WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT OBEYED
Leading Scripture (Micah 7:1-6)
- Pushing God from the Centre is a disaster that’s why Micah starts with the lament “woe!! Is me.“
- Micah is a man who is preaching to a people that has lost sense of direction, the community that has lost the sense of calling, both the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom of Israel.
- Remember, the Israelites were called to be the light to the world, to read the blind to know the Lord (ref. Isaiah 42)
In Micah chapter 7 verse 1, Micah says “Woe is me! For I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: My soul desired the first ripe fruit.”
- The word woe here used by Micah is only found also in ‘Job 10:15‘, two places in the bible expressing deep sorrow and disappointment and discouragement because of what is happening in the land that has pushed God away from it.
The following are some results that happen when the Holy Spirit is not obeyed or when the Holy Spirit is not in control in a person, community and or a country.
- WHEN A LAND HAS LOST SENSE OF PRODUCTIVITY, – “IT IS NO LONGER FRUITFUL.” –
- When the Holy Spirit is not in control you bear no fruit and when going to look for fruits you find none.
- When the Holy Spirit is not in your life, or when you’ve not obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit, you’re good for nothing, for you bear no fruits and you lose sense of productivity and you become unworthy than before.
- The examples of the fruits of Holy Spirit are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness and Faithfulness.
- Micah is saying woe is me!! Because what he was expecting he didn’t find it.
- When you push God away in your life and you choose not to obey the voice of the Lord you become useless, you become fruitless (unfruitful). If God is not in your life, your family, or nation there will be no love, no peace, there will be blood shedding.
In verse 2 of Micah 7, Micah says, “the good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood they hunt every man his brother with a net.”
- Here, Micah wants to say that in a land where people live unrighteous the righteous ones are hated. Since they hate righteousness, they want all people to live the way they want. And if there is anyone who is righteous, he suffers more.
- In a society, land or country where righteousness or uprightness is not a virtue, when you dare to live a righteous life you suffer. If you dare to oppose the norms of the day, or stand for the truth your contract (at work, etc.) might not be renewed, or you can be hearing about promotions but not get them.
- Paul warned Timothy in ‘2 Timothy 3:12’. He said “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
- When a land entertains what is evil, righteous people are not loved they’re always hated.
- In Micah 7:7 Although righteous people are perished, they are being intimidated and the land does not want them, Micah says; “Therefore, I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”
- Because the Lord is the help to those who look to him, I will lift my eyes to the hills where my help comes from, you don’t look to man, you look to the Lord where your help comes from, man is not your help!! In fact man is a disappointment.
- When a land has pushed God away from its midst expect blood shed, abuse, evil plots against one another, peoples love on money and not their neighbors.
- WHEN GOD IS PUSHED FROM THE LAND AND THE LAND DOES NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – “THEIR HANDS ARE SKILLED TO DO EVIL (MICAH 7 VS 3).” –
- In such a land, people know how to do evil and not what is good and they do it best since they hate righteousness, they hate uprightness but entertain evil and they do evil skillfully.
- When a land has lost direction, officials and even judges ask for a bribe. In Micah chapter 3, you will see that even the Priests, and the Prophets would prophecy for money.!
- Micah says these people who are so called religious people are so corrupt. Doing what is evil. They do not seek to please God but themselves and filling their stomach with what they get by cheating people and prophets preach for money (Micah 3).
- The religious system, the political system, the social system and the economic system all gets rotten because God is pushed away from them.
- In verse 4 Micah says; “the best of them is as brier: the most upright is sharper than thorn hedge; the day of the and the visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.”
- That is to say even those you think are upright in the society that have pushed away God from them are a disappointment, that is why Micah in verse 5 says; “trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the door of thy mouth from her that Leith in thy bosom.”
- In a society that has pushed God away, a friend is your enemy. Put no trust in him. Even guard your mouth from the one you love.
Amen!!
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I am pleased to know this.
I hope in the Lord.
This message was helpful thank you so much am encouraged.
How does one return to God if they are guilty of unknowingly pushing away the Holy Spirit, maybe not physically pushing Him away but ignoring Him or taking your relationship with Him for granted.
I am guilty of this and I miss Him very much and I have been praying to come back to Him and be in the Family of God again or maybe I am in His family but being ignored and I want to feel His Awesome Presence again. I am 77 years old and I have been born again since March of 1977. I miss Him
Carol Weber
I left this comment back in December of 2023 but still I haven’t received a response. I am a woman going on 78 years old and I remember the Voice and the touch of the Lord. I never deliberately walked away from the Lord, I didn’t even realize how far away I was for a while. I had lost my husband and I remarried and was going through much turmoil at the time and truthfully, I started making decisions for myself.
That was years ago and I remember the last words that I had heard from Him, ” Redeem the time for the days are evil ” I did at that time what I thought that he was telling me to do but I must have misunderstood because I haven’t heard from Him again.
I need Him now more than ever before. I have repented for every thing that I think I have failed Him on but still this emptiness. I need Him to even change for the better.
Could someone please help me?
Carol Weber carolmariev11@gmail.com
Hi I am Charles and I feel what you are saying. I was just laying down and was reading my Bible and I was overcome what I believe was the HOLY SPRIT SPEEKING TO ME!
AND NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT I NEED TO DO FOR THE LORD!
Don’t you know God is always watching you?
Waiting for you to repent and
ask for his forgiveness?
He favors mercy and compassion, but only if you follow his word.
Stop looking for sign and stop idolizing your feelings.
Instead, remember the sabbath.
Remember christ is rest, and had completed all his work.
When you pray according to gods will, and believe that your prayer will given you…
Then it is already yours.
First you plant the seed you water it; But you Let God Do The Work
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for i am meek and lowly in heart:
And Ye Shall Find Rest Unto Your Souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Join his rest, rejoice always and pray continually. Be thankful in all situations, (including this one).
Remember the prayer of Saints is a like fine aroma unto the lord.
Observe the Bible everyday, (I personally listen to the Bible and sometimes I read along when I have time.)
If you say you’ve had turmoil and stopped listening to God…
The. You know what you have to do.
Using your god given mind.
Identify you sin snd dispose of it.
Identify where you are housing fleshly thoughts and actions and actively replace those with heavenly thoughts and actions.
This could be like feeling sadness or anger and using those Oppurtunites for charity, Thanksgiving, or patience, or perseverance, or forgiveness, both unto yourself and your neighbors.
Remember that whatever door God opens cannot be shut by human hands, and whatever door He Opens, it’s still up to you to walk through it.
Remembwe, He values justice and he also values mercy.
Be holy because He is holy.
Love others and yourself…
Because He Loved You First.
Hi I haven’t experienced what you have been going through but I do know that the Holy Spirit does truly Love everyone listen maybe talk to a pastor and listen to the words you have heard from him take heart and read scriptures from the bible meditate it I will keep you in my prayers we all struggle with things in our lives but remember the Lord still loves you no matter what just not the evil things you do love you but God Jesus revealed in the flesh and the Holy Spirit loves you more. Amen!!
I know this is long but please read carefully and fully.
I am a young student who is also born again and I want you to know that you aren’t alone. I don’t have all the right words but here are some passages of scripture that might help you.
The Lord has plans, seek after him and you shall find him:
-“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” -Jeremiah 29:11 (letter to the exiles)
“(Jesus speaking) Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” -Matthew 7:7,8
Pray to the Lord to redeem you and to reveal Himself, Remember the good things He does for you:
-“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
Lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” -Psalms 13
Stand firm and be comforted:
-“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” -2 Thessalonians 2:16,17
Finally:
-“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it– the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be recieved by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness because in His divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”-Roman’s 3:21-25
I know that what you feel is scary and lonely, I have felt this exact feeling. But what I found is that instead of relying on your mind to find answers or to find comfort, we should lift our souls to the One who steadies us. He calmed the waves therefore he has the ability to calm us. AND REMEMBER that ALL have sinned, so ALL have failed God, so yes you AND I have both sinned against God. BUT ALSO REMEMBER, “There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Roman’s 8:1).
Allow yourself to be filled with God’s presence and Joy. He gives it freely to those who hunger and thirst. Jesus IS the Living Water and the Bread of Life. I suggest that you find someone to have fellowship with. And spend time in prayer and in the presence of the Almighty every day. Fasting can also help with spiritual revival for everyone. Also reading the bible.
Thank you for your question, it helped me to find peace knowing that I was not alone in those feelings and I hope you find that you are also not alone.
And remember: DO NOT BE ANXIOUS
Matthew 6:25-34
I’ll pray for you and please pray for me.
If you have any more questions you can reply back or you could maybe talk with a local pastor in your area (he might have more understanding) BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, pray without ceasing for God is ALL knowing.
Also JESUS LOVES YOU
Hi I am Charles and I feel what you are saying. I was just laying down and was reading my Bible and I was overcome what I believe was the HOLY SPRIT SPEEKING TO ME!
AND NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT I NEED TO DO FOR THE LORD!
My Dear, when we have humbled ourself in prayer unto Him as we seek Him to find Him with all of our whole heart, He will be found by those who search with their whole heart! He will turn away your captivity; and gather you from where we have been driven. He will bring you again into the place whence He caused you to be carried away captive. AMEN! Repent and be healed in His Precious Name! Always in Him, confess it and believe in Him, His Son, His Word, and Holy Spirit! AMEN! Always in Him, ELA’