Final Instructions- Part 1

Introduction

Last week we considered how we relate to those who are unruly, those who are discouraged (feebleminded), and those who are weak spiritually or physically.Paul now continues by delivering a number of short basic exhortations that touch on several areas of our walk with the Lord.

It is almost as though, as Paul brings the letter to a close, there were yet a number of things he would like to address. He does so with a series of short but pointed statements.

We should take note of each of these statements, for each will help us to live in such a way as to please the Lord.

Each of these first three exhortations pertain not only to a single behavior but a constant state of being.

Paul instructs believers to :

Rejoice (Vs. 16)

This was a common refrain for the apostle Paul. , , . Paul evidently thought it an important matter that believers be found rejoicing.

- for the joy of the Lord is your strength

What a pity it is that, among Christians, there are so many who seem to be constantly miserable or in despair. You and I have wonderful reason for rejoicing!

We can rejoice that our sins have been forgiven! We can rejoice that our names are written in heaven()! We can rejoice that we serve a God who is omnipresent, omniscient, and who is omnipotent!

The believers in Thessalonica certainly had many good excuses to be sorrowful and to fail to rejoice, yet Paul exhorted them to rejoice evermore!

The most difficult portion of this instruction is the word evermore (always, at all times, forever). Our circumstances will not always be to our liking, there will come trials and difficulties in life, sometimes because of our relationship with Christ, yet we can still have joy in the midst of these trying times precisely because of our relationship with Christ. - rejoicing in persecution

Our joy in the midst of hardship and trial is a wonderful testimony for Christ to those who witness it!

You and I as believers must make a deliberate choice to rejoice not matter the trials we endure, no matter the suffering we face, no matter the difficulties that befall us. We must choose joy time and time again, day after day.

Pray (Vs. 17)

Paul was most certainly a man of prayer. In each letter that he wrote he references his prayer for the church to whom he is writing. Paul understood the importance of prayer and the power which it brought to bear.

Prayer is our direct connection to almighty God. How could we neglect such an opportunity to communicate with the God who created the universe?

Paul not only instructed the believers in Thessalonica to pray but that they should do so without ceasing (constantly, continuously, unceasingly)! Again this is the most difficult part of the exhortation.

It is likely that each of us pray from time to time when a need or a difficulty arises, yet Paul instructs us to be in a continual state of prayer.

Prayer is communication with God and we ought to always maintain an open line of communication with Him. Our prayer life should not be limited to 15 minutes when we wake up in the morning or 5 minutes before we lay our head on the pillow at night. We ought to continually be communicating our burdens, the needs of others, and our thankfulness for God’s goodness throughout the day.

There are many believers who have a period of time set aside for prayer, who then think no further about God throughout the remainder of the day. Rather, God should constantly be in our thoughts and we should be ready at any moment to share our burdens and cares as well as our joys and victories with Him.

This also carries the idea that we should persevere in prayer, continuing to make our requests known to God until ultimately we receive an answer.

We should never stop praying for that loved one’s salvation, never stop praying for the backslider’s restoration, never stop praying for strength in the trial. Never stop praying!

Give Thanks (Vs. 18)

Paul here makes it clear that the giving of thanks to God is a part of God’s will for every believer. You and I must maintain an attitude of gratitude.

Paul does not place limitations on our thankfulness, rather he states that we have a responsibility to give thanks “in every thing”. The preposition here is of the utmost importance.

Paul does not exhort us to give thanks “for” every thing, but rather to give thanks “in” every thing. There are certainly going to be things that enter into our lives for which we are not thankful, yet we can be still thankful to the Lord in their midst.

We ought never to allow a trial, a difficulty, a hardship to cause us to cease our thankfulness to God. The truth is that whatever God allows into our lives, we deserve much worse!

God, in His grace and mercy, has been far better to us than we deserve. He has given us eternal life, he has purchased our redemption with his own blood, he has richly bestowed blessings upon each of us and for this we ought to be continually thankful.

- sufferings of the present not worthy glory of the future - all things for good

- blessed be the name- Job remained thankful even when it seemed he had lost everything!

We must recognize the sovereignty of God and understand that what He allows into our lives is for our benefit and for His glory thus we can be thankful in every instance.

We must also recognize that everything we endure in this life is not worth comparison with the joy and pleasure we will experience in eternity in the presence of God.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to rejoice, to pray, or to give thanks. However the difficulty is in maintaining a constant attitude of joy, being constant in prayer, and maintaining a constant attitude of thankfulness.

Satan would love nothing more than to have believers wallowing in sorrow, forgetting to pray, and refusing to give thanks but what a poor testimony such a believer presents to a world that needs Christ.

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