“How Do We Quench the Holy Spirit?” This means nullifying the Spirit’s work in your congregation by ignoring the preached or read Word of God (the Bible) that stirs your conscience, or by opposing ministries that reveal your life is out of moral sync with God’s revealed will. But as you seek to obey the Spirit’s guidance, you need to make sure that what you’re hearing is truly from the Holy Spirit and not from evil instead. Don’t be naïve or gullible, vulnerable to falling prey to false teaching or prophecy. Instead, test the spirits and pray for the discernment you need to be wise about what the Spirit is really saying to your church. Be open-minded, yet wise, about the Spirit’s work in your congregation.

“How Do We Grieve the Holy Spirit?” This occurs when there’s moral disparity between what people say they believe and how they actually behave. Wrong attitudes and actions cause the Spirit to feel grief and compel Him to withdraw. Realize that morality matters. Do your best to be obedient to God in every part of your life, and to treat others in the body of Christ well. Aim to grow in holiness.

“How Does the Holy Spirit Fill Us?” The Spirit fills people when they come to worship Him with a hunger to be filled by Him. Invite the Spirit to give you His gifts and spiritual benefits, such as faith, joy, and awe for God. Whenever you worship, pray for the Spirit to fill you. Think of the process like breathing: You breathe out bad air by confessing your sins and breathe in the good air of the Spirit by surrendering to the Spirit’s control. Life when you’re filled with the Spirit is a great adventure that will motivate you to do things like singing praise songs, giving thanks to God, and submitting to other people out of reverence for Jesus. Remember that your church’s worship service is much more than just a classroom for learning about God or a stage for being entertained when you think of Him. Every worship service is an opportunity to actually connect with the living God and be transformed as He fills you with His Spirit.

Adapted from Engaging with the Holy Spirit: Real Questions, Practical Answers, copyright 2007 by Graham A. Cole. Published by Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Il., www.crossway.org. 
Graham A. Cole is professor of biblical and systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. An ordained Anglican minister, he has served in two parishes and was formerly the principal of Ridley College, University of Melbourne. He has written articles for numerous theological journals and has contributed to several books as well as authoring Engaging with the Holy Spirit.