In This Issue:
The Interpreter
The Unhindered Holy Spirit
The Comforter
Volume: 1049 May 25, 2026
Theme: Holy Spirit
The Interpreter
Bill Brinkworth
The preacher stood behind the pulpit and shared what God had laid on his heart. All ears and eyes were attentive, especially the eyes of the small, deaf ministry sitting on the front, right side of the church.
As the pastor spoke, a deaf interpreter stood up to relay the message to the deaf congregation. He stood between the preacher and the deaf and did his best to let the deaf “hear” what was said.
The hearing and the deaf were soon moved. Every once in a while, a soft “amen” could be heard from the hearing congregation. Sometimes, a loud clapping-type sound emanated from the deaf section. It was from a non-hearing person slapping a thumbs-up fist into his open palm; it was the deaf sign language for “amen.”
On and on, the stirring message touched hearts, until an unusual thing happened to the sound system. It stopped. The soundman attending the system was perplexed. He interrupted the preacher to explain while he tried to fix the equipment.
Not wanting to halt the working of the Holy Spirit, the pastor continued what the Lord had him share. Although some in the front row could hear what was being said, many could not. The interpreter was still close enough to hear, so he continued relaying the heart-stirring message to the deaf.
While some soft “Amen”s could still be heard, the pounding of the loud deaf’s “Amen”s increased. More non-hearing people signed their amens in response to the message.
One deaf lady left her seat and almost ran to the altar steps to get alone with God and get things right with Him. Shortly, an older deaf man kneeled next to her; his face was wet with tears. The Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of those who “heard” God’s message to them.
However, those in the back of the church heard very little. Many looked to their neighbors with perplexed “what’s going on” looks on their faces.
There were no “amen”s coming from the back of the church, and little evidence of the Holy Spirit doing anything back there. However, a revival was going on in the church’s front, but those towards the back were not affected.
This fictional account illustrates what happens in good, Bible-believing churches during most services. Many hearing and non-hearing “hear” the message, but the “interpreter,” the Holy Spirit’s whispering to hearts is not heard, ignored, or purposely disobeyed.
Hardened, disobedient, and even unsaved hearts refuse to obey or do what the Holy Spirit has convicted them of. In so doing, the Lord’s “voice” is not heard by them.
Many in the service have heard what the Lord would have them do, and they do it. However, there are always some who wonder why others are excited about what was preached and are satisfied to continue daydreaming or on their cell phones while the message is delivered.
The Word of God, when preached or heard, will change lives and hearts. Unfortunately, many sin-deafened ears do not do what is laid on their hearts. After seeing that the Holy Spirit’s help is not obeyed, He decides to no longer speak to the person who is ignoring Him or is determined to do their own will rather than what God knows is best for them.
Are you attentive to the Holy Spirit’s attempt to interpret God’s will and way for you, or are you deaf to His prodding? Submit to His calling, or one day He may never give you the opportunity again.
“When men surrender themselves to the Spirit of God, they will learn more concerning God and Christ and the Atonement and Immortality in a week, than they would learn in a lifetime, apart from the Spirit.” — Brown
The Unhindered Holy Spirit
Bill Brinkworth
The Holy Spirit indwells a Christian. Those who have trusted Christ alone as Saviour become the residence of the Spirit of God.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” I Cor. 3:16
God’s Spirit never leaves the person, as some unbiblically teach. The Spirit is “sealed,” or permanently confirmed, and the matter is closed in His eyes (Eph. 4:30). He does not come and go out of the believer’s life.
However, there are some things in a believer’s life that can prevent God’s Spirit from working or exercising the control He desires. Sin is the culprit that can sadden the Spirit of God that wants to work in a Christian.
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:30
I understood this best after raising a child. On a very rare occasion, my child would do something that broke my heart. I did not do it out of spite, out of anger, or to “teach a lesson”, nor was it a planned reaction, but the child’s commission of some wrongdoing made me so sad that I could not talk to or even look at the child.
The act did not change my love for the child one bit. In a short time, I was “over it,” and things were back to normal, but for that brief moment, my spirit was crushed. That is exactly how the Holy Spirit must feel when we commit sin or violate what God intends for us. Our activity, or lack of it, can grieve the Holy Spirit.
Not only can the indwelling Spirit be saddened because of what we do or do not do, His excitement and zeal in working in us can also be “quenched.” Just as water puts out a fire, our sin can put out the flames of anticipation God has for using us for His glory. The “putting out” of the Holy Spirit’s activity in one’s life may be why so many have lost the joy of being saved (Psalm 51:12) when their sins prevent God from working in their lives.
“Quench not the Spirit.” I Thes. 5:19
Nowhere in the New Testament is it suggested that the Holy Spirit comes and goes from one’s life like He is in a revolving door, as some would have us believe. He is in us for good. We do not have to be saved again, but we do have to resolve some things with the Holy Spirit in order for Him to work in us again.
The easy and fast way to resolve my broken heart when my child grieved my spirit was for my child to admit the wrong-doing and apologize. After that was done, everything was back to normal, and it was never spoken of or thought of again (on my part).
The loving Spirit of God reacts much the same way. Although He knows exactly what we have done, humbling ourselves and admitting the sin is the first step in soothing the broken heart of the Spirit.
Secondly, a genuine apology and a sincere desire not to commit the sin again are what it will take to have the Holy Spirit working in our lives again. There is not one sin He will not forgive. The Holy Spirit will always love the believer and always desire the best for his life.
“The Spirit-filled life is life at its very best.” — Author Unknown
Jesus told His disciples that it was essential for Him to leave so that the “Comforter” would come (John 16:7). Acts 2 related the unusual instance when the Holy Ghost came upon some disciples.
It is not the first account of the Holy Spirit working in people. We read that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:15), as was Elizabeth (Luke 1:41), Zacharias (Luke 1:67) also had that experience, and many others did as well. Some disciples had the Holy Ghost descend on them earlier, as told in John 20:22.
That experience, however, differed from all other biblical accounts when one was filled with the Holy Ghost. There came a sound from Heaven as a great wind. Over each individual, “cloven tongues like as of fire… sat upon each of them.”
Those disciples then spoke in a language they had never learned to those who spoke it. Those people marveled that those filled with the Holy Ghost talked to them in their native tongue.
Soon, other foreigners came to see that miracle (Acts 2:5, 6), and they, too, heard God’s message in their tongue. They were all spoken to in their native language to understand God’s “wonderful works.”
There was a purpose for these miracles. They were not performed to “wow” the Christians and prove that they were saved or had some supernatural “power.” The purpose was to teach others about the things of God. Today, many try to duplicate that miracle unbiblically, but it is never used as it was then to reach others with God’s message.
The early church’s leader, Jesus, had just left to return to His home in Heaven. Those early Christians did not have the One who gave them the truths from God. They did not have the whole compiled Word of God, which would come later. Until they had all the words God wanted them to have, God used speaking in unknown languages and other miracles to encourage them in His direction.
When we received all the Scriptures, there was no longer any need for thosse sign gifts (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). The Holy Ghost still indwells all believers, although He may be grieved at times because of our sins and may not be working in our lives. We can still have the comfort of the Holy Spirit to guide us, and we will see His workings when we live by faith.
“Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But, when you are filled with the Holy Spirt and obeying His leading then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” — Corrie Ten Boom