Trust, but verify

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. - 1 Thessalonians 5v19-21

When I began these ponderings almost 3 ½ years ago I determined that this was going to be an a journey through the word where I would allow God to speak to me without my pre-conceived ideas and notions. I was not going to be bound by things that I have heard preached or things I had been taught. This may put some off, but remember – these thoughts are not a theological treatise, or an attempt to teach anyone, but my thoughts as I proceed through God’s word.

Don’t quench the spirit is a tremendous teaching. We can grab it out and talk about how we quench the spirit in many ways by our lives, actions, and attitudes. That is true and applicable. But look at the context here – ‘Don’t quench the spirit, don’t despise prophecies.’ I wish I could say that this word was the typical word for ‘preaching’ for that would make it so much easier. But that’s not what the word is here. The word means to ‘talk about what is going to happen.’

Maybe it is true that this was one of the sign gifts that God used in the early church and is not applicable to today, but that doesn’t really fit the flow of this passage, does it?

Does that mean that I think we just take to heart any time any ones says, ‘The Lord told me such and such is going to happen?’ That would be just plain silly – we have all seen that fail too many times.

Perhaps there is another answer. The word of God does tell us what is going to happen. If people do not repent and get saved they will suffer an eternity in hell. If we don’t resist the devil he will attack us. If we don’t deny the flesh we will serve it. If we don’t control our thoughts they will control us.

So what do we do? How do we know? Well, fortunately, we have the answer. First though, we need to examine the idea of quenching the Spirit. I think the answer is easy there; we quench the Spirit when we deny His word. When we allow our emotions and feelings to override His word, we exalt ourselves and quench Him.

What do we do then? “Test all things, hold fast to that which is good.’ Listen to what is being said, don’t reject it on the spot, weigh on the balance scales of God’s word, and cling to that which is good. If it doesn’t match up with the word of God we quench the Spirit by holding on to it.

If nothing else, this has given me something to reflect on today.