Be Filled

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice. Pray. Give Thanks. Always.

ME

Gas in the pickup

Gas in the mower

Always running on empty!

WE

We often run on empty spiritually

We don’t fill up with what God has for us

How do we fill up?

GOD

First part of 1 Thessalonians 5.

The day of the LORD is coming.

We await excitedly

But what do we do as we wait? How do we wait?

Let’s talk about that.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Is Lance really about to tell us to pray, be happy, and be thankful?

Basic. But do we have the fundamentals down?

player cut for fumbling. Insane fast. Super gifted. Warrior of a football player. But he got taken outta the game from not having the fundamentals down

You are secure. You’re on the team. But Satan would love to take you outta the game. Make you ineffective

Be obedient in the small things. fundamentals.

Rejoice always. (verse 16)

I am loved. I am chosen. I am forgiven. I am secure.

Last week, it was “I am thankful”

Contentment (feeling)

Joy

Not from temporal circumstances, but from the Eternal God

Rejoice in His eternal, righteous character. His faithful love.

Luke 10:20 ESV

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Rejoice more in what God has done for you, than what you have done for God

Yet rejoice isn’t just a feeling. It’s also an expression, or response.

Philippians 4:4–6 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Response

Express confidence in the LORD

Why be full of joy? Why express confidence in Him? Because you can trust Him. You are secure and loved. You are welcomed before Him.

Others aren’t impressed by your Prince of Peace when you live in constant anxiety and turmoil

Freshman year of college. Classmate that I had all my classes with.

Cancer ward stories

Let’s do some Greek work on the word “always”

Looks like it means “always”

Even on that day when everything is an adversary to rejoicing. Wake up late, miss the school bus, flunk the exam, a car splashes water on you from a puddle, dog got ran over, girlfriend breaks up with you, etc.

Sometimes you won’t feel like rejoicing. When you don’t, pray. Pray pray pray.

Rejoice *in the LORD*

Pray without ceasing (verse 17)

What if His people prayed?

David thought and felt some jacked-up stuff. Have you read the Psalms?! But he PRAYED. He took it to the LORD.

“God, I don’t feel like rejoicing”

“Okay, child. Bring it to me.”

Feel like grumbling and complaining? “Well, it’s better out than in. Gotta vent.” Like it’s a burp or fart. Sure- maybe. But you’re telling the wrong people. You haven’t gone to the One that you NEED to go to. “I haven’t prayed about it yet.” Really? When are you going to get around to that?

Grumbling and complaining (ungratefulness) will zap your spiritual vitality quicker than anything else. It’s like you’re in Oklahoma- those cats will siphon your gas quicker than you can go in and buy a Big Mac

Satan is out to steal.

He wants you to think grumbling, complaining, “venting” is harmless

What if His people prayed?

Pastor with flat tire. Connect to HIM.

Don’t feel like praying? When you don’t, give thanks.

Give thanks in all circumstances (verse 18a)

When joy and prayer are married their first born child is gratitude.” (Spurgeon)

“In a study on gratitude and appreciation, participants who felt grateful showed a reduction in the level of cortisol, the stress hormone. They had stronger cardiac functioning and were more resilient to emotional setbacks and negative experiences”

Less stress. Less anxiety. Less depression.

Who wants that?

Matthew 9:13

Thank YOU, GOD. The Source.

Everything is a gift

If your praise isn’t intentional, it will become absent.

Do you trust Him? Are you living trust out in your life?

For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (verse 18b)

God’s will. God’s plan. What is God’s will?

We spend so much time worrying about tomorrow that we miss on God’s will. God’s will for your life is TODAY.

What if you trusted Him? What if you lived out His will for today?

YOU

Tyranny of not praying, rejoicing, giving thanks. We don’t connect with the Father in relationship. We are circumstance-driven. God is a transaction, not a Person igniting transformation.

Get *this* (vertical) right. Because it will permeate and affect *this* (horizontal)

Here’s the invitation: come and be filled

Be filled with His Spirit

Don’t quench Him

Spirit wigs us out a little… but don’t you realize HE is God, just as the Father and Son?

It is God’s will that you’d be filled with Him

Overflow.

May the God of Peace sanctify you through and through.

WE

Live in patience toward those hard to be patient to

Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all (v. 14-25)

Comfort. Edify. (v. 11)

Be sober and awake (v. 5-10)

It is the angst of a pastor to watch the flock incessantly work and toil, trying to earn what God has already told us we can’t earn. Just rest in the Father! We are all jacked up people- accept His love and grace that envelopes you. Find peace and rest!

Sharing the hope of Christ.

Living out the hope of Christ before others

Don’t go to church. Be the church.