Resisting the Holy Ghost Is Not Grieving Him
The sermon emphasizes the importance of not grieving the Holy Spirit, who is our friend and seals us unto the day of redemption.
D.L. Moody emphasizes the distinction between resisting and grieving the Holy Spirit, noting that throughout history, the world has consistently resisted God's Spirit. He points out that the Holy Spirit acts as a friend, revealing the faults of humanity, yet is often met with hostility. Moody warns that many believers today are grieving the Holy Spirit by harboring bitterness and anger, which hinders the revival of God's work in the Church. He calls for a reflection on how the Church can better align with the Spirit's guidance to foster spiritual renewal.
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Let us now consider the sin of "Grieving the Spirit." Resisting the Holy Ghost is one thing, grieving Him is another. Stephen charged the unbelieving Jews in the 7th chapter of Acts, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did, so do ye." The world has always been resisting the Spirit of God in all ages. That is the history of the world. The world is today resisting the Holy Spirit.
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend." The Divine Spirit as a friend reveals to this poor world its faults, and the world only hates Him for it. He shows them the plague of their hearts. He convinces or convicts them of sin, therefore they fight the spirit of God. I believe there is many a man resisting the Holy Ghost; I believe there is many a man today fighting against the Spirit of God.
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In the 4th chapter of Ephesians, in the 30th, 31st, and 32d verses, we read:
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Now, mark you, that was written to the Church at Ephesus. "Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." I believe today that Church all of over Christendom is guilty of grieving the Holy Spirit. There are a good many believers in different churches wondering why the work of God is not revived.
Sermon Outline
- Resisting the Holy Ghost vs Grieving Him
- The World's History of Resisting the Spirit
- The Consequences of Grieving the Holy Spirit
- Definition of Resisting the Holy Ghost
- Definition of Grieving the Holy Spirit
- The World's Resistance in All Ages
- The World's Resistance Today
- The Holy Spirit's Role as a Friend
- The Importance of Forgiveness and Kindness
Key Quotes
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” — D.L. Moody
“Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” — D.L. Moody
Application Points
- We should be kind and tenderhearted towards one another, putting away bitterness, wrath, and anger.
- We should forgive one another, even as God has forgiven us through Christ.
- We should not resist or grieve the Holy Spirit, but rather allow Him to convict us of sin and guide us towards redemption.