How To Stop Sinning Against The Holy Spirit

Adapted from notes of Dr. Harry Ironside's Handfuls of Purpose Vol. 3 page 198

Avoid the Following Errors

1. Blaspheming the Spirit - To talk or act in a reviling manner to one who is sacred. To talk in a depreciatory manner about the Spirit of God is the unforgiveable sin because it is ascribing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus exorcised demons by the power of the Holy Spirit the Scribes said Jesus performed miracles by Satan's power. This is blasphemy as it belittles the work of the Spirit.Mt. 12:31,32

2. Insulting the Spirit - To abuse scornfully or to offend by a person's remarks or actions. Men insult the Spirit when they refuse to believe, submit or yield to His truth. Heb. 10:29 which says, "How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment will God to those who have spurned and trampled underfoot the Son of God and considering Christ's blood as dirty and thus profaning and outraging the Holy Spirit."

3. Vexing thc Spirit - Angering the Spirit by annoyance, irritation or distressing Him with attitudes, words or wrong actions. Isa. 68:9,10 says, "They rebelled and vexcd His Holy Spirit.

4. Rebelling against the Spirit - Fighting against the Spirit or resisting the controlling of the Spirit in particular areas of your life.

5. Unwllingness to yield your total allegiance to the Spirit. Eph. 4:26-30

6. Unwholesome talk displeases the Spirit - Paul wrote, "Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it. (Eph. 4:29)

7. Grieving the Spirit - To give the Spirit an intense feeling of sorrow. Paul wrote, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit or make Him sad or disappoint Him by becoming bitter, angry, and resentful." (Eph. 4:30,31)

8. Quenching the pleading of the Spirit - To extinguish the fire of the Spirit by stifling or suppressing the urgings of the Spirit to do God's will. I Thes. 5:19 - "Do not quench the Spirit or subdue His influence."

9. Spurning the Gifts of the Spirit - Do not try to suffocate the life of the gifts of the Spirit that God has given to you or the other members of the body of Christ. I Thes. 5:20 - "Do not depreciate the utterances of the prophets or preachers of God. Do not be a nay-sayer to the prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortations or warning from people of God, but test the Spirit."

10. Neglecting the warnings of the Spirit - Do not have a careless attitude toward what the Spirit of God is doing personally or in others' lives. Paul writes, "Test and prove ail things until you can recognize what is good and hold fast to it with all your heart, soul, strength and mind." (1 Thes. 5:21)

11. Smothering the fires of the Spirit - To suffocate, stifle or put out the energizing affects of the Spirit. Too much cynicism can cause people to get discouraged, tired and frustrated so they feel like quitting. Isa 4:4

12. Stonewalling the Spirit - To obstruct or give evasive actions or attitudes to the Spirit. Yielding only partially to the Spirit - Some people can surrender to the Spirit's control in certain areas of their lives while trying to hide their secret sins. Psa. 51:10, Psa. 66:18

13. Resisting the Spirit's Convictions - Paul wrote in Gal. 3:3, 'Are you so foolish and senseless and silly that having begun your Christian life with the Holy Spirit are you now moving ahead by the flesh?"

14. Refusing to suffer for the Spirit - "All who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

15. Complaining and grumbling against the Spirit - "Do all things without complaining, fault-finding and grumbling against God and questioning and doubting among yourselves." (Phil. 2 14)

16. Criticizing Christians and Godly Leaders Who are Led by the Spirit - I Pet. 5:5,6

17. Gossiping about suppositions that are supported by the Spirit - (2 Cor. 6:8)

18. Refusing to witness for the Spirit and let cultural prejudice hinder your outreach - Acts 1:8

19. Resisting the Spirit's Directives to Change - 2 Cor. 3:18 - He transforms us from one level to another.

20. Failure to acknowledge the Spirit's Working - Rom. 8:6-8 - The Spirit gives us power to overcome.

21. Failure to rely on the Spirit's Intercession - Rom. 8:26, The Spirit intercedes for us beyond human ability

22. Failure to trust in the Spirit's Sovereignty - Rom 8:28 - God causes all things to work together for good.