As soon as you've grieved the Holy Spirit, you begin to lose the peace and lose the joy.
You've got to go back and ask: what happened Holy Spirit? How have I hurt You?
He may tell you things you don't like to hear - that's the challenging part of working with the Holy Spirit. I like it when He's just doing nice stuff; but then other times it’s not so easy: repent of this.
1) Deal with bitterness.
Bitterness is a root that defiles. The answer to bitterness is: repentance; renouncing judgements; and forgiving.
Bitterness is a long-standing resentment, a deep grudge; anger against someone, which in the end becomes everyone.
Bitterness defiles, so we can't allow bitterness.
Bitterness comes when you're disappointed, hurt, and you let it go down; and the resentment stays there. It just sits there.
You don't feel bitterness; it comes out in your words and language, and every time it does, it grieves the Holy Spirit - sharp, terse words.
2) Deal with anger. Anger is a root that destroys.
Proverbs 29:22 says: it's the source of immense conflict and strife in relationships.
Under anger, several things are mentioned; wrath, which means literally ‘blowing up’. Explosive anger is incredibly destructive - hurts everyone around, releases spirits of murder and violence against them.
Then He talks about an anger which is a slow, smouldering resentment, just this thing inside. Those sorts of things grieve the Holy Spirit.
Clamour: loud angry talk, talking loudly about your grievances, and the things that you've done wrong. Start to listen around, people are doing that everywhere.
It grieves the Holy Spirit! If someone is doing it, don't get involved in it. Quieten it down, and calm it down; get what the real issues are. Stop people blaming people; get them to face what they need to deal with, what's in their own heart.
3) Guard your tongue.
It says it in different ways: “Don't let corrupt words come out of your mouth”. Further down: “evil speaking”; then it talks about bad jokes, unclean jokes.
Communication that just is negative and destructive, that defile; that runs people down.
To ‘evil speak’ means: to slander someone, to speak against them. You may not even have the truth, the true facts; but you're running them down, and stealing their reputation.
It also refers to: filthiness; unclean conversation; smutty jokes. Everyone may laugh; except the Holy Ghost - He won't laugh - He'll just withdraw.
If we value the Holy Ghost, we need to start to listen what's coming out of our mouth, what we're engaging in; and then take a Holy Ghost sigh.
If there's any benefit of the doubt, give Him the benefit of the doubt, and don't get engaged in those things - shut them down.
If people are telling coarse jokes, and they realise you're a Christian - they'll suddenly shut up and say ‘sorry’. Isn't that interesting: they know that they've done something wrong? How much better if we pick that up in our own heart, and don't get part of it?
Malice just means: ill will. You're holding something against someone, and you want to see them pay.
Greed: I want more and more and more. Greed is idolatry. Greed means: I just need more of something.
That thing of greed is only gotten over by being thankful, and by expressing appreciation, and celebrating with others; instead of being resentful.
4) Sexual uncleanness.
Sexual uncleanness grieves the Holy Spirit. He is the spirit of holiness. He is the spirit of grace. Let's not grieve Him by allowing unclean stuff to rest in our mind and heart; or become part of our conversation and our talk.