"If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- 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 in you. (John 14:15-17 NIV)
The Holy Spirit of God was poured out on the day of Pentecost, just as Jesus promised. In fact, this day had been prophesied many hundreds of years earlier by Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, and Zechariah. People were looking forward to the day when the Spirit of God would be available to everyone, not just to the prophets and other leaders God chose at a specific time and a specific place.
Now, the Holy Spirit is available to those of us who love God and are called according to His purposes. This "advocate" is a much needed help in the struggle against the "accuser," our real adversary. God gives us His Spirit because we need the Holy Spirit to walk together with God in our time and in our places. God empowers us to walk together with Him.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 NIV)
It seems strange, then, that so many people who have come home to the Father through the Son and have received the Holy Spirit don't live like that. Looking around at Christians in our day and age, or in any age for that matter, we can see a lot of people who have received the Spirit, but don't walk by the Spirit. Why is that? How can someone with the power of God, wisdom of God, and a mission from God not look like they are walking with God? It's simple. We quench the Spirit of God so that the fire stays low or burns out. We have the Spirit, but it is a quenched Spirit.
How about you? Do you have the Spirit of God within you? Do people see it in your words, your actions, and your love? Or, when people see you, do they see no difference between you and someone without the Spirit of God? Do you have a quenched Spirit?
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