Our experiences in any given minute, or hour, or day, can run the gamut from causes for elation, to causes for frustration and sometimes even despair. The hope of the believer in all things is seeing God in the midst of it. But to do so requires eyes of the Spirit/faith/knowing God, not relying on our own sight or understanding.
David said: [Psalm 27:13 NASB95] 13 [I would have despaired] unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
Read the entire Psalm to get some idea of the kind of attack David was under and what he was speaking to his spirit to trust in God. I wonder how many of us would have the kind of self-talk, and conscious conversation with God David had in this psalm. It is truly admirable and inspirational! Particularly if you are surrounded by an adversary or those that would do you harm, and feeling like you are “in the day of trouble” when “evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh”, “a host encamp against me”, “war arise(s) against me”, “my father and my mother have forsaken me”, ” false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence”.
It is there you must know God! Not about Him, not platitudes. You must know Him! His nature and character. And, know Him well enough to speak to yourself about Who He is to you and for you, and well enough to converse with Him. David does both in this Psalm.
This is particularly appropos as we head toward the Thanksgiving holiday and will be told to give thanks “for” all things. And, we as God’s own, His people, the redeemed, should be those marked by thanksgiving. However let me turn our attention here to Paul’s letter the Thessalonians, and a passage that has inspired many Thanksgiving messages. The key seasonal passage here is near the end of 1st Thessalonians, in chapter 5, as the apostle gives some short stroke instructions to the church on their behavior towards each other and their functioning in gathering. Regarding the giving of thanks; specifically verse 18. But, let’s look at the broader exhortation for verses 14-23.
[1Thessalonians 5:14-23 NASB95] 14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything [carefully;] hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
n light of the season and what we have discussed in Psalm 27 let me focus on verse 16-18 first “16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Let us note that the exhortation here to Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks are linked as one idea (at least by our modern punctuation, which was not in the original) in two ways: 1) They are to be omnipresent: always, without ceasing, and in everything. 2) These three actions are pointedly defined here as God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. The indication is there never is to be a time you are not rejoicing, not praying, or a circumstance in which you are unable to give thanks. This exhortation is a bit beyond what most of us, I’m sure, would call our experience. But that should not bring us condemnation. It should simply cause us to understand, as David and Paul did, that our God is Omnipresent, and is listening and seeing, and working out His will in us through our circumstances whatever they may be. If we can come to understand that, and more importantly, experience that through practicing these three actions (rejoicing/praying/giving thanks) we will live in, and prove what is, the will of God.
Let me point out here that the exhortation is not to give thanks “for” everything. The instruction is not “for everything give thanks” It is “in everything give thanks”. Only a hypocrite could give thanks for everything. I am not required to give thanks for problems, trials, difficult situations and relationships, etc. However, I can, that is I am enabled to, give thanks to God in them, because I understand He is Omnipresent, Omnipotent (in control), and Omniscient (knows what is going on when I don’t). I know He is there, He is in control. And, because I have committed myself to life in Him, and I know that He loves me, He is working out His purpose in me and for my life. He sees the end of a thing from its beginning. I often only see what is right in front of me.
Because of Him I can rejoice always in all circumstances. Yes, even in sorrows. I can rejoice because my joy is not based on my circumstances, but in my God Who controls and changes circumstances. He is faithful in all circumstances because He is faithful and He cannot be otherwise. There is no exhortation to groan or gripe in the Lord always. You may have liberty to grumble, cuss, and complain if you like, but it will do little good, and there is no exhortation to do so.
Because of Him I can pray without ceasing for He is only a breath, just a prayer, away. We may not be able to piously bow our heads and fold our hands and utter poetic well chosen words at all times, and in every moment. But that isn’t what prayer is about. Prayer is communication with God and it can be a constant, ongoing, spontaneous and flowing conversation. This can, and perhaps I should say should, be done at any moment and any place. It is His preference, and His will according to this. Physical posture, spoken words with our voice, time, and place are not essential elements of prayer. Communication with Him in Spirit is primary, any way, anytime, any place.
And, because of Him and His love for me, and His power to control all, and to guide me, and work out His will, purpose, and plan established in eternity, I can give thanks “in” everything. I am not tossed or controlled by fate or circumstance, I am in His Sovereign hand.
Now let us return back to the context of this exhortation to the church at Thessalonica as the missive is wrapped up in verses 14-23. Again the apostle is giving short directives here, and the three verses we just looked at are right in the middle of these directives that primarily regard relationships with others. An exhortation is a direction regarding what one, or a group, must or should do. But it is not a rebuke or critical in spirit. It is more than a suggestion; It is strong advice and given with serious intent. Without detailed exposition consider the text :
brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
brethren – Note it is addressed to brethren, not leaders or pastors. We, each member, have a responsibility to carry in dealing with each other.
Admonish the unruly. The unruly are those that are out of order, or undisciplined, or self-willed. They are in need of warnings at times regarding choices or behaviors. A warning is not heavy handed or abusive. It is based in love and concern, and founded in experience and/or scripture. It is given for their good and the good of others.
Encourage the fainthearted. Many lack courage or struggle with anxiety. Strengthen and encourage such ones. It is easy to be annoyed with those who seem feeble of heart and bound in fear, and then to simply ignore their issues. But giving comfort and strength is often as simple as taking time to encourage, serve, or walk alongside.
Help the weak. Weakness implies an inability to stand, or to do for oneself. The weak must be upheld, literally helped up and then trained to stand and build up their strength. We don’t want to perpetuate weakness. We want to help stand and then build up strength and perpetuate ways to stand in that strength of their own.
Be patient. People are different. A one size fits all approach will not serve well. Paul says we must be patient with all. Christ followers should be known for loving the unlovely, and their ability to love, serve, and deal with difficult people. Jesus did not come for the perfect nor the perfectly healthy only but to those in need of a physician. We will not minister to only the perfect and healthy in His will and purpose. Patience will be required.
15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
Vengeance and repayment are not in our hands. In relationships we are continually asked to lay down that right and the eye for an eye mentality. Paul exhorts to such here. We leave justice in the hands of a Just God. The standard here is that we must pursue what is good for all. Not just you! But, You and others! Only a forgiving heart and love will do this. Forgiveness and love yields what is good for your brother/opponent, AND that (the forgiveness) ends up being good for you (sometimes even if the solution does not seem equitable).
Then, as I said, in the midst of dealing with our relationships with each other,…. and particularly and specifically the unruly, the feeble and faint, the weak, and those who may have treated us with evil intent… The apostle turns his attention to rejoicing ALWAYS, praying WITHOUT CEASING, and IN EVERYTHING giving thanks. Why? Because the only way we can deal with others in His love is by a focus on Him. His Omnipresence, Omniscience, Omnipotence in us…and in others. And, in seeing Him at work in each and all of us, and in every circumstance and relationship. As we stay in communication with Him, through them, we find clear direction for building up one another in many ways.
So, he then turns his attention to ways that building up is done in our fellowship with one another in Christ in the Spirit.
19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything [carefully;] hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
19 Do not quench the Spirit;
The importance of the word “quench” here is in reference to putting out or dampening a fire that warms and comforts everyone. We are reliant upon the Holy Spirit and need a fervent and effectual desire to have His presence and direction in the administration of the LORDship of Jesus among us. He must not be dampened. However there are some that use this scripture to endorse and tolerate a lot of foolish exhibition of the flesh in the body of Christ. And when order is brought among us, that affects their exhibition, they cry out “Quench not the Spirit”. However, there is a human spirit that needs to be quenched, and a Holy Spirit that must not be. When people begin to draw attention to themselves or “their gift”, “their anointing”, “their calling”, the Holy Spirit will be quenched and the flesh exalted. The effect is quenching the Spirit by distraction onto the human spirit/flesh. He can also be quenched by our doubt or rejection of Him using others, or by our indifference to His direction. So there is a fine line here to be aware of.
Keep in mind that He most often moves in, and operates through, others. Be sensitive to HIm, and to Him in others. With this in mind, we need to consider and emphasize that God is not looking for greatly gifted men or women to use, but faithful men and women. And, with that in mind it must be said that, perhaps, the greatest way the Spirit is quenched is by the lack of love and considering that God may be using, or able to use, someone we might not use. Bitterness toward others, or jealousy of them, will quench His moving in you and in them, and others. The fruit of the Spirit is love. So release yourself to loving others, and doing and sharing what is best for them, and receiving love, and sharing and what is best for you from them. Hurt feelings, hatred, animosity, and quarreling hinders the work of the Holy Spirit in and through you and through others.
20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything [carefully;] hold fast to that which is good;
The LORD can and does speak through His people today. So, do not despise what others may share in a group, or to you personally. We want to be open to His voice. However, all things should be examined and tested. Hold it up to the scriptures, and to discernment (that of yourself and others/elders you trust). We’ve all heard prophecies that just aren’t His voice. They may have been well intentioned, but were a work of the flesh. That is why it must be examined and tested. But as that has been done, hold on to that which is good, edifying and that strengthens you in Him. But, certainly do not despise the Lord’s ability to speak through you, or to you through others, to the point of quenching the Spirit, or Him in others. By the way, my experience has been that such utterances generally will not be preceded by “Thus says the LORD” or a lot of showy “I’m a prophet” trappings, but may be as simple as someone sharing what the Lord has been dealing with them about and speaking to them about, and the Spirt impacting you by that.
22 abstain from every form of evil.
Little exposition needed here. This term contextually probably refers to, after examination and testing, the form or the evil that can be seen in the prophetic utterance should be withdrawn from and shunned. In most traditional teaching this is often separated from the prophetic utterance and turned to simply a directive to abstain from evil or form the appearance of evil. This is not necessarily a bad interpretation. There is a place for not causing others to stumble through behavior that may be evil, or behavior that you may even have liberty for, that may have the appearance of evil to others.
Paul concludes with this prayer:
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will not give much exposition here, but to say; God Himself is at work through the Holy Spirit in us using His word to do the ongoing work of sanctification. A work that is completed in the Spirit, but still ongoing in our soul (mind, will, and emotions) by the Spirit and the word, and will yet be done in this body when the mortal takes on immortality. Oh the glory of He
Who is faithful to complete the work He has began in us until the day of Christ Jesus
[Philippians 1:6 NASB95] 6 [For I am] confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
[1Thessalonians 5:24 NASB95] 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
May we comprehend the fullness of His goodness and love in Christ giving us cause to Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
For your consideration
[Psalm 27:1-5, 7-14 NASB95] 1 [A Psalm] of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In [spite of] this I shall be confident. 4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple. 5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. … 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me. 8 [When You said,] “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.” 9 Do not hide Your face from me, Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the LORD will take me up. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes. 12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. 13 [I would have despaired] unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.