Genesis 6 v. 1 - 8 v. 3 "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." Note:-
1. THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT - "My spirit" See:-
(a) His Work - "Strive with man"
(b) His Witness -
(c) His Warfare - "strive" - implies resistance to the Holy Ghost
Acts - Paul - Acts 9 v. 5 "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."
FIVE MAJOR SINS AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT
I. HE CAN BE BLASPHEMED... Matt. 12:31-32
Mat 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
II. HE CAN BE LIED TO...Acts 5:1-10
Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Acts 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it, at the apostles' feet.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Acts 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Acts 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
Acts 5:6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
Acts 5:7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
Acts 5:8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Acts 5:9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Acts 5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
1. Their decision.. .v4a
2. Their deception.. .v4b
3. Their deaths...v5 & 10
Ill. HE CAN BE GRIEVED...Eph. 4:30, Look at Eph. 4
1. Grieved by our Corrupt Conversations. v22-28
Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Eph 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
2. Grieved by our Corrupt Communications. v29-32
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
IV. HE CAN BE QUENCHED...I Thess. 5:19
1 Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
1. By our ignorance of Him.
2. By our indifference toward Him.
3. By our impatience--not waiting upon Him.
V. HE CAN BE RESISTED...Acts 7:51, Gen. 6:3
Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
1. It brings Judgement by destruction...Prov. 29:1
Prov 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2. It brings Judgement by death. ..Gen. 6:3
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
3. It brings Judgement by desertion...Prov. 1:24-26; Hosea 4:17; Isa. 63:10
Prov 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Prov 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
Prov 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Hosea 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
Isa 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be
• their enemy, and he fought against them.
2. THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIRIT - i.e. not irresistable grace - John 3 v. 8 "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
3. THE MEANING OF THE SPIRIT - John 16 v. 7 - 11 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
Reproves the world i.e. as judge lays out charges before the jury with all the evidence considered
of sin, of righteousnes, and of judgement i.e. by the testimony, by the truth, by the travesty of neglect
4. THE MARKS OF THE SPIRIT - known by:-
(a) His Will - thoughts of spiritual things
(b) His Works - reproving of sin, i.e. condemned generally for sin, or specifically for sin
(c) His Words - Psalm 119 v. 130 "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."
(d) His Witness
(e) His Wooing
(f) His Wisdom - points to Christ alone for salvation
(g) His Warning - "last time" - "My spirit shall not always strive with man"
5. THE MEASURE OF THE SPIRIT - "Shall not always strive" Note:-limit as to the :-
(a) Time - "not always"
(b) Testimony
(c) Teaching
(d) Trial
6. THE MOVING OF THE SPIRIT - "Not always strive with man"
When:-
(a) Pointless - Psalm 29 v. 1 "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
(b) Profane Proverbs 1 v. 24 "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;"
(c) Provocation - Hebrews 2 v. 3 "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;"
(d) Production - Ecclestiastes 12 v. 1"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;"
7. THE MISSING OF THE SPIRIT - There is the:-
(a) Heart Affected - "hard"
(b) Head Affected - opposition - refuge in error
(c) Hand Affected - no interest in God's work
(d) Health Affected - deeper into sin
(e) Hope Affected - Hebrews 10 v. 27 "But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
(f) Help Affected - p[rayers for christians
(g) Hearing Affected - no profit in word - Matthew 11 v. 15 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
