Introduction:     Verses 12-15 teach us what kind of attitude we are to have toward the ordained ministers that God as gifted and placed in the local church. Verse 15 deals with our attitude toward fellow believers. Verses 16-18 go together and teach us about our attitude toward God Himself. (Happy New Year) - The ingredients to true happiness are found in these three verses. Now, we see the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the believer’s life. God commands us to be “filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18 ); “grieve not the Spirit” (Eph. 4:30 ) and here, “quench not the Spirit”. Notice some warnings the child of God should heed. You quench the Holy Spirit by:

I.           SUPPRESSING THE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT (V.19)
“Quench” = to extinguish (suppress) (Illus: pictures of the Holy Spirit – dove (Jn.1) & fire (Isa.6/Acts 2). As a believer, that fire is in you.

·        You cannot lose the Holy Spirit, but you can quench the Holy Spirit’s effectiveness in your life.

·        You can extinguish the fire of the Holy Spirit in others.

·        You can develop a cheap familiarity with the things of God with the passing of time.

o       When You Live Your Life On A Purely Natural Level.

o       When You Are Totally Absorbed In The Things Of This World.

o       When You Neglect Your Christian Duty And The Plain Commands Of Scripture.

II.         IGNORING THE VOICE OF SPIRIT (V.20)
“Despise” = to set down as no account. “Prophesyings” = not foretelling the future, but forth telling the Word of God!

·        Some reject the preached word. (Illus: don’t like to message…attack the messenger).

·        Some desire a prophetic word from the Scriptures, not from an icebox, but an incubator where people can come alive in the power of God. 

III.       DISCERN THE REALITY OF THE SPIRIT (V.21)
The sure test is does it match up with Scripture. If it is of the Spirit, don’t flee or run from it, but thank God that the Spirit of God is present. I don’t want to be a part of a church where there isn’t freedom to praise the Lord and come to an old fashion alter to do business with a Holy God! (Illus: “stop the amen’s”…we can’t tell the saints how to worship).