Benny, can blasphe my against the Father be forgiven?" a new Christian asked recently."Yes," I answered."What about blasphemy against the Son?""That can be forgiven too," I said."Then can you tell me why blasphemy against the Holy Ghost can't be forgiven?"
You say, "Well, how did you know it was the Spirit?"For me to question the reality of that moment would be to question my salvation; that's how real that experience was. I can't explain it or comprehend it, but I know it happened. The experience was so real that I literally turned my face to the left and said, "Spirit of the Lord, why are you weeping?" There was no answer. And at that moment the tears began flowing down my own cheeks. Through my watering eyes I asked Him again, "Spirit of the Lord, why are you weeping?"Then suddenly my entire being began to cry out. It was no longer just tears; the reality of what I felt was so great I began to groan.
The feeling came from deep inside. It was as if I were heart broken like a person who has just lost ason or a daughter. The deep sobbing would not stop. I was weeping at night and could not sleep. And it continued, not for hours but for days. It wasn't planned, and, truthfully, I couldn't understand why the tears were so uncontrollable. In all, the experience lasted for more than three weeks.
The burden became heavier and heavier. I felt as if someone had taken a thousand-pound load, strapped it on my back, pulled tight its belts, locked it with a key, and left me alone to struggle. If anything, it felt as if I was overburdened with an oppressive, heavy load of grief.
That's the only way to describe it a weight of grief. Pacing the Floor I felt like the psalmist when he wrote, Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity and yet is different from the Father and the Son. And it made it possible for me to fit together the pieces of the puzzle called "the unpardonable sin. "Insult and Slander Exactly what does Scripture say? Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, said, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men" (Matt. 12:30-31). Then, making it even clearer, He said: "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come" (v.32).
What does the word blasphemy encompass? The word has several meanings, including To speak evil of To rail (or scoff)To revile or to abuse, reproach or speak profanity of To defame to speak with injury To slander or to accuse falsely To insult Some may ask, "How do you defame the Holy Ghost?"Or "How do you insult Him?" It is a willful act.
The book of Hebrews speaks directly to the issue: If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of thetruth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Mose's law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose,will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?(Heb. 10:26-29).
The words are followed by this stern reminder: "For weknow Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.' And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (vv.30-31). What a Difference Why is there no forgiveness for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Throughout the pages of this book I have shared with you from Scripture that there is a uniqueness a difference in the Holy Ghost.
He is not higher nor lower than the Father or the Son, but we must come to know His characteristics. God almighty, the Father, is the great God of heaven and must be worshiped, praised, glorified, magnified, and uplifted. Jesus, His Son, is the Lord of glory, whom even the angels fear to look upon. I feel also that the Holy Spirit has the capacity to feel human emotions even pain, grief, and anguish—with an intensity that is known uniquely to Him.
You say, "Do you mean that the Holy Ghost can feel heartache in a different way than the Father, and the Son?"Scripture does not say, "Grieve not the Father or the Son."It is always, "Grieve not the Spirit." Why? I believe it is because He is touched in a deep, profound way that somehow varies from what the other members of the Godhead experience.
The very fact that Jesus said that "a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven" but "a word against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven" indicates that the Holy Ghost can become wounded. Why is it that the Father would say, "You have vexed my Spirit"? In other words, God's Spirit was afflicted or tormented. And Scripture records that "He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them" (Isa63:10).
Why is it that the Holy Ghost seems to be so protected? Perhaps it is because God the Father knows how tender the Spirit is. It is almost as though God the Father were saying, "If you touch Him, I'll never forgive you. "Why is the Holy Ghost so shielded by Christ that Jesus would say, "My blood will wash every sin but that"? He even said, "But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" (Mark 3:29). Why? Again it is because the Holy Spirit is different and His heart can so easily be touched with pain.
But may I give you a word of comfort? Before Jesus ever talked about blasphemy, He made a very important statement you should read once again. He said: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" (Matt. 12:30). If you are working for Christ, you do not fall into the category of His warning.
When the Lord spoke on the topic of blasphemy, He made it absolutely clear that He was admonishing people who were not working with Him. Ask yourself, "Am I with him?" If the answer is yes, then ask, "Do I gather souls for Him?" If the answer is still yes, you can say, "Then I will never blaspheme the Spirit." "Are You Worried?" A teenage girl once came to me convinced she had blasphemed the Holy Ghost."Are you worried?" I asked her. "Yes," she said with a troubled look."Young lady," I said, "the very fact that you are worried means that you did not blaspheme the Spirit."You see, blasphemy is an act of the will that does not carry worry with it.
Blasphemy is cursing Jesus and saying, "I don't care what He did!" It is saying, "Who cares how precious the blood is?" Blasphemy is insulting what God did and doing it willfully. You say, "Well, Benny, how do I know I'll never commit that sin?" You will not commit that sin as long as you never want to commit it. Look closely at what Christ said. He said anyone who "speaks" against the Spirit will not be forgiven. That word is vital to Christ's message.
To speak indicates a deliberate act. It's more than an idle thought. Your entire body becomes involved in the act of uttering a word. If the spirit is blasphemed, He is reviled by those who have made a decision to blaspheme. It's an act of volition, a choice you must exercise. Where is Satan in all of this? From dealing with people as a minister, I know how the devil comes to people and tries to fill their minds with evil thoughts about the Holy Ghost. Would you expect any less of him? Perhaps it has happened to you.
Have you ever had some "unbecoming" thought enter your mind that you wish had never come? Who launched that evil thought in your direction? Of course it was Satan. But did you speak that thought out loud? No! The reason you kept silent was that it was not your thought. It is the person who speaks against the Holy Ghost who has made a decision to blaspheme.
It is the one who says,"I'm going to blaspheme, and I don't care what God thinks!"Saul blasphemed the Holy Ghost when he rejected the word of God. Demas, one of Paul's companions, blasphemed when he turned his back on the gospel and returned to the lusts of the flesh. Paul wrote, " . . . Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica" (2 Tim. 4:10). Don't Let Him Leave You say, "You have been telling us that we can't blaspheme.
What about Saul and Demas?" The point I am making is that you can't blaspheme as long as you decide to live for Jesus and stick with it. The road to eternity is littered with people who start out with Christ and end up with Satan. There are those who walk an aisle and shake a preacher's hand as some kind of an insurance policy on a mansion in heaven.
But their hearts did not follow their actions. Soon you find those same people falling in love with lust or money or the glitter of the world. And they say, "God, I'm leaving."You may wonder, "How do I know that the Holy Spirit is still with me? And how will I know when and if He has departed?"It is a device of Satan to attack you and fill your mind with the words, "The Holy Spirit has left you. He's gone forever.
You'll never have Him back!"But don't accept that. Here's how you can know that the Spirit is still with you. This has been a great help to me and I believe it will be to you. First, the Scriptures tell us the Holy Spirit abides with every believer as counselor and source of peace. Second, are you aware of the presence of Jesus in your life? Then the Holy Ghost has not left.
Do you still hear the Spirit of God say, "Pray!"? He hasn't left. Do you sometimes feel guilty about not reading the Word? He has not departed; in fact, He's convicting you. Have you met someone and felt the urge to tell the person about Jesus? He's still there. Jesus was not speaking a contradiction when He said the Spirit will be with you forever. He was speaking of the fact that the Spirit's role is permanent even eternal. You see, if you blaspheme Him, the Spirit will depart. But if you grieve Him, He doesn't leave you.
He'll stay, even when you wound Him. I believe Christians grieve the Spirit every day. I, for one, am guilty. Grieving the Holy Ghost is the sin of the church. That's why Paul said to the church, "Do not grieve the Spirit." He was not addressing those words to unbelievers. What If I Should Fail? You may ask, "How do we grieve Him?" You grieve Him when you don't forgive.
You grieve Him when you say something ugly or wrong. But your daily prayer should be:"Blessed Spirit of God, please help me today not to grieve You."And what if you should fail? He is more than willing to hear you say, "Please forgive me." And He will forgive and cleanse you seventy times seven. The Holy Spirit is so gentle that even the slightest wound will cause Him pain. And the longer you've known Him, the more you will understand His feelings.
So many times, in tears, I say, "Holy Spirit, I'm sorry for the anguish I've caused you. But please, please, stay by my side."There are times I've told Him: "You can chastise me, but don't let me go!" For whom the Lord chastises He loves. It's like saying, "I love you."I believe that if a person remains in a state of un forgiveness the Spirit of the Lord will allow tormentorsto enter him.
That's what Christ told Peter when the disciple asked "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" (Matt. 18:21).The Lord answered, "I do not say to you, up to seventimes, but up to seventy times seven" (v. 22). Then he gave the parable of the unforgiving servant, which ends with the warning, "Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers, until he should pay all that was due to him" (vv. 33-34).
Christ concluded the parable by saying, "So My heavenly Father will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother" (v. 35). Does this mean that the Holy Ghost has made a permanent retreat? No. It's just that God will remove His hand of protection from those who won't forgive. A person who has totally blasphemed the Holy Spirit becomes filled with the demons of Satan.
But if you ask," Benny, do you believe that a demon can possess a Christian who is filled with the Holy Ghost?" Absolutely not! I do believe, however, that a person who has made a confession of faith in Christ, but is not living for the Lord who is living in un forgiveness can be influenced by demons.
They can be harassed and even oppressed by the powers of darkness, but not possessed. Peter, for example, said, "Lord, you're not going to die."And Jesus said, "Get behind me, Satan." Peter was not possessed by Satan. He was influenced. There is a big difference. Jesus said, through the Spirit, "I will never leave you or forsake you." And that, my friend, is good news.
And since He is staying, it is more important to know what He will dofor us than what Satan will do against us. You Can't Do It Alone I am certain that it is your utmost desire to love God with your spirit, soul, and body. But no matter how strong your desire, it is absolutely impossible to accomplish your goal all alone.
It is imperative that you say, "Holy Spirit, I'm asking you to assist me."Paul wrote to the church at Rome, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Rom.5:5). Certainly we want to love Christ, but it is impossible unless the Spirit gives us supernatural love. And how doyou receive it? You simply say, "Spirit of God,
I surrender to you." By that very act He will flood your soul with a love for the Lord. The more deeply you know the Holy Spirit, the more deeply you will know Jesus. It's automatic. Why? Because when the Spirit is present, Christ is promoted. Jesus said, "He shall glorify Me!" The Lord is never pushed aside, but rather He is pulled much closer. Paul wrote, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1).
Do you understand what it truly means to walk after theSpirit? When He says, "Pray," that's what you'll do. When He says, "Testify," that's what you'll do. Suddenly, you're walking after the Spirit. THE JOY OF FREEDOM IN THESPIRIT To disobey is to feel condemnation and then guilt. Butif you heed His call, you know the joy of freedom in theSpirit: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (v. 2).
The lawgiver in the Old Covenant was the Father, but the lawgiver in the New Covenant is the Holy Ghost. Jesus gave the commandments through the Spirit (Acts 1:2), just as God once gave the law through Moses. Seven Revelations What a joy to dwell on the victories described by Paul in Romans 8. In fact Paul shares seven specific revelations in the first sixteen verses of his letter. Perhaps nowhere in Scripture is the work of the Spirit so clearly defined.
1. There is power over sin. The first revelation says that the law of the Spirit of life gives you freedom from sin and death (vv. 1-2). You'll have dominion over sin.
2. He will fulfill the law. "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh . . . that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (vv. 3-4).It is the fulfillment of the law of Moses that has produced the freedom we now have in the Spirit.
3. He will give you the mind of God. "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (vv. 5-8).
4. He will give you righteousness. "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwell sin you. Now if any one does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness" (vv.9-10).
5. He will give life to your body. "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (v.11).If you follow in the footsteps of the Holy Ghost, you will walk in health. You will have a quickened body. As the prophet Isaiah said, "Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength" (40:31). My friend, you cannot renew your strength without the Holy Ghost because He is the one who quickens the mortal body.
6. He will bring death to self. "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (vv. 12-14).
7. He will testify of your salvation. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (vv. 15-16).In verse after verse Paul tells you that it is the Spirit that does the work of the Father and the Son.
And I get excited every time I read those glorious words: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."God does not intend for you to stray from the path He has set for you to follow. He did not create you to see you fail. That's why you should not become unduly alarmed by the possibility of committing the unpardonable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Your love for Christ so outweighs Satan's influence that the battle has already been won. The Holy Spirit is longing for you to begin a deep, personal relationship. When my soul cried out with a heartfelt sobbing that seemed unending, the Spirit was patiently waiting.
His burden became my burden, and the experience gave me a passion for souls that has never diminished nor de parted. He was waiting to give me power, fulfillment, righteousness, a Spirit-led life, and so much more. And now He is waiting for you.
FREEDOM FROM FEAR
For many people the topic is troublesome. But the Spirit has given me freedom from the fear of committing "the unpardonable sin." He unlocked my understanding with such a revelation that I no longer worry over the subject.
"He Was Quietly Weeping"
In the winter of 1974 God opened my eyes to a tremendous truth regarding the nature of the Holy Spiritand why the Father and the Son gave the "ultimate" warning to those who would blaspheme the Spirit.I was in prayer when suddenly I knew that the Spirit ofGod was in my room, and I felt He was weeping. I know it sounds strange, and I must confess I don't fully understand it.
But I do remember that I was on my knees when I felt His presence and sensed that He was quietly weeping. You say, "Well, how did you know it was the Spirit?"For me to question the reality of that moment would be to question my salvation; that's how real that experience was. I can't explain it or comprehend it, but I know it happened. The experience was so real that I literally turned my face to the left and said, "Spirit of the Lord, why are you weeping?" There was no answer. And at that moment the tears began flowing down my own cheeks. Through my watering eyes I asked Him again, "Spirit of the Lord, why are you weeping?"Then suddenly my entire being began to cry out. It was no longer just tears; the reality of what I felt was so great I began to groan.
The feeling came from deep inside. It was as if I were heart broken like a person who has just lost ason or a daughter. The deep sobbing would not stop. I was weeping at night and could not sleep. And it continued, not for hours but for days. It wasn't planned, and, truthfully, I couldn't understand why the tears were so uncontrollable. In all, the experience lasted for more than three weeks.
The burden became heavier and heavier. I felt as if someone had taken a thousand-pound load, strapped it on my back, pulled tight its belts, locked it with a key, and left me alone to struggle. If anything, it felt as if I was overburdened with an oppressive, heavy load of grief.
That's the only way to describe it a weight of grief. Pacing the Floor I felt like the psalmist when he wrote, Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity and yet is different from the Father and the Son. And it made it possible for me to fit together the pieces of the puzzle called "the unpardonable sin. "Insult and Slander Exactly what does Scripture say? Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, said, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men" (Matt. 12:30-31). Then, making it even clearer, He said: "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come" (v.32).
What does the word blasphemy encompass? The word has several meanings, including To speak evil of To rail (or scoff)To revile or to abuse, reproach or speak profanity of To defame to speak with injury To slander or to accuse falsely To insult Some may ask, "How do you defame the Holy Ghost?"Or "How do you insult Him?" It is a willful act.
The book of Hebrews speaks directly to the issue: If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of thetruth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Mose's law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose,will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?(Heb. 10:26-29).
The words are followed by this stern reminder: "For weknow Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.' And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (vv.30-31). What a Difference Why is there no forgiveness for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Throughout the pages of this book I have shared with you from Scripture that there is a uniqueness a difference in the Holy Ghost.
He is not higher nor lower than the Father or the Son, but we must come to know His characteristics. God almighty, the Father, is the great God of heaven and must be worshiped, praised, glorified, magnified, and uplifted. Jesus, His Son, is the Lord of glory, whom even the angels fear to look upon. I feel also that the Holy Spirit has the capacity to feel human emotions even pain, grief, and anguish—with an intensity that is known uniquely to Him.
You say, "Do you mean that the Holy Ghost can feel heartache in a different way than the Father, and the Son?"Scripture does not say, "Grieve not the Father or the Son."It is always, "Grieve not the Spirit." Why? I believe it is because He is touched in a deep, profound way that somehow varies from what the other members of the Godhead experience.
The very fact that Jesus said that "a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven" but "a word against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven" indicates that the Holy Ghost can become wounded. Why is it that the Father would say, "You have vexed my Spirit"? In other words, God's Spirit was afflicted or tormented. And Scripture records that "He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them" (Isa63:10).
Why is it that the Holy Ghost seems to be so protected? Perhaps it is because God the Father knows how tender the Spirit is. It is almost as though God the Father were saying, "If you touch Him, I'll never forgive you. "Why is the Holy Ghost so shielded by Christ that Jesus would say, "My blood will wash every sin but that"? He even said, "But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" (Mark 3:29). Why? Again it is because the Holy Spirit is different and His heart can so easily be touched with pain.
But may I give you a word of comfort? Before Jesus ever talked about blasphemy, He made a very important statement you should read once again. He said: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" (Matt. 12:30). If you are working for Christ, you do not fall into the category of His warning.
When the Lord spoke on the topic of blasphemy, He made it absolutely clear that He was admonishing people who were not working with Him. Ask yourself, "Am I with him?" If the answer is yes, then ask, "Do I gather souls for Him?" If the answer is still yes, you can say, "Then I will never blaspheme the Spirit." "Are You Worried?" A teenage girl once came to me convinced she had blasphemed the Holy Ghost."Are you worried?" I asked her. "Yes," she said with a troubled look."Young lady," I said, "the very fact that you are worried means that you did not blaspheme the Spirit."You see, blasphemy is an act of the will that does not carry worry with it.
Blasphemy is cursing Jesus and saying, "I don't care what He did!" It is saying, "Who cares how precious the blood is?" Blasphemy is insulting what God did and doing it willfully. You say, "Well, Benny, how do I know I'll never commit that sin?" You will not commit that sin as long as you never want to commit it. Look closely at what Christ said. He said anyone who "speaks" against the Spirit will not be forgiven. That word is vital to Christ's message.
To speak indicates a deliberate act. It's more than an idle thought. Your entire body becomes involved in the act of uttering a word. If the spirit is blasphemed, He is reviled by those who have made a decision to blaspheme. It's an act of volition, a choice you must exercise. Where is Satan in all of this? From dealing with people as a minister, I know how the devil comes to people and tries to fill their minds with evil thoughts about the Holy Ghost. Would you expect any less of him? Perhaps it has happened to you.
Have you ever had some "unbecoming" thought enter your mind that you wish had never come? Who launched that evil thought in your direction? Of course it was Satan. But did you speak that thought out loud? No! The reason you kept silent was that it was not your thought. It is the person who speaks against the Holy Ghost who has made a decision to blaspheme.
It is the one who says,"I'm going to blaspheme, and I don't care what God thinks!"Saul blasphemed the Holy Ghost when he rejected the word of God. Demas, one of Paul's companions, blasphemed when he turned his back on the gospel and returned to the lusts of the flesh. Paul wrote, " . . . Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica" (2 Tim. 4:10). Don't Let Him Leave You say, "You have been telling us that we can't blaspheme.
What about Saul and Demas?" The point I am making is that you can't blaspheme as long as you decide to live for Jesus and stick with it. The road to eternity is littered with people who start out with Christ and end up with Satan. There are those who walk an aisle and shake a preacher's hand as some kind of an insurance policy on a mansion in heaven.
But their hearts did not follow their actions. Soon you find those same people falling in love with lust or money or the glitter of the world. And they say, "God, I'm leaving."You may wonder, "How do I know that the Holy Spirit is still with me? And how will I know when and if He has departed?"It is a device of Satan to attack you and fill your mind with the words, "The Holy Spirit has left you. He's gone forever.
You'll never have Him back!"But don't accept that. Here's how you can know that the Spirit is still with you. This has been a great help to me and I believe it will be to you. First, the Scriptures tell us the Holy Spirit abides with every believer as counselor and source of peace. Second, are you aware of the presence of Jesus in your life? Then the Holy Ghost has not left.
Do you still hear the Spirit of God say, "Pray!"? He hasn't left. Do you sometimes feel guilty about not reading the Word? He has not departed; in fact, He's convicting you. Have you met someone and felt the urge to tell the person about Jesus? He's still there. Jesus was not speaking a contradiction when He said the Spirit will be with you forever. He was speaking of the fact that the Spirit's role is permanent even eternal. You see, if you blaspheme Him, the Spirit will depart. But if you grieve Him, He doesn't leave you.
He'll stay, even when you wound Him. I believe Christians grieve the Spirit every day. I, for one, am guilty. Grieving the Holy Ghost is the sin of the church. That's why Paul said to the church, "Do not grieve the Spirit." He was not addressing those words to unbelievers. What If I Should Fail? You may ask, "How do we grieve Him?" You grieve Him when you don't forgive.
You grieve Him when you say something ugly or wrong. But your daily prayer should be:"Blessed Spirit of God, please help me today not to grieve You."And what if you should fail? He is more than willing to hear you say, "Please forgive me." And He will forgive and cleanse you seventy times seven. The Holy Spirit is so gentle that even the slightest wound will cause Him pain. And the longer you've known Him, the more you will understand His feelings.
So many times, in tears, I say, "Holy Spirit, I'm sorry for the anguish I've caused you. But please, please, stay by my side."There are times I've told Him: "You can chastise me, but don't let me go!" For whom the Lord chastises He loves. It's like saying, "I love you."I believe that if a person remains in a state of un forgiveness the Spirit of the Lord will allow tormentorsto enter him.
That's what Christ told Peter when the disciple asked "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" (Matt. 18:21).The Lord answered, "I do not say to you, up to seventimes, but up to seventy times seven" (v. 22). Then he gave the parable of the unforgiving servant, which ends with the warning, "Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers, until he should pay all that was due to him" (vv. 33-34).
Christ concluded the parable by saying, "So My heavenly Father will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother" (v. 35). Does this mean that the Holy Ghost has made a permanent retreat? No. It's just that God will remove His hand of protection from those who won't forgive. A person who has totally blasphemed the Holy Spirit becomes filled with the demons of Satan.
But if you ask," Benny, do you believe that a demon can possess a Christian who is filled with the Holy Ghost?" Absolutely not! I do believe, however, that a person who has made a confession of faith in Christ, but is not living for the Lord who is living in un forgiveness can be influenced by demons.
They can be harassed and even oppressed by the powers of darkness, but not possessed. Peter, for example, said, "Lord, you're not going to die."And Jesus said, "Get behind me, Satan." Peter was not possessed by Satan. He was influenced. There is a big difference. Jesus said, through the Spirit, "I will never leave you or forsake you." And that, my friend, is good news.
And since He is staying, it is more important to know what He will dofor us than what Satan will do against us. You Can't Do It Alone I am certain that it is your utmost desire to love God with your spirit, soul, and body. But no matter how strong your desire, it is absolutely impossible to accomplish your goal all alone.
It is imperative that you say, "Holy Spirit, I'm asking you to assist me."Paul wrote to the church at Rome, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Rom.5:5). Certainly we want to love Christ, but it is impossible unless the Spirit gives us supernatural love. And how doyou receive it? You simply say, "Spirit of God,
I surrender to you." By that very act He will flood your soul with a love for the Lord. The more deeply you know the Holy Spirit, the more deeply you will know Jesus. It's automatic. Why? Because when the Spirit is present, Christ is promoted. Jesus said, "He shall glorify Me!" The Lord is never pushed aside, but rather He is pulled much closer. Paul wrote, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1).
Do you understand what it truly means to walk after theSpirit? When He says, "Pray," that's what you'll do. When He says, "Testify," that's what you'll do. Suddenly, you're walking after the Spirit. THE JOY OF FREEDOM IN THESPIRIT To disobey is to feel condemnation and then guilt. Butif you heed His call, you know the joy of freedom in theSpirit: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (v. 2).
The lawgiver in the Old Covenant was the Father, but the lawgiver in the New Covenant is the Holy Ghost. Jesus gave the commandments through the Spirit (Acts 1:2), just as God once gave the law through Moses. Seven Revelations What a joy to dwell on the victories described by Paul in Romans 8. In fact Paul shares seven specific revelations in the first sixteen verses of his letter. Perhaps nowhere in Scripture is the work of the Spirit so clearly defined.
1. There is power over sin. The first revelation says that the law of the Spirit of life gives you freedom from sin and death (vv. 1-2). You'll have dominion over sin.
2. He will fulfill the law. "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh . . . that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (vv. 3-4).It is the fulfillment of the law of Moses that has produced the freedom we now have in the Spirit.
3. He will give you the mind of God. "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (vv. 5-8).
4. He will give you righteousness. "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwell sin you. Now if any one does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness" (vv.9-10).
5. He will give life to your body. "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (v.11).If you follow in the footsteps of the Holy Ghost, you will walk in health. You will have a quickened body. As the prophet Isaiah said, "Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength" (40:31). My friend, you cannot renew your strength without the Holy Ghost because He is the one who quickens the mortal body.
6. He will bring death to self. "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (vv. 12-14).
7. He will testify of your salvation. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (vv. 15-16).In verse after verse Paul tells you that it is the Spirit that does the work of the Father and the Son.
And I get excited every time I read those glorious words: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."God does not intend for you to stray from the path He has set for you to follow. He did not create you to see you fail. That's why you should not become unduly alarmed by the possibility of committing the unpardonable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Your love for Christ so outweighs Satan's influence that the battle has already been won. The Holy Spirit is longing for you to begin a deep, personal relationship. When my soul cried out with a heartfelt sobbing that seemed unending, the Spirit was patiently waiting.
His burden became my burden, and the experience gave me a passion for souls that has never diminished nor de parted. He was waiting to give me power, fulfillment, righteousness, a Spirit-led life, and so much more. And now He is waiting for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment