Don’t extinguish the flame

EXHORTATION from the BOOK OF LIFE

Verse to meditate on:

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 (ESV) — Read on Bible.com

DON'T EXTINGUISH THE FLAME

This warning is not theoretical; it is very real. It is a sad observation, but in many of our communities and churches, the fire of the Spirit has weakened or even gone out. Many factors can explain the silence of the Spirit of God within us.

One thing is certain: through our daily lives, we cannot remove the Holy Spirit from our being, but we can make Him inaudible by allowing ourselves to be consumed by what robs us of the privilege of communion with God.

The Trap of Control and Ego

Human beings are reluctant to relinquish control of their lives, and this is sometimes even evident in our spiritual walk. We want miracles, but we despise the spiritual gifts we have received and should be using to serve others. We want to be free from Satan's lies, but above all, we fear finding ourselves in situations where the Holy Spirit leads.

Laxity and complacency then take hold: the ego takes precedence over humility and whispers in our ear the subtle illusion that we can do without the Holy Spirit.

When the "I" stifles the Spirit

When you choose to let your "I" speak, you obstruct the work of the Holy Spirit within you.

At home, you sometimes find yourself lacking in enthusiasm.

You no longer have the strength to pray, or when you try, you feel weighed down.

You think about fasting, but your mind is oppressed by distractions: a new phone, a car, work worries, debts to repay, and so on.

All these fleeting realities stifle your desire to connect with God through fasting and prayer, and you let your soul—the seat of your emotions—dictate your life.

Return to the Source

The revelation of God's Word is found in the Scriptures. When you neglect the word, you replace God's truth with the noise of the world, the simplicity of the Gospel with false doctrines or traditions of men.

The risk? That your faith will be shaken by the way the world tries to define you. Remember: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

Today, make the decision to be watchful and let the Holy Spirit take first place in your heart.

Jesus’ beloved !