Quench Not The Spirit

Driving home: And though the principles of this text apply in every area of the Christian life, and it would have been much easier to lay out the exposition of it as a general rule for every area of Christian life and experience, quen…

Martin describes his emotional trauma when finishing a book of the Bible, likening it to losing a child, to convey his deep engagement with Scripture.

And I'm going to sort of feel like I've lost one of my children when I can no longer say, let us turn to 1 Thessalonians. I always go through great emotional trauma when I finish a book. I suppose if I didn't court it so long, it wouldn't be so hard to jolt it.

0:23 - 0:37 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the figure of 'quenching' as extinguishing a fire, drawing parallels from Scripture. He then explores the significance of fire as a symbol for the Holy Spirit's…

The analogy of a smoking flax in an ancient lamp illustrates how Christ does not extinguish a dimly burning wick but nourishes it, showing His gentle care for weak faith.

Their lamps were extinguished. The word used in Matthew 12, 20, when it says of the ministry of our Lord, A smoking flax he will not quench. It's the picture, you see, of the flax that's drawn up through that gravy-like picture of a lamp that was used in our Lord's time. And the oil supply has run low, and when it runs low, the wick itself begins to burn, and it smokes.

4:16 - 4:40 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the figure of 'quenching' as extinguishing a fire, drawing parallels from Scripture. He then explores the significance of fire as a symbol for the Holy Spirit's…

The analogy of fiery darts in ancient warfare, extinguished by a shield of faith, illustrates the concept of 'quenching' as putting out a destructive fire.

The shield of faith wherewith you should be able to quench, extinguish all the fiery darts of the enemy. The picture of the warfare of that time, when men would take their arrows and ignite them and shoot them into the enemy's place of dwelling or his fort, hoping to start a fire that would drive the enemy out when he could not be flushed out by other weapons. Our Lord says, Don't extinguish the fire of the Spirit. So there's the figure that the Apostle...

5:04 - 5:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the figure of 'quenching' as extinguishing a fire, drawing parallels from Scripture. He then explores the significance of fire as a symbol for the Holy Spirit's…

The analogy of a blind man in a dark room illustrates that sinners need not only spiritual sight (quickened optic nerves) but also spiritual light (the Spirit's illumination) to perceive truth.

There were no incandescent light bulbs at that time. Edison hadn't appeared on the scene. And so the ministry of the Spirit is likened unto fire because he is the spirit of truth and enlightenment. And where he is present, men are enabled to see. Sinners need not only sight, but light. For an unconverted man, scripture says, is like a blind man in a dark room. If he's ever to see, first of all, he's got to have his dead optic nerves come alive. But even with live optic nerves and a well-functioning retina and cornea and all the functions of the eye, he'll not see a thing if the room is in pitc...

7:11 - 8:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But I'd rather have a smoky fire smarting my eyes and have some warmth and light than in my attempts to have no problem with smoke to be frozen stiff.

The analogy of a smoky fire versus no fire at all illustrates the danger of extinguishing the Spirit's work (the fire) in an attempt to eliminate fleshly imperfections (the smoke), preferring a smoky fire to being frozen stiff.

The tendency is to throw out the baby with the bath in our attempts to get rid of the smoke to extinguish the fire that produces the smoke. Now, it's a terrible thing to have a smoky fire smarting your eyes. But I'd rather have a smoky fire smarting my eyes and have some warmth and light than in my attempts to have no problem with smoke to be frozen stiff. And there's the tendency.

11:42 - 12:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not quench the Spirit by a spirit of unbelief and no expectation when coming to the gathered assembly.

Martin wonders what would happen if he preached to a congregation where every person came expecting God to do something precious, highlighting the power of faith and expectation.

And so there may come into the assembly a servant of Christ and people of God whose hearts are full of faith. But if there are others who are a part of that living body caught in the terrible doldrums of non-expectation and unbelief, the Spirit is Christ. I've often wondered what it would be like to stand up here some Sunday morning and preach to a congregation that to the man or to the woman came expecting God to do something precious. They didn't dictate what.

20:25 - 20:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not quench the Spirit by a slavish adherence to the clock, even if it means extending the service when the Spirit has more to say or do.

Martin recounts a time in California where he preached for an hour and 45 minutes, refusing to stop until he felt he had delivered his soul, illustrating the principle of not being bound by the clock when the Spirit is at work.

Remember what happened the one time I was preaching and said I'm going to preach until I'm done. I'll never forget it. It only happened one time. It was out in California a year ago, a year and a half ago.

25:58 - 26:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The Holy Ghost had something to say and to do that would have been quenched had there been a slave that should hear him to the clock.

The story of Eutychus falling asleep and being raised from the dead during Paul's long discourse is used as an example of a miracle that would have been missed if the meeting had dismissed on time, challenging slavish adherence to the clock.

Apparently he felt there were things the Holy Ghost had to say and he said them. And it ended up those people had the joy of seeing a miracle. If he hadn't preached that long, Eutychus wouldn't have fallen asleep. And if he hadn't fallen asleep, he wouldn't have fallen out.

27:07 - 27:18 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin warns against quenching the Spirit through a sinful fear of the unusual and a spirit of prejudice regarding how God can work. He uses the example of the lame man leaping in…

The healing of the lame man at the temple, who then leaped and praised God, is used as an example of God's surprising and unusual work that disrupted religious formality, challenging the fear of the unusual.

I love to read that passage in the book of Acts. I just get, I just get tickled all over. Here everybody's been coming up to the temple at the right time saying the right thing saying the right thing doing the right thing and nothing to disturb it. But they didn't reckon on Pentecost.

29:19 - 29:31 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin warns against quenching the Spirit through a sinful fear of the unusual and a spirit of prejudice regarding how God can work. He uses the example of the lame man leaping in…

Martin vividly describes the lame man 'leaping' as getting off the ground with both feet, emphasizing the uncontainable joy and spontaneous expression of God's power, contrasting it with rigid temple worship.

You know I oh I'm having to resist the temptation to act it out for you.

31:05 - 31:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not quench the Spirit by fear of the unusual, but be open to God's surprising work.

Martin quotes Jonathan Edwards on the Jews crucifying Messiah because He didn't come according to their prejudices, illustrating how preconceived notions can hinder recognition of God's work.

He said can we find it in our hearts to be like the Jews who though they said they longed for Messiah crucified him because he didn't come in the way their prejudices had dictated he should come.

34:36 - 34:47 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin warns against quenching the Spirit through a sinful fear of the unusual and a spirit of prejudice regarding how God can work. He uses the example of the lame man leaping in…

The accusation that the early disciples were 'drunk with new wine' at Pentecost is used to show that the Spirit's powerful work can lead to a 'bad name' and unusual manifestations, challenging fear of embarrassment.

When's the last time anyone ever saw us come out of this place and saw us so boiling over with that which God had done that they said hey those folks must have kept that bar down.

35:33 - 35:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin addresses two more ways the Spirit is quenched: unjust criticism of immature servants of Christ, acknowledging that early zeal often comes with 'smoke' but should not be…

Martin shares a personal anecdote of his youthful, immature zeal, signing his name 'Al Salvation Martin' in a guest book, to illustrate how new converts often have 'smoke' in their fire but should not be unjustly criticized or extinguished.

As I mentioned earlier, no fire of the Spirit movement burns with a smoke which flames simply because we're involved in it. And our flesh and our corruption adds the smoke. And oh how often I've seen young men inflamed with true spiritual zeal and oh they did some stupid. When I look at some of the things I did, every bus I'd get on started to front and walk to the back passing out a track to everybody.

38:44 - 39:08 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You know how you get smoke out of a fire? The fire itself burns out its own smoke as the fire increases.

Martin recounts being rebuked by an older pastor for his zealous but immature conduct, and his mother's encouragement to 'mind the Lord,' illustrating the need for discernment and patience with young believers.

Do you know what happened? I had some people who saw that fire and said, listen, we've got to put that out. There's too much smoke on it. And one night on my knees I was about ready to say, all right Lord, I'll throw the whole thing in because I had a man who'd been a Christian for over 30 years and a pastor who'd been a pastor for 25 years make a special visit to straighten me out.

39:51 - 40:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not quench the Spirit by unjust criticism and by being overly fastidious, especially with new converts; put your arm around them and let the heat of your own life help clear out some of the smoke in their fire.

The analogy of a fire burning out its own smoke as it increases, or a fireplace draft clearing smoke, illustrates that true spiritual fire will eventually purify itself, advocating for patience with immature zeal.

And now he's done it in such a way they don't like what he's doing. You go on with God. Sure, there was some smoke but there were some discerning people who said, you know how you get smoke out of a fire? The fire itself burns out its own smoke as the fire increases.

40:31 - 40:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not quench the Spirit by unjust criticism and by being overly fastidious, especially with new converts; put your arm around them and let the heat of your own life help clear out some of the smoke in their fire.

Martin uses the example of Brother McConaughey's ministry, which once had 'a lot of smoke' but later brought blessing, to illustrate how supporting and working with immature but zealous servants can lead to purified and powerful ministry.

I understand God spoke to many of your hearts last week through the ministry of Brother McConaughey with authority and clarity. There was a time when the fire that you felt last week had a lot of smoke in it and there were people that were writing him off left and right. And I said, God, that boy's got some fire you've put in him. There's a lot of smoke but that'll clear itself up.

41:00 - 41:19 Read in full sermon