7/8/24

‭Ephesians 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

We have all felt grief in our lives. The American Psychological Association defines grief as the anguish experienced after significant loss, usually the death of a beloved person. Grief often includes physiological distress, separation anxiety, confusion, yearning, obsessive dwelling on the past, and apprehension about the future.

To grieve the Holy Spirit is to cause Him to experience the feeling of loss. When we stop following Him and begin to follow our sinful desires we are attempting to pull away from God the Holy Spirit. This whole chapter of Ephesians 4 speaks of following Satan and his evil ways. Causing ourselves to feel as if we are or at least should be the number one concern in our lives. This causes Him the Holy Spirit to yearn for us and the relationship that God desires with His creation. The Holy Spirit has placed Himself inside of us to guide us through life sealed up in the redemptive work of Jesus the God Son.

Clarke says: By giving way to any wrong temper, unholy word, or unrighteous action. Even those who have already a measure of the light and life of God, both of which are not only brought in by the Holy Spirit, but maintained by his constant indwelling, may give way to sin, and so grieve this Holy Spirit.

Have you been doing this? Have you been forcing the Holy Spirit of God to live in the presence of sin? This brings grief on God who already took on the grief of the cross. Notice it doesn't say do not make the Holy Spirit angry. Your sin does not anger Him who lives in you. Instead it says do not grieve. The text is explaining that you cause Him to experience the sadness of loss. You are loved by God so do not let your sin grieve Him. He has sealed you, so live in that seal of redemption and live in righteousness as a holy living sacrifice to God Almighty.

Love Bro. Scott