To "quench" means to put out or to extinguish a fire.  In spiritual terms to quench the Holy Spirit is to put out The Fire of God.  On the day of Pentecost tongues of fire rested atop the heads of the disciples.  An outward manifestation of the presence of God/ the Holy Spirit in their lives.  Today, I have never witnessed a tongue of fire on people's heads but I have felt fire of God that burns and convicts and purifies.  I have heard over the years many pray for the revival fire to burn once again.  However, in order for us to experience revival in our lives, our churches, and our nation we must not put out the fire of God.

How do we quench the Spirit of God and thus hinder revival?

1.  Unbelief  Unbelief will quench the Spirit quicker than anything.  Hebrews 11:6 says, without faith if is impossible to please God. Faith is essential for God to operate among us.  Even Jesus could do no great work in some places because there was a lack of faith.  God does not require a lot of faith, but He does require it.  When we do not believe Him or trust in Him it offends Him and thus it quenches the fire of God.

2.  Unforgiveness:  Unforgiveness will quench the Spirit of God as well.  There is something about how we treat and relate to one another that effect our relationship with God as well.  Jesus was clear that if we will not forgive others we ourselves will not be forgiven.  The parable of the unforgiving servant is a poignant illustration of the effects of unforgiveness upon the Master.  He is vexed and greatly disturbed when we who have been forgiven of so much refuse and fail to forgive others who trespass against us.

 3.  Unreconciled Relationships:  Again Jesus was clear in Matthew 5:23-24 that if we have an ought against our brother we need to get that straight with one another before we try to enter into the presence of God.  God is much more pleased with our hearts of tender mercy and compassion than He is with our sacrifices.  Unresolved anger and hurt leads to bitterness and we can't be right with God and wrong with man.  Our relationship with God is dependent upon our relationship with others. The Scriptures are clear that if we love God we will love one another.  How can we say we love God whom we have not seen, yet we can't even love our brothers and sisters whom we have seen?  Tough question for sure!