1 Thessalonians 5:16-25

Paul said, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of GOD in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the GOD of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Brethren pray for us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-25 NKJV

I think the order is important, Paul did not just randomly say things!

Rejoice always – that means that if you are a Christian you should always rejoice – that seems pretty clear. Solomon said, “Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief.” Proverbs 14:13 NKJV.  While on the surface these seem to contradictory statements they are not when we understand who GOD is and what He has done for us we should be able to rejoice no matter what our circumstance is. Peter, James, John and Paul all tell us to rejoice in our trials, tests and tribulations, this can only be from being in Christ. It is not natural for us to be happy under trying circumstances or in sorrowful situations. Just because our circumstances are good for the moment that does not mean that we are at peace and happy, this can only be done by fully trusting in GOD. To rejoice always we must rejoice in GOD at all times and situations.

Pray without ceasing – on the face it seems impossible; pray when I’m driving, pray in the shower, pray while I’m eating, pray when my sports team in playing, pray when I’m in a meeting, etc. To pray without ceasing means to pray when you are awake and asleep, when you are doing something and when you are doing nothing. Remember prayer is talking to GOD, sometimes we do it out loud, sometimes not, sometimes we pray in the Spirit and sometimes we pray in the Word. Praying is a habitual lifestyle not a ritual, in his letters to the different Churches Paul said he prayed for them all; did he have a prayer list of hundreds of names; no but he did pray throughout the day; just as Jesus did. They also had times that they specifically prayed seeking the presence of GOD. Like rejoicing always we have to train ourself by studying the Word of GOD and seeking to do His will.

In everything give thanks – this is the most difficult and will only happen when we rejoice always and pray without ceasing. In life and death, in peace and conflict, in joy and sorrow? Giving thanks in everything is the result of living Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:25-34. If our trust, hope and expectation are in Jesus for everything then we will always be thankful. But, it is a learned lifestyle through the testing and trials of life.

For it is the will of GOD in Christ Jesus for you – enough said!

It’s like Jesus parable of the Kingdom being like a treasure hidden in a field, Matthew 13:44, the man who finds it sells all he has to buy the field. Or the rich young man who was perfect in the law but did not want to give his riches to the poor, Matthew 19:16-22. We find Jesus (even though most of us were not looking) and then He tells us to sell or give everything that this world has to offer so that we can reap the rewards of His Kingdom by doing the works of His Kingdom. If we do not learn to put GOD’s will first as Jesus did then we will not rejoice always or pray without ceasing or give thanks in everything.

If we will not yield our spirit, soul and body to do the will of the Father then we will quench the Spirit, despise prophecies, not test all things nor hold fast what is good and we will not abstain from every form of evil. Without being fully yielded it is impossible to live this lifestyle and my life is ample proof of that.

Verses 23 & 24 are our goal in this Christian life, with the issues that Paul confesses in some of his letters it is easy to understand when he says, “Brethren pray for us.” We all need each other‘s prayer. As James says, “…the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16

Study the epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude