Part Two: The Christian and the Grieving of the Holy Spirit

We are not seeing much power in the American church in light of this serious issue of Christians grieving the Holy Spirit...I believe it is directly related to the fact that there is seemingly little, or no fear of God within the average Christian today…again….Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” For example, we see so much sexual sin, porn addiction, adultery, bitterness, divisiveness-

All this within our local churches quenching the work of the Holy Spirit- now, no doubt there is much activity in our fellowships and denominations, lots of events, music, charity work, pomp and circumstance, looks like we are really doing great things for God-and of course there are tremendous things going on in some local churches nationwide-I hope your church is doing great-but when we look at the decline of the church in the USA we have to be honest about our situation-the numbers show there actually is little life- changing, transforming work of the Holy Spirit being produced. 

Hundreds of churches close their doors every month in the USA...according to the Barna research group 65% of the 430,000 churches in our nation are in decline. And most churches that do have growth in numbers are growing only because of transfer growth as people leave their old church and go across town to the new church. A recent Gallup poll revealed that few Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) few of them attend local churches and are members of any denominations. 

British Methodist preacher and revivalist Samuel Chadwick- he was born in 1860- died in 1932.. once said

 “The church that multiplies committees and neglects prayer may be fussy, noisy, enterprising, but labors in vain and spends its strength for naught. It is possible to excel in mechanics and fail in dynamics. There is an abundance of machinery, what is wanting is power.” 

The modern USA church is weak because we hinder the Holy Spirit and have become dull, going through the motions, no longer able to stand and be salt and light to the world. 

so How do we begin the work of revival locally? We are talking about this issue of grieving the Holy Spirit---we Must take our mind and body to the Lord and confess our sins: that means you say the same thing God says about your specific sins. Deal with it- grow in Maturity and walk in the Spirit.

We are no longer servants to sin—sin’s power is broken by the blood of Jesus.

Satan comes as a thief to kill. Steal and destroy, Jesus says I have come to bring life abundantly. So regarding the sin issues of our lives, we need the remedy and that is understanding The grace of God restores: what is grace?  It is receiving something we do not deserve- namely our salvation from certain eternal death because of our sin. Grace is also the desire and ability to do the will of God. 

To grow in grace we must go to the Bible which reveals the true grace shed on us by the Lord. It is the power of the Word of God, Jesus is the Logos, You cannot grow and mature spiritually without the discipline of Bible study and Prayer.

As believers we will all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and give an account. And there will be no where to hide for me or for you.

 2 cor. 5:9-10    Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

All music content written and performed by Darryl Riden, Taylor Riden, Caiti Riden (c) 2024

Contact info: cpmlife.org Christ Powered Ministries