Sermon for Sunday 04 25 2010 Praying In the Spirit

Hebrews 12:14b “Pursue… holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:”

Last Sunday we saw how our view of Holy Spirit impacts how we relate and treat Holy Spirit. The book by RA Torrey wrote called The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, had really impacted me in this area.

If we see Holy Spirit as an “it’ we can use, then we will abuse Holy Spirit as people abuse a sugar daddy that they use to get what they want. Others because of theological disconnects ignore Holy Spirit altogether for fear of what might happen or what people may think about them. They might become one of “them”. We all like that don’t we?

We also saw Ephesians 4:30 that shows us two things we must see. 1^st Holy Spirit can be grieved or hurt by us. The 2^nd thing we see is we are sealed unto/for the day of redemption by Holy Spirit. We see how important Holy Spirit is for salvation and how the way treat Holy Spirit actually matters.

Jesus said in, John 16:7-9 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me.”

This shows us that not only are we sealed by Holy Spirit, but are drawn to salvation and convicted by Holy Spirit of our sin. Holy Spirit is the most important thing we have going for us in ministry.

These things should all cause us pause as we approach God’s Holy Spirit. We need to get these things straight in our hearts and minds and approach Holy Spirit in awesome reverence and fear.

Another thing we should consider is what Jesus said in Mark 3:28-30 ²⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; ²⁹ but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

Let’s look at blasphemy

blas·phe·my [blas-fuh-mee] –noun,plural-mies.

1.impious utterance or action concerning god or sacred things.

2.Judaism. a.an act of cursing or reviling God. b.pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) in the original, now forbidden manner instead of using a substitute pronunciation such as Adonai.

3.Theology. the crime of assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God.

4.irreverent behavior toward anything held sacred, priceless, etc.: He uttered blasphemies against life itself.

Some of these definitions should give us pause and some fear.

We see from what Jesus said in this passage that we have reason to approach Holy Spirit with fear and trembling. Since we see that we are drawn to repentance by Holy Spirit, and sealed for redemption by Holy Spirit, then when Paul says in Philippians 2:12 to, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”, Holy Spirit is involved in the largest part of this “work”.  Holy Spirit cannot be ignored by us or abused by us, but feared and honored by us.

In Acts 5 Peter accuses Ananias and Sapphira of Lying to Holy Spirit and both of them die in the presence of the Lord and church for their sin. The early church had this example emblazoned into their conscience. Do you think they had fear and trembling as part of their worship in the Spirit?

How about today? Do we have a fear of this sort of thing? Is the church tempting God by their treatment of Holy Spirit?

I am afraid that much of what the church at large does today borders on blaspheming Holy Spirit.

In the Laws of our land there is an understanding called Ignorantia juris non excusat which from the Latin means ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.

I believe we serve a compassionate and patient God that does not operate under this legal ease.

Not to ease your righteous fears too much, but I believe when one has committed this sin something happens that changes the normal flow of call to repentance and approaching God. Paul describes last day peoples in 1 Timothy 4:1-5 ¹ Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ² speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, ³ forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; ⁵ for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

When one has blasphemed the Holy Spirit, I believe there is a searing that takes place, where we will no longer be in a church that preaches truth. We would have none of it any more. If you are afraid you have done this, I believe you have not actually done it. If you had done this, I believe you would not care anymore that you have.  There are churches everywhere that will simply tell you, “I am ok, you are ok”, and not teach any fear of God or repentance from sin. Much of the church today is in bad shape.

We must seek God’s Holy Spirit in fear and trembling, not to get stuff, but to surrender our very lives to Holy Spirit.  Are you ready to do it?