First Thessalonians (14)

Final Thoughts: Living Triumphantly with Heaven on Your Mind Pt.1

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16–22 (KJV) "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil."

You have heard the expression, they are so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good. We have been looking at Living with heaven on your mind. Paul has expounded to the Thessalonians and us the joys of knowing that we are headed to a city that is fairer than day.

He has excited our hearts and minds with the soon return of our savior.

With all that Paul has told us, it would be very easy to be so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good, but Paul does not end with the joys and excitements, He closes out this first letter with practical applications for the saint.

I want to look at these last few verses over the next two Sundays as we examine Paul’s final thoughts: Living Triumphantly with Heaven on your mind.

Paul is going to lay down some very practical things that every saint of God should apply to their daily walk as they are living everyday with heaven on their mind.

I. Paul’s Exhortation to Live Triumphantly

A. Have a Joyful Outlook (v. 16)

"Rejoice evermore."

Rejoice, not just in moments of victory but in every season.

Joy is not circumstantial but spiritual.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Remember that the people that Paul was writing to were suffering persecution.

He could have reminded them of Matthew 5:11–12 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

But He says Rejoice Evermore!

He says no matter your situation rejoice

no matter your health rejoice

We have a lot to mourn about, and Paul tells us there are times we should mourn,

but no where does he tell us to mourn evermore.

Why? Because mourning is for a season but rejoicing is to be a constant practice

Matthew Poole’s Commentary on the Holy Bible, Volumes 1–3 (Chapter 5)

a Christian ought to rejoice in every condition, not only in prosperity but adversity, and especially when called to suffer for righteousness sake;

Find joy in the promises of God, the provision of grace, and the hope of glory.

James 1:2 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”

focus on God’s goodness, even in trials.

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Christians should rejoice in every situation, not only in prosperity but adversity, and especially whrn called to suffer for righteousness sake.

1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

Illustration: Like Paul and Silas in the prison (Acts 16), choose to sing praises even in dark and difficult places.

B. Have a Faithful Prayer Life (v. 17)

"Pray without ceasing."

This is the means to maintain our rejoicing!

When Paul wrote these words, it is unsure what he truly ment.

Pray without ceasing could mean:

a. Persevering Prayer

Luke 18:1 KJV 1900

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Ephesians 6:18 KJV 1900

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

a. Persevering Prayer

b. Powerful Prayer

It could also mean praying with strength

Romans 12:12 KJV 1900

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Im not talking about calling fire down from heaven

Im talking about being steadfast.

Holding your ground

Not giving in to the weakness of the flesh to quit

standing in the gap for others

That is the kind of prayer we need more of

a. Persevering Prayer

b. Powerful Prayer

c. Persistent Prayer

Or it could mean praying in everything or every season.

Bring every need, no matter how small, before the throne of grace.

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

We are to pray in every season of life

Good seasons and the bad

I think Paul ment all three of these.

without ceasing is also used chap. 1:3; 2:13; Rom. 1:9;

implies no more but a constant course of prayer,

Prayer keeps your heart close to God, aligning your desires with His will.

Imagine having a unrestricted access to the POTUS, Just being a ble to walk through the front door into his office at anytime and have his hear.

We have something better

We have access to the king of kings and the Lord of Lords

Praying without ceasing means continual access to God.

Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth.”

Develop a lifestyle of prayer where every thought, decision, and action is bathed in communication with God.

Stay in constant conversation with God, making Him your first resort, not your last.

Are you praying without ceasing?

C. Have a Grateful Attitude (v. 18)

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

Now this is a difficult command, but Paul says, rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and doing both of these will lead you to give thanks in everything!

Thank God for blessings, both big and small.

Every thing we have and recieve comes from God

Even in trials, give thanks, trusting God’s sovereignty and purpose.

Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Have a heart like Job, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

even in jobs worse trial, he still had an attitude of greatfulness.

Our thankfulness is rooted in the eternal work of Jesus, not fleeting circumstances.

Just like our joy is found in Christ, our thankfulness is found in Christ

We have something the world doesnt,

we have something the bank cant take away,

Something death cant have

Something that the world cant destroy.

We have salvation through Jesus Christ.

Knowing that He alone is the giver of life, gives us an attitude of thankfulness

Psalm 103:2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits:”

We dont deserve anything we have, it is all of God that we are able to breath etc.

His benefits are not wealth and health

these are by products of being a good steward

His benefits are life, love, mercy and grace.

Salvation full and free

bought and paid for by the only begotten Son of God.

His payment settled the debt for all for all of eternity

You just have to accept the pardon.

What if those J6ers refused the pardons that Trump gave them?

They would still be in prison.

The Pardon has been signed, it has been presented to you, all you have to do is except it.

If we lose everything today, We will still be blessed beyond measure

II. Paul’s Caution for Living Triumphantly

Now Paul jumps into telling us what to avoid if we want to live triumphantly.

A. Don’t Quench the Spirit

"Quench not the Spirit."

Now Paul here is not saying that the Spirit can be extinguished John 14:16

John 14:16 KJV 1900

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

He is saying that the Spirits, gifts and operations in the life of the believer can be.

So How do we prevent this from happening?

a. Protect the Fire

The Holy Spirit is likened to a flame Matt.3:11

Matthew 3:11 KJV 1900

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Do not douse His work with disobedience or doubt.

Treat it like it is your only source of heat and you live in the arctic.

If it goes out you will freeze to death.

Dont let the cold winds of disobedience blow over it

Dont let the cool waters of doubt fall on it

Dont let the cunning words of the devil smother it

there are ordinary gifts and operations of the Spirit common to all Christians, as

enlightening,

quickening,

sanctifying,

comforting the soul:

men by sloth, security, earthly encumbrances, inordinate affections, &c., may abate these operations of the Spirit, which the apostle calls the quenching it:

the fire upon the altar was kept always burning by the care of the priests.

Fire will go out either by neglecting it, or casting water upon it [Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 3:750–751.]

Protect the fire!!!!

a. Protect the Fire

b. Practice Obedience

Yield to His prompting, follow His leading

Galatians 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

a. Protect the Fire

b. Practice Obedience

c. Prevent Drift:

Stay sensitive to the Spirit’s conviction and guidance.

Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

B. Don’t Despise the Scriptures (v. 20)

"Despise not prophesyings."

a. Respect the Word

Embrace the preached and proclaimed Word of God with humility and reverence.

Psalm 119:4 “Thou hast commanded us To keep thy precepts diligently.”

Luke 8:21 “And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.”

Luke 11:28 “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

James 1:22–23 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:”

a. Respect the Word

b. Receive the Word

Psalm 33:4 “For the word of the Lord is right; And all his works are done in truth.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

a. Respect the Word

b. Receive the Word

c. Rejoice in The Word

God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

Psalm 19:7–14 KJV 1900

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

We hold in our hands the very Words of God!

May we Respect it

Recieve it

and Rejoice in it.

C. Don’t Get Snared (v. 21)

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

It is so easy in this day and time to be tripped up by false doctrine

If you dont listen carfeully they all sound the same

But Paul says for us to prove all things

How do we keep from getting snared?

a. Test Everything

Examine teachings, decisions, and influences through the lens of God’s Word.

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

a. Test Everything

b. Toss the Trash

Discard what is false, harmful, or sinful.

Proverbs 19:27 “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction That causeth to err from the words of knowledge.”

a. Test Everything

b. Toss the Trash

c. Treasure the Truth

Keep what aligns with Scripture and glorifies God.

Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth, and sell it not; Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”

the good here meant is truth, which is an intellectual good; the contrary to which is error, which is a mental evil.

When we have proved men’s doctrines and opinions, what we find agreeable to the Scriptures of truth we ought to hold fast.

to hold it fast against adversaries and all opposition, as some understand the word; to hold it as with both hands, against seducing doctrine, Satan’s temptations, and the world’s persecution.

name given to such as opposed the errors of antichrist before the word protestant was known, called fast-men.

D. Don’t Give in to Sin (v. 22)

"Abstain from all appearance of evil."

a. Avoid Sin

Run from anything that leads to unrighteousness.

2 Timothy 2:22 “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

a. Avoid Sin

b. Adopt Holiness

Pursue a life that reflects Christ’s character.

1 Peter 1:16 “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

a. Avoid Sin

b. Adopt Holiness

c. Acknowledge Witness

Your testimony matters; even the appearance of evil can harm your influence.

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Application: Walk wisely, choosing purity in action, thought, and association.

Conclusion:

Living A Triumphant Life in light of Christ’s Return:

Have A joyful heart (v. 16)

Have A prayerful spirit (v. 17)

Have A thankful attitude (v. 18)

Have A Spirit-filled life (v. 19)

Have A Word-centered focus (v. 20)

Have A discerning mind (v. 21)

Have A pure witness (v. 22)

Closing Question: Are you living a life that reflects these truths? Surrender to Christ today, and He will equip you to live a triumphant life in these last days.