Spiritual Tenacity

What an encouraging and glorious worship service and message we were a part of this morning!

Phil Sallee, pastor at New Beginnings Baptist Church, Bixby, OK, brought a powerful message from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-28 entitled “Tenacity.”

Just a few of the points that really spoke to me:

Verse 16: Rejoice always, – not a suggestion, but a commandment. And always means…. always, all the time, in every circumstance and situation.

Verse 17:  pray without ceasing, – without ceasing?  What else do I do without ceasing?  I breathe continuously.  Therefore I pray as I breathe.  On every breath, there is a prayer.  What else do I do without ceasing as long as I am alive?  My heart beats continuously.  Therefore, with every heart beat is a prayer.

Verse 18: “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” -- What does everything mean?  Everything means everything… IN everything, be thankful. 

Verse 19: Do not quench (stifle) the Spirit – This verse indicates a relationship with the God by the Holy Spirit and there are things that we can do in our everyday lives that will stifle the communication we have the the Holy Spirit.  It’s amazing how I can quench the Spirit, yet it is the Spirit that indicates to me that I have done so. God is faithful.

Verses 20-22: Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil. – All indicate the necessity for me to know God’s word to be able to recognize prophesies, things, good, and evil that line up with God’s Word and Will.  How can I know which prophecies to adopt if I don’t know God’s Word?  How do I know the difference between good and evil so I can hold fast to one and abstain from the other if I don’t know what God says about them?  Each one is a command: Do not; Test; Hold fast; Abstain.  I have a responsibility to know through the study of God’s word, how to obey these commands.

Now for my favorite, the verses that ties all the above verses together:

Verse 23-24:  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify (make holy) 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.

Amen and Thank You, Jesus.