Do Not Grieve The Holy Spirit Of God

There is something profound and precious in our fellowship with the Holy Spirit, especially considering His place and work in the triune Godhead. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A mystery only grasped by those born again and dead to self but alive in Christ. The illustration below is probably the best one I have seen describing this state of God.

There are many arguments about the Trinity, but I reduce it to one simple thing: by definition we say an entity qualifies to be called a god if it has at the very least the following attributes – Omnipotence, Omniscience and Omnipresence. Anything short of that really will struggle to be called a ‘god’.
In the case of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we see these attributes and the encounters of the people of Israel from the time their ancestor Abraham leaves what is now present day Iraq and moves by faith to a promised land which his descendants eventually inherit by supernatural intervention to present day where history foretold is unfolding in present day Israel.

There is an interesting sequence of encounters between man from when he is created as per the description in Genesis chapter one, a book attributed to Moses, who had close encounters of the godly kind, that is face to face. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The Hebrew word for God there is pronounced El-O-Heem, which is plural and not singular so the English translation does not do it justice. It then adds credence to the assertion that there is a plurality of this one God.
“Let us make them in our likeness” ring a bell? So we too, having been formed from the dust have the attributes of Elohim – godliness, humanity and a spirit that make our full character and being. It is often taught to simplify this comparison that the triune nature of man is body, soul and spirit.

After the fall of man we see God the Father trying to reconnect back with mankind through His first direct encounter with the Israelites at the mountain in the desert. It didn’t go too well, for the form which He took as the Father in all His fullness and holiness was terrifying to say the least. So much for that encounter. The Israelites had prepared themselves but when a cloud covering a whole mountain kilometers wide with peals and rumblings, thunder and flashes of lightning and earthquakes descended they told Moses to go meet with ‘his buddy’, for they were scared out of their wits.

Fast forward to the next encounter which God organized and promised in Isaiah 9: 6,7(NIV) –

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

Lets remind ourselves of step one where God the Father in all His fullness, power and glory comes to meet with men and it is scary. So He decides to come as the Son. A man, only one born of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Spirit moved over the waters, the Holy Spirit came upon a simple woman who said yes to being the one to carry the helpless child and bear Him supernaturally. The Holy Spirit came over her and she conceived. The Hebrew word for ‘moved, hovered, brooded’ is the word ‘rachaph’ which is only used 3 times in the Bible – Genesis 1:2, Jeremiah 23:9 and Deuteronomy 32:11. The word indicates a high degree of care, concern similar to a mother brooding over her newly hatched eggs or just about to be hatched eggs. The amazing thing is that the Holy Spirit somehow seems to be the power arm of God yet is the most concerned and gentle and even flutters over that which he is charged to look after.

Again this encounter produces mixed results to the human eye but not according to God, because by sending the son whom we can relate to and fully God, we have the opportunity to encounter God without fear because He is like us and we are like Him.
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, ^a we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1,2 (NIV)

When Jesus is then ready to leave He talks of a ‘helper’ to His disciples.

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

²² Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. – John 14:15-25 (NIV).

The Son asks the father to send the Spirit so that we are not left alone but have a ‘Counselor’ or advocate. It makes one ponder why someone who is appointed to us as a legal representative and lives in us? Amazing! The same Spirit that rachaphs over us is now in us revealing the Father and the Son! Oh how we need to you Holy Spirit! An advocate because only He knows the law and the heart of the judge, because HE IS the heart of the judge, and knows the heart of the judge!

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. – Romans 8:26,27 (NIV)

It is the Holy Spirit that knows God’s heart and prays through us according to His will. Little wonder Jesus says blasphemy against the Holy is the unforgivable sin. So do not grieve the Holy Spirit for He knows God’s heart and mind.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin” ^d : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Brothers and sisters in this season of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit tap into the final pouring of oil into our lamps before the Bridegroom comes in that day as a thief – unexpectedly. Be blessed!!!