Quench Not The Spirit

Pastor Kevin Burden ~ Carter Creek Baptist Church, Greenville, KY ~ Sunday PM, March 2nd, 2008

1 Thessalonians 5:15-23 “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16Rejoice evermore. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19Quench not the Spirit. 20Despise not prophesyings. 21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There was a guy who was driving in the country when he blew a tire. He looked in his trunk, but did not have a jack. He saw a farmhouse in the distance, so he started walking. He hadn’t gone very far when he began to think, “What if they’re not home?” A little later he thought, “What if they don’t have a jack?” It wasn’t too long till he thought, “What if they have a jack, but they won’t let me use it, and get mad at me for asking?” This kind of internal negative inquiry went on until he finally arrived at the farmhouse and knocked on the door. When the farmer came to the door all the guy could do was look at him and yell, “You can keep your stupid jack!”

There are some people whose thoughts are so continuously negative that they have themselves convinced that there’s something wrong with everyone and everything.

A negative person is always complaining, grumbling, murmuring, angry or bitter about something.

A negative person has a difficult time expressing love or accepting expressions of love openly.

A negative person very seldom exhibits joy (They seldom, smile or gets caught laughing).

A negative person knows very little of peace (They tend to keep themselves and keep those around them in turmoil).

A negative person is intolerant toward other people (They are quick to point out other’s faults but never able to see their own).

A negative person is often abrupt and abrasive (They aren’t gentle and are usually impolite and insolent).

Words like kind, considerate, and helpful are seldom used to describe a negative person.

Faith is not one of their spiritual attributes because they’re always looking for the sky to fall or some other catastrophe to occur.

Negative people are by nature very critical, and often very vocal about it, because of this they do not possess a great deal of self-control.

Galatians 5:22-26 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

A negative person does not manifest the fruits of the Spirit; they do not live a Spirit-controlled life. In reality they are being controlled by the flesh no mater how much Bible knowledge the may seem to possess.

Please understand – I’m not talking about moments of negativity. We all have those. As a matter of fact, some of God’s greatest servants dealt with moments of negativity (pessimism).

The prophet Elijah who said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers” (1 Kings 19:4). This does not mean that our moments of negativity are not wrong.

What I’m referring to is a lifestyle of bitter, self-centered, fault finding negativity that is so damaging, and is to often prominent in some who call themselves Christians.

A negative spirit and a miserable attitude is just the opposite of what God expects His people to manifest.

Isaiah said, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels” (61:10).

How in the world can anyone be constantly negative when they’ve been so blessed?

The affects of a negative spirit can be devastating to our home, our family, our church, our testimony, our faith, our service, our worship, and our friendships.

A negative spirit pollutes possibilities, lessens life, isolates initiative, and it suffocates our salvation. The attitude we carry around with us effects everybody we live with, work with, and go to church with.

On the other hand, a positive, hopeful, joyous, happy attitude helps create a positive atmosphere in which others can learn to be happy in the Lord.