"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." ( 1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV )

But we are warned that at some point in time, failure of those to heed the Holy Spirit's leading will result in God withdrawing His Spirit from them:

"And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man..." ( Genesis 6:3 KJV )

"Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:" ( Psalms 95:8 KJV )

"When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:" ( Proverbs 1:27-28 KJV )

Jesus even instructed the disciples to "let them alone" in regard to the Pharisees, because their hearts were hardened to His Truth to such an extent that they were beyond the point of salvation:

"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." ( Matthew 15:14 KJV )

In this age of legislation promoting gay marriage, forbidding prayer in school and removing the Ten Commandments from public view, only to name a few, the world as a whole does not want to hear the Truth of the Gospel and thereby rejects the Holy Spirit and His conviction. So God will, at some point, reject those unbelievers by withdrawing His Spirit from them. He will 'give them up' to their own evil thoughts and actions:

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him..." ( John 14:17 KJV )

"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:" ( Romans 1:24 KJV )

"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:" ( Romans 1:26 KJV )

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" ( Romans 1:28 KJV )

Another stern warning is given to those who believe they have plenty of time and are putting off salvation until later. Those who have heard the Gospel message and refused it before the Rapture of the Church will not have a second chance at salvation during the Tribulation. God will withdraw the Holy Spirit from convicting their hearts and they will believe a lie told by the Antichrist:

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." ( 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 KJV )

There are many countries in the world today where Bibles are banned, Internet access to Christian sites is limited and the preaching of the Gospel is against the law. But during the Tribulation, the Holy Spirit will pour Himself out upon the world and many will be saved:

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh..." ( Acts 2:17 KJV )

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;" ( Revelation 7:9 KJV )

"...And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." ( Revelation 7:14 KJV )

So how are we supposed to utilize this information the Lord has provided? We need to use this Truth in our efforts at evangelism. If we have an acquaintance, friend or family member who is unsaved, we should make known to them that the longer they continue to deny the Truth that is Jesus Christ, the closer they come to God withdrawing His Spirit and salvation becoming unattainable.

I realize that for those of you who are saved, you may not want to hear this. You believe that God is so righteous that He would never withdraw Himself by way of the Holy Spirit. But it is His righteousness and intolerance of sin that makes it so:

"For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God." ( Deuteronomy 25:16 KJV )

And, for those who are unsaved, you may want to continue in your current lifestyle of doing what you want to do, when you want to do it, and believe that salvation through Jesus isn't necessary, or that it's available when YOU decide to receive it. But God's Word tells us otherwise and reminds us not to put off until tomorrow what should be done today:

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." ( Acts 4:12 KJV )

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" ( 2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV )

Why do we need to know about the withdrawn Spirit? Because time is running out, and tomorrow may be too late.

Keith

07-22-2004