both feet secured in His kingdom and by asking Him to help us with our unbelief!

Sources Cited

C. H. Spurgeon, “Grieve Not the Holy Spirit,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 13 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1867).

James Montgomery Boice, Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library, 1988).