3 Dangerous Things You Should NEVER Do to the Holy Spirit

Having the Holy Spirit isn’t enough. You need to take care of it. Here are the things you should never do to the Holy Spirit.

Dangerous Things You Should Never Do to the Holy Spirit

Here are the 3 things you should never do to the Holy Spirit

You’re exhilarated and tremendously happy!

The day you repented of your sins, got baptized, and had hands laid on you, God gives you the Holy Spirit. It’s the start of your journey with God living in you through His Holy Spirit.

With the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, you are given an additional power to understand God’s word and apply them in your life. The Holy Spirit serves as a comforter when we are bombarded with insurmountable problems. It also convicts us of our sins and guides us to learn the truth of God.

(Read more about the roles of the Holy Spirit through this blog: The 7 Incredible Functions of the Holy Spirit You Probably Don’t Know.)

There’s no doubt; the Holy Spirit plays a major role in our lives. However, receiving the Holy Spirit isn’t enough.

You need to take care of it and ensure that you use it properly. Failure to do so may lead to losing your salvation and your chance of being part of God’s Kingdom in the future.

This is a serious matter that we should look into. For this reason, let me share with you 3 of the things you should NEVER EVER do to the Holy Spirit.

Point no 1: Don’t Quench the Holy Spirit

Many Christians believe the “Once Saved Always Saved” doctrine. They believe that once you are “saved”, you can’t lose out your salvation. If you follow this logic, it will also mean once you have received the Holy Spirit – the down payment for eternal life – you won’t lose it anymore.

However, is this what the Bible really teaches? Obviously, this teaching isn’t rooted in the Bible.

We read in I Thessalonians 5:19:

“Do not quench the Spirit.”

Though this verse is very short, it gives Christians a timely reminder to think about today.

What’s that reminder?

The reminder that it is possible to quench the Holy Spirit. The very possibility of losing the Holy Spirit is real and DANGEROUS spiritually.

The word “quench” here means to extinguish or to put out. The same Greek word is used in Mark 9:44 where it reads, “Where their worms die not and the fire is not quenched.”

So in a sense, quenching here is likened to putting out a fire. One of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit is fire. Remember how the Holy Spirit came to the 120 followers of Christ in the Day of Pentecost? The Holy Spirit appeared to them like a divided tongues of fire (Acts 2:3).

So, how can you quench the Holy Spirit? Is it really possible to even put out the Holy Spirit in our lives?

The answer is YES.

In fact, if we recklessly live our lives apart from God, we are quenching the Holy Spirit. King Saul, after repeatedly disobeying the commands of God, lost the Holy Spirit. King David, after committing adultery with Bathsheba prayed to God fervently, that He may not take away the Holy Spirit from Him (Psalms 51:11).

So, how do we quench the Holy Spirit? The answer is by sinning.

Sin can be like the water or the dirt that we use to put out the fire of the Holy Spirit in us. If we are not careful, sin can slowly creep into our lives and finally, destroy us.

First, we might feel sorry for the sin we commit. We ask for God’s forgiveness. However, after repenting of it and still find ourselves repeating the same sin over and over again, there will come a time when your conscience is seared with hot iron.

You’ll get callous.

You won’t feel remorse anymore to the point that you see sin as a normal part of your life. At that point in time, you have just quenched the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is like the fuel in our gas tank. You might still have enough fuel, but if you keep on driving with a near-empty gas tank, there’s a constant danger of completely running out of fuel.

Life is better if you have a full tank. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then you will enjoy more “driving” – you will enjoy life better. Quenching the Holy Spirit is like driving in an almost empty gas tank without refilling it. Don’t let yourself get to that point in your life that you won’t be able to drive anymore!

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Point no 2. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit

The next thing you should never do to the Holy Spirit is to grieve it. We read in Ephesians 4:30:

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Grieving the Holy Spirit means to cause pain, sorrow, and heaviness to God and our Savior, Yahshua or Jesus Christ.

Remember that the Holy Spirit is the power of God and His Son in us. When we were baptized, we made our body as the temple of God, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God and Christ in us.

Thus, in everything we say, think, and do, God can see all of them. He is grieved every time we sin because He knows that we are destroying ourselves and possibly, other people’s lives as well.

So, how do we grieve the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 4:25-31 gives us the answer.

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

To break down these verses, we can grieve the Holy Spirit by:

  • Lying
  • Getting uncontrollably anger
  • Giving the devil a foothold in our life
  • Stealing
  • Promoting corrupt communication
  • Being bitterness
  • Being wrathful
  • Enjoying clamor
  • And being malicious

These are just some of the things that can grieve the Holy Spirit. If you constantly have these problems, you are making our Heavenly Father sad. With this in mind, we must do our best to eliminate them in our lives and be pleasing unto God.

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Point no. 3: Don’t blaspheme the Holy Spirit

Finally, the third thing that we should never do to the Holy Spirit is to blaspheme it.

We read in Luke 12:8-10:

“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”

“And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.”

So, how does one blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

We blaspheme the Holy Spirit when we consciously, purposely, and willingly deny the power of God and His sovereignty in our lives even after knowing the truth.

You see, Yahshua or Jesus Christ here was saying that if they speak a word against Him, they will still be forgiven. How is this?

Many people in Jesus’ time didn’t recognize Him as the Son of God. They didn’t know any better. However, on the day of Pentecost, after the Apostle Peter gave a sermon, many of these same people who spoke against Christ repented and was converted. They were still forgiven.

The distinction is made when people deny or blaspheme the Holy Spirit, the very power of God. The main difference is having the knowledge and truth. If you already have the Holy Spirit, you know the truth and still choose to disobey God, then you will surely be guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

This is confirmed in Hebrews 10:26-29 where it says:

For if we sin WILLFULLY after we have received the knowledge of the truth, THERE NO LONGER REMAINS A SACRIFICE FOR SINS, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”

“Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and INSULTED the Spirit of grace?”

This is the main reason that we are instructed to count the cost before getting baptized. This is a serious matter that we need to think about deeply.

Baptism is the point of no return. Once you have committed your life to God, you must stick to it no matter what. Because if you neglect your calling, you will be guilty of blaspheming the power of God in your life.

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Final words

These are the three things we should NEVER ever do to the Holy Spirit.

We must not quench it. We must not Grieve it, and most importantly, we must never blaspheme it.

I hope my dear readers that you have learned a vital lesson today. Accepting Christ, repenting of our sins, getting baptized and having the Holy Spirit isn’t a guarantee that you will be in the Kingdom.

We don’t believe in the doctrine of once saved always saved. It is not enough to be just called and definitely, it is not enough to be chosen. We read in Revelation that we must be called, chosen, and FAITHFUL (Revelation 17:14).

Yahshua or Jesus Christ, through His message to the Philadelphian Church, instructs us to never let anyone take away our crown (Revelation 3:11).

In the same way, let no one take away the Holy Spirit from you. Instead, let us be filled with Holy Spirit, be guided by it, and most importantly, let it make a powerful impact in our lives.

Now, that you know what NOT to do with the Holy Spirit, it is time for you to learn what to do with the Holy Spirit. Here’s a blog that will actually help you do that: 3 Powerful Ways to Produce the Fruit of the Holy Spirit!


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36 thoughts on “3 Dangerous Things You Should NEVER Do to the Holy Spirit

  1. I have learnt great lessons from this article, these 3 points on what we shouldn’t do to the holy spirit. I pray am able to apply it.

  2. Thank you Joshua for this amazing post. All three points are brilliant but I particulary like the point of not grieving The Holy Spirit as I believe Christ has suffered enough already.

    • Hi Mark!

      Thanks for your comment. Yes, that’s right. I think a lot of us are guilty of this and we should really stop doing it or else the Holy Spirit may be grieved and eventually leave us.

  3. What should you do if you worry you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit? And desperately want to repent and ve sure the Holy Spirit is still in you?

  4. What should you do if you worry you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit? And desperately want to repent and be sure the Holy Spirit is still in you? I just want to be in Christ but I haved sinned and struggled with blasphemous thoughts, doubt, and unbelief. Is it too late?

    • Hi Lex,

      It’s not too late. As long as you are struggling with your sin and you’re still trying to overcome, it’s never too late.

      The problem happens when you don’t see the need to overcome your sins anymore. You don’t see the need to repent. You don’t see the need to change.

      As long as you are repentant and doing your best to change, God will understand. He knows perfectly your heart. He sees your motives and struggles.

  5. John 3:16 contradicts your first point. Your salvation doesn’t rest on quenching the Holy Spirit. Salvation is a gift from God dependent on your belief in the Son as your Lord and Savior. Quenching the Holy Spirit can happen to the best of them. It doesn’t mean God is going to break His covenant with us over it. In the end, He’s the final judge, and no one else.

    • Hey Jake!

      Thanks for your comment.

      John 3:16 is a statement of the great love of God for us. However, this does not mean that just because He loves us we can’t lose our salvation through our actions. That’s what Satan wants us to believe.

      If we quench the Holy Spirit and completely lose it by continuously sinning, do you think God will let anyone in His Kingdom who don’t follow Him? You are fooling yourself if you say yes.

      Regards,
      Joshua

    • Amen brother. In this persons own article he quotes ” you were sealed for the day of redemption” yet still believes you can lose your salvation, thus believing Jesus death on the cross isn’t sufficient. Well it is. This type of teaching is the most dangerous of all teachings IMHO. What part of saved by grace so no one can BOAST do people not understand? I praise Jesus that He is my one and only savior and Judge.

  6. So I don’t feel the Holy Spirit anymore. I’m so desperate. I feel a hard heart. Is there no more hope for me? I need the Holy Spirit!

    • The fact that you are this panicked about it means that you haven’t committed the unforgivable sin and there is hope for you. Go to God and confess your sins and worries. Ask him to forgive and renew you. Start reading the Bible more specifically the New Testament. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you are reading and he will make things clear to you.

    • The fact that you are this panicked over it, proves that you haven’t committed the unpardonable sin. I would advise going to God and confessing your sin and worries. Ask Him to forgive and cleanse you. Start reading the Bible more specifically the New Testament and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you while you are reading. I would also advise finding a church and consulting a pastor on next steps in the Faith. Perhaps joining a small group.

      • Those are great ideas, Nick. Yes, find a spiritual mentor, pastor, or a churchmate. As much as we would like to help, it is different to have a person who is physically with you who can help.

  7. Once you are saved you are always saved. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand”(John 10:28). All who are saved are predestined to be saved (Romans 8:28-30). The type of person you are referring to was never saved. Christians will (unfortunately) intentionally and unintentionally sin; though, they will always repent and return to God. No “Christian” will continually live in sin, not repent, and “lose” the Holy Spirit – because that type of person was never a believer.

  8. Hi Joshua,

    Thank you for posting! I want to make sure I am interpreting what you are saying to be correct before I comment.

    Your paragraph’s:

    “The distinction is made when people deny or blaspheme the Holy Spirit, the very power of God. The main difference is having the knowledge and truth. If you already have the Holy Spirit, you know the truth and still choose to disobey God, then you will surely be guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.”

    and

    “This is the main reason that we are instructed to count the cost before getting baptized. This is a serious matter that we need to think about deeply.”

    “Baptism is the point of no return. Once you have committed your life to God, you must stick to it no matter what. Because if you neglect your calling, you will be guilty of blaspheming the power of God in your life.”

    Are you saying that once someone gets the knowledge and truth and becomes saved that if they disobey God they are committing the sin of blasphemy again the Holy Spirit?

    • Hi Nick,

      No, not necessarily, Nick.

      Blaspheming the HS is when you receive the knowledge of God’s truth, made a commitment through baptism, and received the HS through the laying on of hands and then you CHOOSE to sin and continually sinning, without the intention of overcoming, changing your ways, and repenting.

      As long as we are humans, we are going to commit sin. Thankfully, God’s mercy and grace are there for us. As long as we are doing our best to do His will, then we are not guilty of blaspheming the HO.

      Regards,
      Joshua

      • I have a different interpretation of what Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is. Staying on a continual sin basis is definitely not a good thing for sure, but I don’t think it is Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

      • When you continually sin and you do it without remorse and you do it intentionally without any intention to repent, you are blaspheming the holy spirit as you are denying its power to change you.

      • Well, the unforgiveable sin/blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in all of the first four books to the New Testament. According to those scriptures, the pharisees’ offense was not continual sin but the rejection of Jesus as the Son of God and Saviour as well as the Gospel.

      • Here’s what I read:

        Matthew 12:31-32
        “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

      • Yes, that is one of the four scriptures that mentions the unpardonable sin/blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and was part of the response Jesus gave to the Pharisees after their action/response in the versus below:

        Matthew 12:22-26

        “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?”

  9. The remark that you make that salvation can be taken away is flawed. If salvation can be taken away because of our actions, then no one’s salvation is secured. (I’m not talking about people who claim to follow Christ but live a lifestyle that contradicts it, I’m talking about a Christian who follows after Christ and lives a life of repentance and the fruit of the Spirit is evident in that person’s life.) If my salvation in Christ was depended upon me, I would lose it every single day because I fall short of His glory, but by God’s grace He saved me not because of what I have done but because of who He is. Bible all throughout talks about salvation being secured, from Romans 8:30, Romans 8:38-39, Philippians 1:6, John 10:29. If I say I follow Christ but continue in my life of sin thinking that nothing is wrong, maybe perhaps my faith in Christ was not genuine to begin with. But if I genuinely follow after Christ and life a life of repentance and coming before the cross daily, then God will give me His Holy Spirit to endure and preserve till the end. Just because I follow Christ doesn’t mean sin will automatically disappear from my life because I have a sin nature just like what Paul says in Romans 7:15. But if you are a true follower of Christ, God will give you His Spirit for you to preserve and allow you not to wallow in your sins but come before God in repentance as you wage war against your sins. I believe “once saved, always saved” is in a bad light because people view that as a way to have God and at the same time live in sin thinking that no matter what they do they will be saved, but if you’re truly saved by God’s grace and God’s Spirit is within you, you will not abuse God’s grace but live in thanksgiving to the Lord and fight against the desires of your flesh. Just like what Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Once again, it is not us who holds our salvation but it is God who holds for us and keeps us. Because we are justified by faith in Christ.

    • Hi Michael,

      Was Paul truly converted? If you’d be honest with your answer, you would say yes. However, we read how Paul mentioned that even he, can lose his salvation.

      How about King David? He was called a man after God’s own heart. Yet, we see how he prayed to God not to take away the God’s Spirit in Him.

      Christ said over and over again that those who will be saved are those who will endure forever. Obviously, even if you are already converted yet you didn’t endure until the end, then you can lose your salvation.

      Please read this for more details: https://www.biblicaltruths.com/is-once-saved-always-saved-a-biblically-correct-doctrine/

      • Hi Joshua,

        For the Paul question, I am assuming you are using 1 Corinthians 9:27 right? If that is the case, Paul was not afraid that he would “lose” his salvation as you are mentioning. You need to read 1 Corinthians 9:27 in context and study it in the original language. When Paul says “disqualified” he is not teaching that a person can be saved and then lose his salvation because if that is so this contradicts or goes in conflict with the main New Testament teachings regarding salvation. “If” a person is truly saved, they are saved to the uttermost and can never fall away (John 10:27-29). When Paul talks about disqualified he is not mentioning his salvation but rather the service God put him as a preacher of the Gospel and his life long struggle as a believer.

        What you must understand is that the Holy Spirit during the time of the Old Testament role was to “come upon” people for a time to accomplish specific purposes like Judges 3:10, 1 Chronicles 12:18. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophets to proclaim the truth to the people like in Ezekiel 11:1-2. It was likely that the Holy Spirit brought special anointing to people like King Saul and when he did not obey God, God removed that anointing and poured it upon David. Samson also had a special anointing from God through the Holy Spirit, but was removed when he continued to go contrary from what God has commanded. It wasn’t that salvation or the Holy Spirit in what you think was removed, because if that was the case it would go contrary with what Jesus says in John 14:16-17.

        Just like what Ephesians 1:13 says, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,”

        If your faith does not endure to the end, it may mean that maybe you never knew Christ in the first place. So many people assume that they are saved because a pastor said that they are saved but continue to live a life of sin. That is not the evidence of salvation. When you genuinely follow after Christ and live a life of repentance, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit who will be with us forever. Remember, there is nothing we can do to merit salvation, it’s all a work of God. It is His grace. If God promises us eternal salvation in Christ, and then the moment we sin or struggle remove salvation from us, it was never eternal to begin with.

        I want to be clear, just because I believe that one cannot lose his or her salvation does not mean I think we should approach our walk with Christ lightly. Absolutely not! What I am trying to say is that if you truly follow after Christ and live a life of repentance and walking in His commands because those who love him, will keep his commandment, will be secured in their eternal salvation because salvation is not based on who we are but upon who God is and just like how he began a good work in you will carry it on to until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). If you claim to follow Christ but live contrary to the Scriptures and live for your flesh, maybe you never truly followed after Christ in the first place.

        Just like what preacher Paul Washer states, “If a person professes faith in Christ and yet falls away or makes no progress in godliness, it does not mean that he has lost his salvation. It reveals that he was never truly converted.”

        If we could lose our salvation, we would have long before. Salvation is a gift from God. Nothing that we do can earn it or lose it. It is a gift!

      • Hi Michael,

        John 10:27-29 tells us that the Christ’s sheep will not be removed from His hands. That’s true! As long as we stay as sheep in his sheepfold, then we will not be removed. However, if we choose to stop being a sheep, then we will lose our salvation.

        I think you exactly know what I mean when I say OSAS is false.

        Do you consider yourself a truly converted person? If yes, then can you choose to stop following God? If you would be honest with your answer, you would say yes. Then that sums up why OSAS is false.

        Christ said that we must endure until the end. Even the most converted people have the constant possibility that they can choose to disobey God permanently.

        Now, the children of God can still sin, but as long as they repent and change for the better, they will be forgiven. That’s the grace of God. Perhaps, that’s what you mean of not being able to lose our salvation because God is merciful and He will grant us forgiveness every time we genuinely ask for it.

  10. Hello, I was in the world until a day came that I got series of revelations of God and when all was done, i had a change in my life. I became so conscious of sins and stopped doing them. Then I felt this tiny voice inside me that speaks. He tells me to pray at times, read the Bible and do some stuffs. There was a day I attempted to fornicate and drank beer at a local bar and was seriously WARNED by the Lord by saying if I continue with my sinful ways, his grace won’t be upon me anymore.Though I repented of it but until I became soaked in my work and became less prayerful and studying the Bible. Now, I don’t feel that strong conviction but little . whenever I do anything wrong Though I do repent of it and try as much as possible to maintain a holy life. Does it mean I have lost my salvation and please, advice me on what to do or is it the HS?

  11. The Holy Spirit is a person. He is not some kind of force or feeling. He is not a thing or an “it”.
    Thanks

  12. I am working through an issue at Church where false teaching has been brought to us. Several at Church follow one writer’s teaching which refers to our having the HOLY SPIRIT as the, “Embedding of the divine DNA”.

    I find this to be “New Age” (Crap) and NOT Biblical…

    I’ve been told spiritual DNA is just using a “Metaphor”. Which is worse: Lying to GOD, or Lying about GOD (?)

    The HOLY SPIRIT is a Divine Person… Don’t stand and tell me “It’s in my DNA” when what you mean is GOD’s Spirit has spoken to your heart though HIS Word, or in prayer.

  13. I’m 22 and was baptized with poor knowledge I just wanted to be saved and filled and then I started backsliding in to drinking and smoking and porn for like a year and then I repented. My mind was so broken and kind of still is over the sins that I was in but Does this mean I blasphemed the Holy Spirit because I don’t feel him anymore but I have so much emotion to have him back .the strange thing is that I believe I was forgiven but there is still this feeling of fear.

    • Hi,
      I don’t believe you have blasphemed the HS. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We all sin and we all have fallen short in our lives with Christ at some point. The fact that you are trying to change and don’t like the sins you’ve committed is still a sign that God wants to do His work in you (and you’re heart is not hardened. If the HS left or you committed the unforgivable sin, there would be no feeling of repentance in your heart,etc). As long as you repent genuinely trying to change you will be fine. God hears us when we genuinely pray and come to Him. When you repent genuinely, God forgives you and forgets about you doing that, shouldn’t you do the same? I know that our Heavenly Father would not want His children to be grieved over sins they repented for and are genuinely trying to change from. Blasphemy of the HS would be when you continuously reject God up until the point you pass away which is understandable because you’re rejecting his Son as well and the gift he tried to give you. You must not forget that the Devil wants you to stay in the mindset of not being forgiven,loved,etc (Aka spiritual warfare). However, being in habitual sin also grieves the HS and draws him away, similar to when you mistreat a close friend and that relationship is distant/broken for a period of time, eventually if you don’t genuinely apologize and fix issues (in this case have a hardened heart/not repent genuinely) the relationship is no more. Take it slow, each day you’re alive is a new day that God has a purpose for either for you or for others. We were made for His glory and we should live like that as well. You may have grieved/hurt the HS, but God still loves you regardless and i know it feels distant now but you can always overcome the distance and be closer to God more than you have ever before. He will always welcome you back with open and and forgive you of your sins when you repent. I hope this wasn’t too late and I hope it helped but this is the best I can do, I’m still learning things myself.
      Me and many others have been through the same things as you, you’re not alone in this, fight the good fight :).

    • Also remember 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

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