1 Thessalonians 3:6–10 NKJV

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you—7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

Standing, Running and Rejoicing

In his book entitled Failing Forward John Maxwell shows the vicious cycle that sets up in our lives when we yield to a fear of failure:

Fear

Inactivity

Inexperience

Inability

To break that cycle of defeat we must commit ourselves to positive action. We must be willing to risk failure in order to succeed.

1 Thessalonians 3:6–10 NIV

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

1 Thessalonians 3:

Now we must understand what Faith is. I’ll reflect on the past Faith and then move that forward to the topic that Paul is addressing.

A. The foundation of Faith (Standing) (Saving Faith)

We should never be diluted into a belief that it is we, the lost, that we have any power to execute change in our lives.

We are nothing more than dead men, just as Lazarus was unable to come from the tomb without Christ calling neither can you come to Christ.

To that end many phrases within Christianity can be misleading.

I accepted Jesus.

I asked Jesus into my heart

I

Maybe it would be more helpful to those that are lost to use phrases like

Jesus called me from my former life and gave me a new life.

Jesus forgave me of my sinfulness.

I have repented of my sin.

1. Faith is an agent of change (A door that must be passed through)

Revelation 3:20 NKJV

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

2. Faith is a display of those things not visible.

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

3. Faith is a beginning not an end.

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Heb 11

B. The Growth of our Faith (Running)(Sustaining Faith)

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1495 Reduced into One Law

Reduced Into One Law

Rabbi Simlai in the third century noted that Moses gave us 365 prohibitions and 248 positive commands. David in Psalm 15 reduced them to eleven: Isaiah—in 33:14, 15—made them six: Micah 6:8 binds them into three: and Habakkuk reduces them all to one, namely—”The just shall live by faith.”

Habakkuk 2:4 NKJV

4 “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

Hebrews 10:38 NKJV

38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

That work of Faith in our lives is the process of Sanctification

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Sanctification

SANCTIFICATION—involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom. 6:13; 2 Cor. 4:6; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:7; 1 Cor. 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1 Cor. 6:11; 2 Thess. 2:13). Faith is instrumental in securing sanctification, inasmuch as it (1) secures union to Christ (Gal. 2:20), and (2) brings the believer into living contact with the truth, whereby he is led to yield obedience “to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come.”

Eastons Bible Dictionary

SANCTIFICATION—involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man.

Faith is instrumental in securing sanctification, inasmuch as it (1) secures union to Christ (),

Galatians 2:20 NIV

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

(2) brings the believer into living contact with the truth, whereby he is led to yield obedience “to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come.”

2 Peter 1:3–11 NKJV

3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

1. Our Faith life must be centered in the knowledge of Him. (Vs. 3)

2. Add to your life (Vs. 5-7)

a. Virtue

b. Knowledge

c. Self-control

d. Perseverance

e. Godliness

f. Brotherly Kindness

g. Love

3. We must evaluate our progress (Vs. 8-9) These Things

C. How can we Thank God Enough? (Vs 9-10)

1 Thessalonians 3:9–10 NIV

9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

Paul was overwhelmed at what they had become.

1. Recognize His hand at work.

2. Seek our opportunity to serve.

3. Devote ourselves to prayer.