1 Thess 5:16-24
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Three things to ALWAYS do: rejoice, pray, be thankful. Once you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, (and you do, don’t you!?), then to focus on Him and His goodness towards you is vital for a healthy Christian life.
“Do not quench the Spirit, don’t despise prophecies. Test all things, hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
We can do three things that are not good with the Holy Spirit:
1. Blaspheme the Holy Spirit which simply means you refuse to accept the free gift of the grace of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross to save you. The Holy Spirit is the one who reveals Christ to us and when we say no, we blaspheme the Holy Spirit, seal our fate to an eternity in hell and miss God’s perfect will for our lives.
2. We can grieve the Holy Spirit by living as a Born again Christian like a pagan. When we get angry, lie, steal and otherwise act like non-believers we can grieve the Holy Spirit.
3. We can quench the Holy Spirit. We do this as believers when we simply say “no” to something or someone the Lord is asking us to move forward with. When the Holy Spirit whispers to us to tithe, stop and pray for someone, partner with another believer or ministry or go and ask for forgiveness and we simply say “no” that is when we can quench the Holy Spirit.
Finally, as believers we need to walk in discernment. Remember to:
1. Not despise prophecies as they strengthen, encourage and comfort even though they initially challenge us.
2. Test all things. Make sure what you are hearing is true, noble, just, praiseworthy and of a good report. Think on these things.
3. Hold fast to what is good so your mind is not corrupted by the pain of life as it passes you by.
4. Abstain from every form of evil. EVERY FORM OF EVIL. This is simple, keep away from the things that keep you away from Jesus.
Protections and instructions for a healthy and fruitful Christian life. Enjoy!