Your Daily Devotional for April 16, 2006

April 16, 2006

 

Giving Up the Reins

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“Quench not the Spirit.”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:19

 

My granddad had a big problem with his garden.  There were far too many deer eating all the fruit of the orchard.  First, he tried putting out a radio with the volume all the way to the max.  The noise drove the deer away for about a week. The smart creatures, figuring it out, came prancing back into the garden.  Next, my granddad installed huge spotlights on all corners of the yard.  Again, that worked for about a week.  Like a vicious cycle, the deer became used to the lights and went back to attack the vegetation.  The noise and the lights had an effect on the deer for a while, and then they became accustomed to them.

 

The point of the story is that we as Christians can get “de-sensitized” to the things of God.  If we’re not careful, we can fall into the trap of quenching the Spirit of God by our neglect.  It’s a heart issue when we fail to allow the Holy Spirit to rule in our lives.  Do you remember how it was when you first got saved?  You were probably so pumped up and couldn’t wait for the next church service.  You couldn’t wait to get up in the morning to spend time with the Lord.  But after several months, the “mountaintop” experience seems to get a little old and we start neglecting the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  Pretty soon, apathy begins to set in.  What was first exciting to us becomes an irritant.  That’s the road your heart will take when you constantly quench that still, small voice of the Spirit. 

 

Galatians 5:17 says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”  Folks, you have to realize that there’s a war raging 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!  The flesh always wants its own way and to do its own thing, which is the complete opposite of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit reminds you that you were bought with the precious blood of Jesus and that you are no longer your own, yet some people are so used to the preaching, so accustomed to people praying for them, and so used to getting letters from their Sunday school teacher.  You become overly familiar with people getting saved and getting baptized and you reach the point of indifference.

 

Romans 8:8, 9 emphasize this truth: “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.  Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” 

 

On your construction job, when it’s time to go home, go home!  You who are in law enforcement, don’t let your buddies drag you to that little bar.  When you say no to the Holy Spirit, you’re on your way to the old path of destruction.  Spare yourself from the aggravation.  Give the Spirit free rein.  Allow Him to take control of your heart and see the blessings that come from an attitude of surrender.

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