STRIVING WITH HIS SPIRIT

Genesis 6:3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

This is the prelude to the first account of God punishing Earth for its sins. You remember after this, God spoke to Noah to build an ark. The Spirit of God had not yet been poured out from on high as Jesus promised. Peter in his inaugural address post infilling of the Spirit declared that the gift of the Holy Spirit was to those who listened to him, their children and to all those God will call. (Acts 2:39). Instances of the move of the Spirit of God before Jesus ascended to heaven were limited to individuals and not everyone could enjoy this gift. Prior to Noah’s Ark, after God had chased Adam and Eve from His Presence (Eden), the Spirit of God was still hovering over the face of the waters and would move as permitted by man. Enoch had enjoyed His presence and had an encounter. Thereafter, we see Abraham enjoy fellowship with God, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua…Samson…David…all these men encountered the Holy Spirit and God used them. Their faith commended them as Heb 11 says. Inasmuch as we are in a new dispensation where the Spirit of God has been poured out freely to all who shall receive Him, the same principle applies. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His statutes do not change. His Spirit will not contend with man.

As we have already seen, God is holy and sin would push Him away from us. God would not dwell in a vessel that continues to sin against Him. David understood this and we see Him begging God not to take away His Spirit from Him after sinning against Him. Psalm 51:11. The Israelites though chosen by God, vexed His Spirit and He turned away from them. Psalm 63:10 Samson wist not that the Spirit had departed and we know what happened after that. Judges 16:20. Samson's continuous dalliance with the enemy validates the fact His Spirit shall not contend or strive with man. Despite God asking him to stop being yoked with the Philistines, he insisted on sinning against Him and he lost his sensitivity to God’s Spirit. He forgot that it is His Spirit that gave him strength and when the Spirit departed Him, he lost his strength. A vital lesson for us today and a reminder that it is His Spirit that gives us strength. It is not by might, nor by power but by His Spirit. Zech 4:6.

In the new dispensation, we see that this promise is still kept. His Spirit is still not striving with men. Paul understood this and asked the Ephesians not to Grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30). He also instructed the Christians at Thessalonica not to Quench the Spirit. (1 Thess 5:19). Stephen in his maiden speech in Acts 7:51 decried how his people have always resisted the Spirit of God just like his forefathers. We grieve the Spirit when we indulge in those practices that are against His will or He has forbidden. When we disobey God, we grieve the Spirit. When we IGNORE His leading, we quench the Spirit. When we refuse His leading, we resist Him.

Friends, God has sworn He shall not strive with men again and when we do these things i.e. disobey, ignore, reject Him, we deprive ourselves of the gift of the Holy Spirit who is our helper, the One who is supposed to enable us live this Christian life. As a gentle dove, the Spirit will not settle where He is not enthroned. Let us not lose our sensitivity to His promptings and leadings. Let us not strive with God!