Awful Spirit extinguishers!

What would we believers do without the Spirit?  How could we exist? 

Yet many have so 'quenched' His voice, as the Bible verse calls it, that they do not even recognise His work, let alone when He speaks.

'Quench' is a hard word for us to get our minds around. Think of putting out a fire, not once, but continually.

Smothering and resisting are other expressions.

Resisting and smothering what? Try a definition of a pattern of becoming closed off to what the Spirit is seeking to produce — such as truthfulness, love, courage, repentance, justice, encouragement, or spiritual discernment. It is, first of all, personal, in my spirit.

How many times have others tried to encourage me when I was down, and I resisted, "If they only knew... or I do not deserve it..."  The water of my own pessimism gets sprayed on that warming encouragement. I resist the word the Spirit is telling me through others...

And on and on it goes. My conscience being shut down by my "just this once" excuse, the refusal to listen to suggestions for growth, with my "I already am doing that well" pride.

Worst of all is distraction.  Just too busy to look up when I am online, on time with life, or on a binge, mired in my less-than-ambitious interests. (Doomscrollers take note!)

You know these types.  In our heads, we play those broken records all the time.

 Then it happens again. Splash! There goes the water we produce, quenching the fire that the Spirit so wants to light under us!

So, if you recognise yourself anywhere in this, look up!  He hasn't given up yet.  You read this and took note...