We have come to the end of the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, and as we journey through these final verses, we will discover that contrary to what many Christians think, much of God’s will has been revealed to us within the pages of scripture, especially when it comes to how you and I are to live as the Lord’s Disciples.

For example, we have already discovered in verse 3 of Chapter 4 how ‘it is God’s will that we should be sanctified, that we must avoid sexual immorality, and that we must learn to control our own bodies’, and here in verse 18, we discover how ‘it is God’s will that we are to be joyful always, how we are to pray continually, and how we are to give thanks to God in all circumstances’.

God is much more interested in who we ARE than what we do, so as I draw Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica to a close, our focus will be upon discipleship, and in particular, upon 8 spiritual disciplines that are contained within these final verses.

We are going to consider 8 disciplines which, if implemented, will not only enable us to live out God’s will for our lives, but which will also lead to us becoming powerful and effective Disciples of the Lord. And the first discipline is HOW WE ARE TO BE JOYFUL ALWAYS. 

I think it goes without saying that all of us desire to have more joy in our lives. However, as all of us here this morning can also testify, life often throws up roadblocks to our joy. We might experience brief encounters with joy, but they seem to be the exception, rather than the rule. 

And yet, the Bible is clear that, especially for the believer, joy is to be a way of life. For example, in Psalm 5 verse 11, the Psalmist wrote ‘But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy’.

In Psalm 32 verse 11 we read ‘Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!’ And in Philippians Chapter 4 verse 4, the Apostle Paul wrote ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!’

The Greek word Paul used for joy or rejoice translates as ‘to be full of good cheer; to be glad. As God’s people, we are to live cheerful, glad, lives, and we are to do so ALWAYS which means we are to be cheerful and glad in both the good times, and in the bad times.

Even when our world is being turned upside down by one of the many storms of life that hit from time to time, we are to rejoice. 

We are called to be joyful always. But I guess the question we need to ask is HOW? How can we be joyful in the midst of a sudden and unexpected cancer diagnosis, or the sudden and unexpected death of a close friend or loved one?

If we’re honest, the last thing we want to be when faced with those situations is joyful. So, what does Paul mean that we are to be joyful always?  Well, to answer that, we need to understand what kind of joy he is referring to, and I would suggest that the joy he has in mind is NOT an emotional joy, but a supernatural joy that comes from our relationship with God.

In Galatians Chapter 5 verse 22 we are told by Paul that ‘joy’, along with love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit which is manifested in our lives from a deep-down confidence that, despite what we are up against or what is going on around us, God is in control of everything, and that He is working everything out for our GOOD IN TIME, and our GLORY IN ETERNITY. 

As one commentator wrote, ‘Christian joy is NOT a wild emotion on top of a giddy feeling, but rather it’s a fruit on top of a fact. It’s our response to what we know to be true about God’. Friends, if we allow our emotions to control us, we will, to further quote the commentator, ‘only taste joy’.

But if we focus upon the faithfulness of God, and upon his manifold truths to us within His Word, like for instance:

• the truth that He chose us before the creation of the world for redemption.
• the truth of how our names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
• the truth of how we have a heavenly inheritance that God is keeping for us and which will never perish, spoil, or fade.
• the truth that all our sins both past, present, and future have been forgiven.
• the truth that we will receive a new imperishable resurrection body like Jesus’ imperishable resurrection body.
• the truth that we will spend eternity with God on the new perfect Earth he is going to create, – if we focus upon them, then, to again quote the commentator, ‘we will drink deeply from God’s reservoir of rejoicing’

Who God is, what He has done for us, His promises to us in His Word, and the glorious future that awaits us, are the source of the joy I believe Paul is talking about here. And if we are able to hold onto them during the storms of life, then through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we will also be able to rejoice always.

The second discipline is HOW WE ARE TO PRAY CONTINUALLY. Within a Christian context, prayer involves us communicating with – talking with – God. As Christians, as God’s people, prayer is to be a way of life. It is to be as normal as breathing. In saying that however, I would suggest that many Christians are guilty of holding their breath. 

The Greek word Paul used for ‘prayer’ is a general word that encompasses thanksgiving, confession, praise, intercession for others, and personal requests to God. And the Greek word he used for ‘continually’, refers to something that is constantly recurring. 

So what Paul is saying is that we are to be constantly communicating with God, which is something Jesus urged His Disciples to do. In Luke Chapter 18 verses 1 – 9 which records Jesus’ parables about the ‘unjust judge’ and ‘the persistent widow’, Luke writes in verse 1, ‘Then Jesus told His Disciples a parable to show them that they should ALWAYS pray and NEVER GIVE UP’.

In this verse, Jesus is conveying the absolute necessity and the vital importance for God’s people to pray at all times, to remain in constant communion with God, and not to lose hope or to give up, especially if it appears our prayers are not being answered by God.

Jesus is calling us to live in an attitude of prayer, moment by moment, in order to maintain ongoing contact with God. His words – and also Paul’s – are urging us to NOT become discouraged or to lose heart, but to keep on seeking the Lord – to keep on keeping on – in prayer, and to build our relationship with Him.

Prayer – continual prayer – is God’s will for us. May we be a church who will always do God’s will.

The third is HOW WE ARE TO GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. Similar to being joyful always, we are to give thanks to God in ALL our circumstances, regardless of how difficult or challenging our circumstances may be.

For example, even though we may be experiencing ill health, we can give thanks to God for the medication that is available to us and, if required, support and care from friends, family, and medical professionals.

Even though we might be struggling with a personal relationship, we can give thanks that God is our Father who loves us unconditionally and who will never leave us or forsake us. And if we are facing an uncertain future, we can give thanks that God knows the plans He has for us – plans to prosper us and not harm us; plans to give us hope and a future – Jeremiah Chapter 29 verse 11

Friends, no matter what our circumstances, we can always give thanks to God for His blessings. When things happen in our lives that we don’t understand, we can still thank Him because He is, and always will be, by our side and in control.

In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom who was a Dutch Christian and who, along with her father Casper and sister Betsy helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during the Second World War, recounts an incident about thankfulness. 

She along with her father and sister were eventually caught by the Nazis, and Corrie and Betsy were sent to Ravensburg concentration camp in Northern Germany which was a camp that was set up exclusively for women.

The barracks were extremely overcrowded and infested with fleas. One particular morning, their Scripture reading from their smuggled Bible was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and how they were to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. 

Betsy told Corrie to stop bemoaning their situation and to thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters, including the fleas. At first, Corrie flatly refused. But because of Betty’s persistence she gave in and began thanking God for their circumstances, which included thanking Him for the fleas.

During the months that followed, they discovered they were able to openly hold Bible study and prayer meetings in their living quarters without any interruption or interference from the guards, and they later learned that the reason they could hold them so openly and freely was because the guards refused to enter the living quarters on the grounds there were too many fleas!

Brothers and sisters, are you giving thanks in all circumstances? When you’re tempted to complain or grumble about someone or about something that has happened, do what Corrie Ten Bloom did – force yourself to give a verbal word of thanks to God, because when you do, not only will you experience God’s peace that surpasses all understanding, but you will also experience God’s power at work in your life. 

The fourth is WE ARE NOT TO PUT OUT THE SPIRITS FIRE. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer at the moment of conversion. From the moment we confess Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are saved – redeemed – forever, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the proof.

But whilst we may be fully redeemed, it is possible for us to quench or suppress the Holy Spirit’s influence and power in our lives through disobedience and wilful sin – which is why Paul urges the Thessalonians – and also us – to NOT PUT OUT OR EXTINGUISH THE SPIRIT’S FIRE. 

Have you ever noticed how “on fire” for the Lord new believers are? They can’t get enough of God’s Word, of church, of worship, and of serving. They are a joy to be with and be around. Unfortunately, you also often find that some older believers can pour cold water on them by dousing their enthusiasm and joy through complaining and through barbed comments.

So, let me ask you a question. Is the Spirit’s flame flickering in your life, or is He burning bright? I’m reminded of what Paul wrote to his young protege Timothy in 2 Timothy Chapter 1 verse 6. He said to him ‘I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hand’s’.

The phrase ‘fan into flame’, literally means to stir up the coals again by blowing some air into the embers. Here’s the good news folks. A smouldering wick can burn with a white-hot passion for God again. The fire of the Holy Spirit can once again rage within you

Friends, don’t quench the Holy Spirit. Take this list of discipleship directives seriously – and look for ways you can use your fire to ignite those around you. We are keepers of the flame. Let’s keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning bright.

The fifth discipline is WE ARE NOT TO TREAT PROPHECIES WITH CONTEMPT. Unlike us, the early church did not have the Bible. 

The Bible, which comprises of the Old and New Testaments, was compiled around 400AD, so from 33AD which was when the church was born, to 400AD, God through the Holy Spirit, gave certain people within the church, the Gift of Prophecy which involved them revealing what God was going to do in the future, what God’s will was for His people, and building up God’s people in the faith.

Paul therefore is instructing the Thessalonian church, which he planted around 50AD, to NOT treat GENUINE prophecy with contempt and distain. It was ok to treat FALSE prophecy from false prophets with contempt – which is what Jesus did when he encountered them – but it was NOT ok to treat true or genuine prophecy with contempt, because by doing so, they were treating with contempt the very words of Almighty God which would have caused God to act accordingly.

Today, and because we have been blessed with the Bible, we no longer need prophets. However, because the Bible is also the very words of Almighty God, what Paul said about the prophecy of his time, also applies to the Bible of our time – we must NOT treat God’s Word with contempt. 

The Greek word Paul used for ‘contempt’ means ‘to despise; to set at nought or nothing’. Friends, we must be very careful that we do not treat God’s Word and the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, as though it was nothing., especially if that preaching and teaching is Biblically centred.

One of the ways we can become guilty of treating God’s word with contempt, is by ignoring what we read or what is preached and taught. Whenever we hear ourselves saying something like, “I know what the Bible says, BUT…” then we are in danger of treating God’s word with contempt.

Brothers and sisters, we are to be DOERS of God’s Word, not just listeners or readers. So, if we ignore or reject what we read and hear, even though we know it to be true, and even though we know we need to apply it to our lives, then we are skating on very thin ice.

If we are to avoid being held by God in contempt of His Word, we must put it into practice. We must apply it to our lives. In saying that however, it is also important that BEFORE we put it into practice, we ensure that what is preached and taught, is genuine, which leads me neatly onto the sixth discipline, which is how WE ARE TO TEST EVERYTHING.

When you hear someone preach or teach the Bible, which includes me, Colin, and Tom, it’s important you test what is being said. We are called to be like the Bereans in Acts Chapter 17 verse 11 who we are told by Luke ‘Received the message with great eagerness and EXAMINED the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true’. 

When it comes to God’s Word and the application of God’s Word, we should be eager, but not gullible. As the Apostle John wrote in 1 John Chapter 4 verse 1, ‘Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but TEST the spirits to see whether they are from God’. 

If we are to avoid being led astray by false preaching and teaching, we MUST test what is being preached and taught. And the way we can test it, is by asking some searching questions that is rooted in Scripture, ESPECIALLY the Apostle John’s first letter. For example:

Do their words square with Scripture? In 1 John Chapter 4 verses 5 & 6 we read these words of John to the church regarding false prophets: ‘They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognise the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood’.

Are they committed to the body of believers? Again, in 1 John Chapter 2 verse 19, we read these words of John concerning false believers; ‘They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us, but their going showed that none of them belonged to us’.

What is their lifestyle like? In 1 John Chapter 3 verses 23 & 24 we read, ‘And this is his command – his being God the Father: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. Those who obey His commands live in Him and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us; We know it by the Spirit He gave us’.

Does their message stand up to reason and revelation? In 1 John Chapter 4 verses 1 – 3 we read: ‘Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

This is how you can recognise the Spirit of God; Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus, is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world’.

And finally, what do they believe about Jesus?  In 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 verse 10 Paul wrote, ‘He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him’. Very simply folks, closely examine what you hear, scrutinize what you see, and measure ALL things by the standard of God’s Word.

The seventh is HOW WE ARE TO HOLD ON TO THE GOOD. Once we’ve tested what is being preached and taught from God’s Word, and once we have declared it to be genuine and good, then we are to embrace that good.

In the King James Translation of this verse it says, ‘hold fast that which is good’. The Greek word Paul used for ‘hold fast’ means ‘to possess, to retain; to seize’, and the word he used for ‘good’ was used to describe something that was genuine as opposed to it being counterfeit. 

Romans Chapter 12 verses 9 captures this well where we are told by Paul to ‘cling to what is good’. Friends, God’s holy, infallible Word is true and genuine. It is good – very good. And because it is very good, I would urge you to seize it – to hold fast to it – and don’t fall into the trap of trading it for the world’s counterfeits.

And finally, the eighth is HOW WE ARE TO AVOID EVERY KIND OF EVIL. When we test something and find it is good, we are to embrace it – take hold of it – and apply it to our lives. If, on the other hand, we test it and find it is not good, then we are to ‘avoid’ it.

Again, in the King James Translation of this verse, it says, ‘Abstain from all appearances of evil’. The Greek word for ‘abstain’ means ‘to refrain; to hold oneself off’. Very simply folks, we are to ‘avoid; abstain; keep ourselves away from ‘everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles’ – Hebrews Chapter 12 verse 1. 

I need to remind you that evil can take many forms, and I also need to remind you that Satan is in the business of deception which includes him deceiving God’s people into doing something or accepting something that, at first sight, APPEARS to be harmless and that APPEARS to be genuine.

Sin, not matter how big or small is regarded by God as ‘evil’, and false teaching, no matter how attractive or plausible it may be, is also regarded by God as ‘evil’. As we heard the Sunday before last, we are children of light and day, NOT of darkness and light. By ‘avoiding’ or ‘abstaining’ from ‘every kind of evil, will ensure you and I remain children of light and day.

And that, brothers and sisters, are the 8 spiritual disciplines you and I are called to live by, and that also is the end of our studies on Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica.  I know our series has, at times, been challenging, but I also know from the various conversations I have had is that it has been helpful and encouraging, which is always good to hear.

Now you will notice that Paul closes his letter with a powerful prayer of Benediction which centres upon him praying for God’s peace that surpasses all understanding to be upon them, for God to keep them sanctified – holy – and that they would be found innocent of any accusations levelled against them at the Rapture.

The Benediction is a petition for God to bless them by keeping their whole being – mind, body, and spirit – sanctified, and by way of closing, I would like to pray that same Benediction over you, the Lord’s church that is Hadleigh Baptist.