Will of God
CCCAG 11/24/24
Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Introduction
As a pastor, one of the most common things that people ask me to pray about is for God to help them make an important decision.
If you are a Christian, God’s plan for your life should be a consideration for any major decision that you make. Therefore, one should ask for HIS counsel, help, and leading in all aspects of our lives.
One of the ways HE had given to help us with that, is the bible.
The bible gives us the boundaries to keep us safe, and principles of righteousness and holiness to guide us on how we live.
God expects us to know HIS Word, and follow those general principles.
However, sometimes a decision is not something that’s a black and white issue.
For example- If I want to be an assassin like John Wick, the bible already speaks to that- you shall not murder, so that is very clear- you can’t be a Christian and be an assassin.
But life is often lived in shades of grey. Therefore, we need practice a lifestyle that is lived with a constant connection with God to navigate those times.
This is important because God doesn’t want to just be our God when tragedy strikes, or for an hour on Sunday morning.
God really doesn’t want a relationship with us that relegate HIM to a box on the way that says “Break Glass in the event of an emergency”
Our Father is interested in every part of our lives, and wants to be a part of everything we do.
Today, we are going to be exploring that idea as we dive into a powerful passage from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Prayer-
God give us a trio of commands – to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances
This might seem too easy or deceptively simple, but they are profoundly transformative.
Together, these verses outline a way of living that aligns our hearts with the will of God. Let us explore how we can live in constant joy, unwavering prayer, and steadfast gratitude and thanksgiving.
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1. Rejoice Always: A Call to Constant Joy
Paul begins with the command to "rejoice always." At first glance, this seems challenging, perhaps even unrealistic. Life is full of trials, disappointments, and pain. How can we possibly rejoice always?
Rejoicing means to practice Joy at all times.
But as I say that, I know we are automatically thinking of dozens of circumstances where joy would be an inappropriate emotion to experience.
Because that is because we equate joy with happiness- we think they are the same thing, but in the bible, they are not the same thing.
Happiness is an emotional response to a favorable circumstance. If the circumstance changes, then the level of happiness changes or disappears.
Joy Is Not Circumstantial
The joy Paul speaks of is not dependent on external circumstances. It is not the fleeting happiness tied to favorable events or material success. Instead, it is a deep and abiding decision to trust and rejoice as we stay rooted in the presence of God.
Psalm 16:11 reminds us, “In your presence there is fullness of joy.”
The Apostle Paul himself exemplified this joy.
Writing from prison, he declared, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). His circumstances were dire, yet his heart overflowed with joy because his focus was on Christ.
You remember In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were arrested, severely beaten, and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel and casting a demon out of a young girl.
So they are chained up with their feet in stocks, in the most inner part of the prison- which is probably a very cold and damp dungeon with only a loincloth to cover them, with open sores all over their bodies from being flogged.
Do you think they were happy? Does that circumstance sound favorable to you?
No,
What they did have was
a deep and abiding decision to trust and rejoice as they were rooted in the presence of God.
What was God’s response?
And the jail was shaken, their chains fell off, and the jail door opened. It was such an amazing experience that even the hardest hearted person there- the jailer himself got saved.
What is the The Source of this Joy?
Our joy comes from several eternal truths:
1. The Assurance of Salvation – We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and reconciled to God. Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:37-39).
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
That’s the first source of our joy- the assurance of our salvation
2. God’s Unchanging Character – Even when life is unpredictable, God remains faithful, merciful, and just.
I saw a great t-shirt once that said, “Jesus saved me despite knowing how bad of a Christian I would be”
God’s relationship with us is not based on our performance, but on His Character which is defined by HIS faithfulness, HIS mercy, and His grace. It’s all on HIM- we just have to accept the gift and live in his presence.
The third source of our joy
3. The Hope of Glory – Some of us are going through some very tough times right now. But God’s word to us this morning is this-
Our present sufferings are temporary, and they cannot compare to the glory that awaits us (Romans 8:18).
Rom 8:18-19
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
How does this work in the day to day?
How do we Practicing Joy?
Practicing Joy or Rejoicing always is not automatic; it requires intentional practice:
• First- Meditate on God’s Promises: Fill your mind with Scripture, focusing on His faithfulness and love.
Way back when I was in high school, computers first started coming into homes. In school, we learned computer languages like Basic, Fortran, or Pascal. The thing you learn quickly when you are learning how to code or write a computer program is that if you put one letter or punctuation mark in the wrong spot, it will crash the entire program.
Our computer teacher had a banner on all 4 walls of the computer lab that said this- “Garbage in, Garbage Out”
In other word, what you put into the program is what you get out.
Human beings operate on the same principle. What you put into your mind and spirit will be reflected in your thoughts and attitudes.
If you put garbage into your mind through the entertainment you watch and listen to, or the conversations you take part of
Don’t be surprised when you are angry, depressed, and not showing the world Jesus.
The second way we practice Joy-
• Cultivate Gratitude: Reflect on God’s blessings and thank Him daily.
One of the ways we do that is to be slow to judge what is good and what is bad.
God uses even hard times to develop a spiritual skill or mindset that will help us in the future.
I could tell you story after story in my life where this has been true- I’ve asked God why did I have to go through that?
Now I know- he was preparing me for a future where that skill or spiritual maturity was going to be needed.
But at the time, I was kicking and screaming for it to stop.
The bible says this-
2 Cor 4:17-18
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
All of this life is meant to teach and give you an Eternal mindset, which will express itself as joy as your trust in God increases.
After rejoicing or practicing joy at all times, second way we live in the will of God is________________________________________
2. Pray Continually: A Lifestyle of Communion with God
The second command, "pray continually," speaks to the heart of our relationship with God. Prayer is not just an activity; it is a lifestyle.
What Does It Mean to Pray Continually?
Praying continually does not mean we are to be on our knees 24/7. Instead, it speaks of maintaining an ongoing awareness of God’s presence and an open line of communication with Him throughout the day.
It is an attitude of dependence and intimacy.
Paul exemplified this in his letters, where he frequently mentioned praying for the churches. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 1:2, he says, “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” His life was saturated with prayer.
So let’s talk about-
The Power of Persistent Prayer
Throughout the Gospel’s Jesus modeled for us and taught us the importance of persistent prayer.
He used parables like the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) and the friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-8). These stories remind us that God honors our faith when we persist in prayer.
It follows the same principle as Joy does- what you focus on the most become your reality.
Prayer
• It Deepens Our Faith: Persistent prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will and strengthens our trust in Him.
• The more time you spend with someone, the more you will know what is important to them, or what they want.
You know, I don’t have to ask my wife what kind of sushi she wants me to bring home for a snack.
The answer is always NONE. She hates sushi. I know that because we have been together for 33 years, and I have very intimate knowledge of her likes and dislikes.
The same thing goes for prayer- it brings you into the heart of God. The deeper you go, the more intimacy you have, and the less you have to ask HIM what HIS will is for a situation.
You’ll just know.
Prayer also
• It Invites God’s Intervention: James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Through prayer, we partner with God to bring about His purposes.
Pastors talk a lot about prayer. It’s something I practice a lot, but I know for many this level of a relationship with God is not the norm for most people.
So here are a few practical tips=
Practical Ways to Pray Continually
1. Begin and End Your Day with Prayer: Start with thanksgiving and surrender your day to God. Close your day by reflecting on His faithfulness.
2. Use the LORD’s prayer to guide your prayers-
A. Acknowledge God for who HE is
B. Worship
C. Pray for HIS will to be done in your life and your families, and in the world we live in
D. Pray for your needs
E. Repent of any sin
F. Pray for his presence and HIS protection
G. End in worship
3. Incorporate Prayer into Daily Activities: Pray during your commute, while cooking, or during quiet moments.
A. The other night, I couldn’t sleep at all, so I spent hours praying while laying in bed.
4. Pray Spontaneously: When a need arises, pray immediately. When someone shares a burden, pray with them on the spot.
5. Use Scripture as a Guide: Pray God’s Word back to Him, allowing it to shape your prayers.
6. Finally, and probably most importantly, remember prayer is a conversation: be yourself. If you read the Psalms there are times where the author is yelling at God, questioning God, praying their enemies would meet a horrific death, and asking “why” during very difficult circumstances.
God isn’t impressed with thee’s and thou’s.
What draws HIM close is honest communication
When we live in a posture of continual prayer, we cultivate a deep sense of God’s presence and peace, which we have already learned a term for-
Joy.
The third way to live in the will of God is to-
________________________________________
3. Give Thanks in All Circumstances: A Heart of Gratitude
Thanksgiving is this Thursday. It’s the one time of year that everyone comes together to celebrate and give thanks to God for HIS provision in our lives.
Here in 1 Thessalonians, Paul instructs and reminds us to "give thanks in all circumstances." This is perhaps the most challenging of the three commands. How can we give thanks in all circumstances – including the painful ones?
How do we give-
Thankfulness in the Face of Adversity
Paul does not say to give thanks for all circumstances, but in all circumstances. This distinction is crucial. We do not thank God for evil, suffering, or sin, but we can thank Him for His presence, His promises, and His ability to bring good out of even the worst situations.
In the bible, we have many examples of people going through horrific circumstance, and one of them is a man named Job. In the face of unimaginable loss, Job declared, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21).
Job’s gratitude stemmed from his unwavering trust in God’s sovereignty.
There is Transforming Power in practicing Gratitude
Gratitude transforms our perspective:
• It Shifts Our Focus: Instead of dwelling on what we lack, we focus on God’s goodness and provision.
This is very personal to me right now, I am in a limbo state- I have no idea of workers comp is going to cover my injury or my wages for this time I have off.
I was dropping off paperwork and one of the office people said, “I know you are probably worried sick about this”
I said, “Nope. My boss is the owner of every grain of sand in the universe. What do I have to be afraid of? He has enabled us to have savings, and short term disability if I need it.” Even if I can’t do bedside nursing for a while, there are telephone nursing jobs available all over the place. I’ll be fine”
I take comfort in knowing that God has already provided for me- my calendar just needs to catch up with HIS provision.
Being thankful has several other benefits-
• It Cultivates Contentment: Gratitude helps us find joy in the present moment and trust God for the future.
• It cancels coveting what we don’t have: If I’m living in the power, presence, and provision of God, it keeps me focused everything I have in eternity with HIM, instead of what I don’t have in this short time on earth.
• It Honors God: When we give thanks, we acknowledge God as the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).
Practicing Gratitude
1. Keep a Gratitude and/or Prayer Journal: Write down three things you’re thankful for each day.
2. Thank God in Prayer: Begin your prayers with thanksgiving, acknowledging His blessings and faithfulness.
3. Express Gratitude to Others: Let people know you appreciate them and recognize how God is using them in your life.
By giving thanks in all circumstances, we glorify God and witness to others about His faithfulness.
That brings us to the main point of all of this-
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4. For This Is God’s Will in Christ Jesus
Paul concludes by stating that these three commands – to rejoice, pray, and give thanks – are God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. This declaration is both reassuring and challenging.
God’s Will Made Clear
Many believers wrestle with discerning God’s will for their lives. While specific guidance may vary, God’s general will is clear: He desires for us to live in joy, prayer, and gratitude. These practices draw us closer to Him and reflect His character to the world.
If you can do that- you have winning at living as a Christian
You will be
Empowered by Christ
The phrase "in Christ Jesus" reminds us that we cannot fulfill these commands in our own strength. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit, dwelling within us, that we can rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. Jesus Himself modeled these attitudes, and He empowers us to follow His example.
Let us pray.
