Cover additional texts about receiving the Holy Spirit such as ones that indicate prayer, singing, and thankfulness increase the Spirit.

Let’s dive deeper into biblical texts that specifically highlight how actions like prayer, singing, and thankfulness can increase the presence or influence of the Holy Spirit, while also revisiting what grieves it with any additional insights. I’ll build on the earlier framework, focusing purely on Scripture and adding new references to enrich the picture.

What Brings More of the Holy Spirit? (Additional Texts)

1. Prayer (Expanded Evidence)
   • Acts 4:31: “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”
     • Context: After Peter and John’s release, the believers prayed for boldness, resulting in a fresh filling of the Spirit, showing prayer’s power to invite more of it.
   • James 5:16: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
     • Context: While not explicitly mentioning the Spirit, the healing and power tied to fervent prayer align with the Spirit’s work (e.g., Acts 9:40), suggesting it draws the Spirit’s activity.
2. Singing and Praise
   • Ephesians 5:18-19: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
     • Context: Paul links being filled with the Spirit directly to singing spiritual songs and making melody, implying that worshipful singing fosters the Spirit’s presence.
   • Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
     • Context: Similar to Ephesians, singing with grace accompanies the indwelling Word, which is often tied to the Spirit’s work (John 6:63), suggesting a connection.
   • Acts 16:25-26: “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.”
     • Context: Though the Spirit isn’t named, the miraculous deliverance following their singing and prayer echoes Spirit-led events (e.g., Acts 4:31), hinting at its increased presence.
3. Thankfulness
   • Ephesians 5:20: “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Follows v. 18-19 on being filled with the Spirit)
     • Context: Thankfulness flows from being Spirit-filled, suggesting that a grateful heart aligns with and invites more of the Spirit’s influence.
   • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (Precedes v. 19, “Quench not the Spirit”)
     • Context: Thankfulness, paired with joy and prayer, is God’s will, and its placement before “quench not the Spirit” implies it sustains or increases the Spirit’s presence.
   • Philippians 4:6-7: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
     • Context: Thanksgiving in prayer yields God’s peace, often associated with the Spirit (John 16:33, Romans 14:17), suggesting it enhances the Spirit’s work.
4. Additional Texts on Inviting the Spirit
   • John 7:37-39: “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…)”
     • Context: Thirsting for and believing in Jesus brings the Spirit abundantly, like rivers of water.
   • Romans 15:13: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
     • Context: Believing leads to joy, peace, and hope via the Spirit’s power, implying faith and positivity draw it near.

What Grieves the Holy Spirit? (Additional Texts)

1. Grumbling and Complaining
   • 1 Corinthians 10:10-11: “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples…”
     • Context: Israel’s grumbling in the wilderness (Exodus 16:2-3) contrasts with thankfulness and displeased God, whose Spirit guided them (Isaiah 63:10: “But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit”). This suggests complaining grieves the Spirit.
   • Philippians 2:14-15: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke…”
     • Context: Avoiding grumbling aligns with being God’s children, indwelt by the Spirit (Romans 8:9), implying it preserves the Spirit’s presence.
2. Neglecting Spiritual Gifts
   • 1 Timothy 4:14: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
     • Context: The gift, likely tied to the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), can be neglected, suggesting disuse or apathy grieves or limits its work.
   • 2 Timothy 1:6: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”
     • Context: Stirring up the gift (Spirit-empowered) prevents its diminishment, implying neglect could grieve it.
3. Fleshly Living Over Spiritual
   • Galatians 5:25: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Follows v. 19-23 contrasting flesh and Spirit)
     • Context: Choosing fleshly works (e.g., envy, drunkenness) over the Spirit’s fruit grieves it by opposing its nature.
   • Romans 8:5-6: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
     • Context: Carnal focus rejects the Spirit’s leading, grieving it by prioritizing death over life.

Summary of Additional Insights

• Brings More:
  • Prayer: Seen in Acts 4:31 and James 5:16, it consistently draws the Spirit’s power.
  • Singing: Ephesians 5:19 and Acts 16:25 tie it to being filled with or experiencing the Spirit’s effects.
  • Thankfulness: Ephesians 5:20 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 frame it as a Spirit-sustaining attitude, amplifying joy and peace (Philippians 4:6-7).
• Grieves It:
  • Grumbling: 1 Corinthians 10:10 and Philippians 2:14 suggest it opposes the Spirit’s peace.
  • Neglect: 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6 imply ignoring the Spirit’s gifts stifles it.
  • Fleshly Focus: Galatians 5:25 and Romans 8:5-6 show living contrary to the Spirit grieves it.

These texts enrich the picture: worshipful acts like singing and a thankful heart amplify the Spirit, while negativity, neglect, and carnality push it away. What do you think about how these everyday actions—like singing or giving thanks—connect to the Spirit’s presence?