5 Ways to Live Outside the Enemy's GraspSample

Key 2: Beware of Grieving the Holy Spirit

If you want to live outside the grasp of the enemy, then always beware of grieving the Holy Spirit.

When I say, “Beware of grieving the Holy Spirit,” I mean: "Don’t offend the Spirit. Don't insult Him or make Him sad."

Quenching the Holy Spirit is not the same as the unpardonable sin.

A lot of the time, people freak out and get afraid they have permanently grieved the Holy Spirit. They say, "No, no, no, I've offended the Holy Spirit. I’ve gone too far. I've committed the unpardonable sin. I've done all of that." 

However, it's actually harder to commit the unpardonable sin than you realize. That's because the unpardonable sin is to completely turn your back on the belief system of God and say, "He doesn't exist." That’s not what we mean when we talk about not quenching the Holy Spirit.

“Quenching the Holy Spirit” does mean:

• Shutting Him down whenever He's moving;
• Offending Him by carrying an attitude that’s not aligned with Scripture; or
• Doing an activity that's not according to Scripture. 

We have to be careful and aware of the Holy Spirit so that we don't grieve Him. He has feelings, and He is a PERSON—not an "it." (I'll just throw that in.)

The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us as Christians the ability to discern Satan's temptations.

Do you know what conviction is? It starts with the Convicter—the Holy Spirit. He is the person of the Trinity who is going to make sure that you say, "Oh, I had better not do that. I'd better not go in there. I'd better not watch that show. I'd better not drink that. I'd better not, I'd better not, I'd better not." 

The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts us, and He does so in compassion and in love. He's the one who is brings you a sense of discernment, so you can say, "Oh, I recognize this trap. I recognize what the enemy is trying to do.”

Part of the Holy Spirit's assignment is to help you recognize when the enemy is attacking you, tripping you up, or leading you down a bad path. 

The Holy Spirit helps you fend off enemy attacks. If you listen to the Holy Spirit in your life, combining your discernment with the authority of God's Word, the Lord will protect you from the enemy’s grasp. He’ll give you grace and show you how to navigate through life. 

The Spirit is always at work to do the good pleasure of the Father. He's always with you, helping you. He doesn't take a day off. He is always protecting you from satanic attacks. 

So, if you want to live outside the enemy's grasp, be sure you treasure the Holy Spirit's presence. Beware of grieving Him, and don't quench Him. Protect His sweet presence like you would protect your best friend, and honor Him with all you do.