Introduction: As we come closer and closer to the end of this age, we will have to as believers exercise major discernment. We must be freed from numerous things and one of those things is our inability to embrace our brothers and sisters of the various denominational Churches. What God is doing in this last hour is not a pentecostal thing, it is not a baptist thing, it is not a methodist thing, it is not a presbyterian thing, it is not a catholic thing, it is not a foursquare thing, it is not a charasmatic thing, it is a GOD THING!
In 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, the apostle Paul exhorted the church in Thessalonica to do the things that would allow a continuance of the moving of the Holy Spirit: "Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesying. Prove all things and hold fast that which is good." The church in Thessalonica was given this teaching because they were a church that experienced revival. Through this simple teaching outline I will briefly sketch what a church in revival looks like by viewing the Thessalonians as the example, then we will examine Paul’s instructions.
Under Paul’s ministry, the church experienced the moving of the Holy Spirit and established a strong foundation for a continuing work of God. There are at least nine characteristics of a church in revival as seen in the Thessalonian church:
1. The church expeiences the power, and demonstraion of the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.(1 Thess 1:5,6; Mark 16:15-20)
2. The church resisted the infiltration of an idolatrous culture.(1 Thess 1:9)
3. The church is not shaken or moved by any afflictions, persecutions, or by faith’s apparent contradictions.(1 Thess 3:2-3,5)
4. The church makes personal, individual holiness a serious objective, especially sexual purity.(1 Thess 3:13; 4:1-8)
5. The church encourages true spirituality as seen in a person’s work ethic.(1 Thess 4:9-12)
6. The church wisely follows proven leadership.(1 Thess 5:12,13)
7. The church clearly pursues wholeness for each individual in a defined biblical process.(1 Thess 5:23,24)
8. The church establishes doctrine as its foundation, not religious trends, emotional spiritual experiences, or charasmatic personalities.(2 Thess 1:5-12; 2:10,11)
9. The church guards against spiritual gullibility that creeps in when subjective experiences are exalted over the truth.(2 Thess 2:9-17)
POINT ONE: QUENCH NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT!
The Holy Spirit was moving in the Thessalonian church and Paul wanted the people in the church to guard against quenching what God was doing in their midst. We must be very careful not to quench, suppress, or extinguish the fire of the Holy Spirit.
What does Paul mean when he says, "Quench not the Spirit" in 1 Thess 5:19? Different translations of this same verse can help clarify this statement made by Paul:
* "Quench not the manifestation of the Spirit."(Conybeare)
* "Do not put out the light of the Spirit."(20th Century N.T.)
* "Do not extinguish the Spirit’s fire."(Berkeley)
* "Do not stifle the utterance of the Spirit."(Knox)
* "Do not stifle the inspiration of the Spirit."(NEB)
The word quench in the greek means to extinguish, quench, suppress, subdue, stifle, snuff out, stamp out, or cause something to dry up.
Matt 12:20
Matt 25:8
Mark 9:34-48
Ephesians 4:16
Hebrews 11:34
In scripture, the Holy Spirit has been likened to fire, and fire can be extinguished, stifled, or snuffed out.
Matt 3:11
Acts 2:3,4
2 Tim 1:6
POINT TWO: QUENCH NOT AND TEST EVERYTHING!
Now let us deal with that attitudes that could quench revival. First, let us divide the attitudes into two sections. One "Quench not attitudes", and "Test everything principles".
The balanced approach to a church in revival is to quench not and yet test everything. "Quench not" represents to us the attitudes we need to continue in revival, having discernment of the attitudes that quench revival. "Test everything" alludes to the attitudes we need to guard the moving of the Holy Spirit and make sure that we do not go into any kind of extremes.
Attitude, in this context, refers to a mindset or willingness. It speaks of our singleheartedness. It speaks of our passions, our emotions, and our desires to be right with our perspectives toward God, His Word, and especially, in this case, towards revival itself.
Principles, on the other hand, are convictions that conquer us and become our value system for living. Priciples are our laws, guidelines, guiding forces, or comprehensive and fundemental laws. They are the doctrines we follow. The principles that we have arise out of the unchangeable Word of God and are simply an extension of God’s character. For a church to continue in revival, it needs a balance of attitudes and principles.
Our responsibility is to have an attitude toward the things of God, that will never stifle, or snuff out the moving of the Holy Spirit. We must be very careful to have an attitude that will not quench the revival atmosphere in our lives or in the congregation.
POINT THREE: SPIRIT-QUENCHING ATTITUDES OF THE PHARISEES
During the earthly ministry of Jesus, the Pharisees had attitudes that would quench the moving of the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees were a dedicated group of people who at one time were well respected as leaders in Israel. In fact, the Pharisees were the most respected and influential group in all of Judaism. The word Pharisee itself means "the seperated ones" or "God’s loyal ones".
Ezra 6:21
Ezra 9:1
Ezra 10:11
Neh 9:2
Neh 10:29
Originating in 135 B.C.; the Pharisees were a commited fellowship of men determined to follow, in exact detail everything required by the Mosaic Law. Essential to pharisaism was to represent the pure community and the true people of God and prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah by complete adherence to every detail of the Law. In pharisaism, Jesus met Israel as it strove for true faith in obedience to God but had become totally hardened in formalism, barring itself from precisely what it was seeking to do, to please God and to prepare itself to receive the coming Messiah. The Pharisees did anything possible to avoid contact with the heathen lest they themselves should thereby be defiled. The Gospels tell us that the Pharisees found fault with the free asscociation of Jesus with publicans and sinners as He entered with them into their houses.
Mrk 2:14-17
Matt 9:9-13
Luke 5:27-32
POINT FOUR: SIGNS OF PHARISAIC ATTITUDES
Every group of followers of Jesus Christ-every movement, any denomination, any organization-has the potential of developing pharisaic attitudes. When life in the Spirit and the power of God dies out, and unction becomes ritual, pharisaism will most certainly arise. This pharisaic spirit can creep in slowly and overtake our hearts and attitudes, causing us to become so hemmed in and burdened by the traditions of our own ways that we lose all sights of pleasing God and doing those things that are different than what we are used to.
The Lord Jesus Christ thought that this Pharisaic issue important enough that He devoted a whole chapter to it. In Matthew 23 Jesus warns the people and His disciples not to imitate the conduct of these leaders, because in several respects they failed to practice what they preached. Matthew 23 falls into three categories: Verses 3-12 is a description of the sins of the Pharisees; Verses 13-36 lists the seven woes pronounced upon them; and Verses 37-39 is Christ’s lamenting prayer over Jerusalem.
*Sign One: Resistance To Anything New
Matt 23:13
*Sign Two: Negative Power Or Influence On People’s Lives
Matt 23:15
*Sign Three: Narrow And Rigid Formalism
Matt 23:16-22
*Sign Four: A Focus On Non-Essentials
Matt 23:23,24
*Sign Five: Externalizing Spirituality
Matt 23:25-28
*Sign Six: Willful Blindness To Your True Spiritual Condition
Matt 23:29-32
Acts 2:29
Luke 11:49
Jer 7:25-29
John 3:7
*Sign Seven: Spiritual Emptiness
Matt 23:38-40
Matt 24:1
Isa 31:5
Eze 11 (referencing to)
*Sign Eight: Lip Service Without Heart Service
Matt 15:8,9
Matt 6:5
Luke 18:11
*Sign Nine: Hardness Towards People’s Problems
Mark 12:38-40
Matt 23:6,7
Luke 20:45-47
*Sign Ten: Exclusiveness
Matt 9:10-13
Mark 2:16
Luke 5:30
