Give Thanks In All Circumstances; For This Is God's Will For You In Christ Jesus

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-21
“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.
”‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:16-21‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/1th.5.16-21.nkj

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It goes against our natural inclination to rejoice and be thankful when it feels like the whole world is against us. But the truth is, God uses all things to work together for those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them (ROMANS 8:28).
This is an encouragement for all Spirit filled believers, including you as you go through your impossible situations, and all your trials and tribulations.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
And what does it mean to pray without ceasing?
We cannot spend every moment of the day on our knees, but we can involve God in everything we do.
Many, start a project without even consulting God, and then involve Him when it is going seriously wrong. But if one involves God from the beginning, running it past Him before he even starts the project, he may of saved himself a whole lot of time and problems.
First, make sure that the project is of God, and then continue to involve Him all the way through to completion; then you will remain in peace throughout the process and the victory will be yours through Christ Jesus(1 CORINTHIANS 15:57; PHILIPPIANS 4:13), “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬
The truth is whatever we are doing, God is with us. Therefore, take every opportunity to talk with Him, for that is how good relationships grow.
Whatever is happening in your life, God is using it all for good; your successes, your trials and tribulations, your failures and mistakes. God uses it all to teach, cleanse, and grow your faith.
James told us, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My beloved, do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. We are all happy to receive a prophecy when it promises blessings, but it’s something else when we didn’t want to hear it, it goes against our projects, or it makes us uncomfortable, we can be too quick to reject it. But, “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭3:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
God uses Prophecy to prepare us for coming events, good and evil, so that we can pray on the situation and even change it. He uses prophecy to discipline us when needed, and He uses prophecy to encourage us. But the truth can be painful at times, but that pain is never an excuse to reject it.
If God has spoken to you, it’s because you needed to hear it.
God wants all believers to desire the gift of prophecy (1 CORINTHIANS 14:1), “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭14:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Therefore, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
But what about receiving prophecy? Jesus said, ““Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Sadly, there are many wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing who are determined to mislead and redirect you onto a path of destruction.
“And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭5:38-39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
The truth is, we must test and approve everything. Just as God can use the wicked, the devil can and does use godly people to fool us.
Therefore, even if it comes from your Pastor of thirty years, test and approve, but whatever you do, do not shoot the messenger, or you may find yourself in a battle with God.
Our tendency is to test the words spoken, to see if it is line with Gods word, and theirs nothing wrong with that, but Paul gave us a different approach, looking at the source of the word spoken, saying , “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
‭‭I John‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
If you think it may not be of God, stand back in prayer and quietly wait; then the worst that can happen is it will come to nothing.
My beloved, if you have a question, ask God and He will answer you. He will give you discernment if you ask for it. Jesus said, ““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
And finally my beloved, take on board Paul’s good advice. Be thankful to God, for He never stops working in your life. He made a way where there was no way to give you the gift of life. That gift came at a very high price, the spilt blood of Jesus Christ.
Paul said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Therefore, Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:4-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.