You Can Stop Complaining: A Five-Day Fast!预览

Grieving the Holy Spirit

Let's take an inventory today.

Are you quick to say what someone "should have done"? What should the pastor have spoken? 

When challenges arise at home or work, do you complain to others, your spouse, or a co-worker? Do you complain about your spouse to a special friend?

Do you complain about taxes, elected officials, the price of gasoline, the way people drive, or the service in a restaurant? 

It is incredible the things we find to complain about—anything and almost everything. But, here's the deal; we don’t understand the dramatic impact complaining has on the Holy Spirit. 

There is a reason we talk about “sensitivity” to the Holy Spirit. We want to be able to discern the way the Holy Spirit is moving. Yes, the Holy Spirit is a person, and He is very sensitive. I believe He gets His feelings hurt, and His anointing (power) in our life weakens when we start our complaining routine. Few things quench the Holy Spirit more quickly than complaining. 

In the scripture, Ephesians 4:30, Paul says we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. The Greek word lupeo means to experience deep, emotional pain (sadness).  Before and after this verse, Paul lists the ways we grieve the Spirit. He says it is by speaking negative words. Complaining is unwholesome words that are negative through and through.

What Christian doesn't want to walk in the Spirit? Isn't it something on all our hearts, to be able to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit throughout our day? We need to have the sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and to have Him active and influential in our life. This kind of relationship isn't going to happen if we are continually grieving the Spirit—causing Him pain and sadness—by our complaining. 

Complaining is one of the most "fleshly" things we can do. It looks and smells like the world. One of the most important tasks we will ever face in life is to determine what grieves the Holy Spirit and not do that. 

You have the strength through fasting words and prayer to bring to an end complaining words in your life. You will discover a new sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and more of His power.  Keep your focus these next days on the words that come out of your mouth.