The Power of Praise

Read 1 Thessalonians 5.

If someone wants to know the will of God for their lives, the starting place is the New Testament.  Five times in the New Testament we are told "this is the will of God."  A life that pleases the Lord is dependent upon the intentional implementation of these declared behaviors.

In chapter four, we read, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality." (4:3)  If one is not disciplining themselves to live a life of sexual purity and holiness, pleasing God will not be possible.  And, then here in 5:16-18 is another one.

Praise is the expression of approval.  When we praise God, we accept, or approve of, what is happening as part of God's plan for our lives.  If we truly believe that "all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28), then we are free to praise God for each situation just as it is.  Our human nature loves to complain and grumble and withhold any praise to God until the outcome is to our liking.  But that is the opposite of faith.  Unbelief says, "Seeing is believing."  Faith declares, "Believing is seeing."

A follower of Jesus maintains focus, not on the circumstance, but on the One who controls the circumstances.  Someone once said, "When God is all you have, you will discover that He is all you need."

1. "Rejoice always."
No one needs Jesus to be happy and excited when things are going well.  It requires faith, as an act of the will, to do so during times of adversity.  That makes no sense to the unbeliever.  But the God of the Bible is the sovereign controller of all things.  When our trust is in Him, we may rest assured that "his mercy (lovingkindness) is over all he had made" (Psalm 145:9).

2. "Pray without ceasing."
Confusion always comes in times of great need.  We believe God but we often do not know what He is doing or why.  A true believer trusts the Lord even when they do not understand.  God loves it when we cast our total dependence upon Him.  As our minds spin throughout the day, going over and over what is or what is not happening, we are to turn our anxieties into prayer.  Talking to God about our concerns, our desires, and surrendering our wills to His is to be an on-going conversation.

3. "Give thanks in all circumstances."
Each of these three is a test of our faith, not of God.  Perhaps, the toughest one is to express thanks when life does not seem to be going in our favor.  How can someone be thankful when a disaster just hit?  The answer lies in the clear understanding and commitment that this world is not our home.  We are only here on assignment as an ambassador of Christ for a few short years, at best.  The ability to give thanks in advance of the results is an indicator of the work of the Holy Spirit and His grace to us.   We can be thankful that our story is not over yet.  God has a plan and He is at work on our behalf, even when we do not see it.  "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)

Rejoice, when?  Always.
Pray, how?  Without ceasing.
Give thanks, how often?  In all circumstances.