Do Not Quench the Spirit

by Terry Wane Benton

You can quench a thirst by stopping yourself from being thirsty. You quench a thirst by drinking some water. So, what does Paul mean by "Do not quench the Spirit" (I Thessalonians 5:19)?

The Spirit has been trying to appeal to our hearts through such letters as He inspired Paul to write. His message has been changing hearts and lives, and those lives in turn are crying out for us to consider. The Spirit speaks through the 66 books of the Bible, which in turn have reached many hearts like yours. The Spirit is still speaking through these sacred writings to encourage us and build us up (Acts 20:32; Hebrews 3:7).

To "quench" the Spirit would mean to stop His appeals and encouragements from impacting your heart, your thinking. He is appealing to us through brothers and sisters who remind us to do right. You can cut off the supply line of spiritual reminders, such as spiritual people who could encourage us, the church, the Bible, and Bible teaching, etc. You must not cut off the supply line of spiritual encouragement and strength.

To quench the Spirit would be eternally unwise! Keep the supply of the Spirit coming into your heart, and never shut it off. Quench your thirst, but never quench the Spirit.