1 Thessalonians 1 ~ Joy of the Spirit
Have you ever experienced the Spirit?
In the Acts of the Apostles as recorded by Luke, the Holy Spirit has been poured down on people, empowering them to speak in tongues, pray, heal and even teleport. The Spirit also provided guidance with visions and enabled exorcism to succeed.
It is then interesting to note that in 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul tells us that the gospel came not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit (verse 5). Not only did the word came in the Holy Spirit, it was equally received with the joy of the Holy Spirit (verse 6), that the Thessalonians may become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (verse 7). Verses 2-3 show us three things that made the Thessalonians a good example: their work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verses 4 and 5 also demonstrate to us the element of predestination where God has chosen His people because He loves them. The Holy Spirit has the power to work in us and in turn convict us of the truth of the gospel and accept it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
The Thessalonians encourage us with their perseverance even as they received the word in much affliction to become imitators of the apostles and of the Lord (verse 6). True repentance is illustrated in the Thessalonians' act of turning to God from idols to serve the living and true God (verse 9). It is a humble acknowledgment that God is the master and we the servants.
How then are we to truly experience the joy of the Spirit? While some believers may wrongly pray to the Holy Spirit, we need to understand that it is to God the Father, and not the Holy Spirit, that we should be praying and giving our thanks to (verses 2 and 3). We pray to God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Also, others may sometimes find themselves confused when they believe that they are starting to "hear" some other voice from God. It is important to realize that the Holy Spirit will and should never contradict with God's Word, as is shown in 1 Thessalonians 1. If it "does", then it isn't the Holy Spirit one is "hearing" but some other spirit (possibly even an evil spirit) or one's own delusions. As for those who think that having the gift of the Spirit will free them from all sorrows and enrich them with all possible blessings, again God's Word tells us to expect suffering and affliction with the gospel that the Holy Spirit convicts us to believe in, so it is not entirely a bed of roses. Even roses have thorns...
Will you let the Spirit dwell in you to convict you of the gospel and live a changed life of faith, love and hope?
In the Acts of the Apostles as recorded by Luke, the Holy Spirit has been poured down on people, empowering them to speak in tongues, pray, heal and even teleport. The Spirit also provided guidance with visions and enabled exorcism to succeed.
It is then interesting to note that in 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul tells us that the gospel came not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit (verse 5). Not only did the word came in the Holy Spirit, it was equally received with the joy of the Holy Spirit (verse 6), that the Thessalonians may become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (verse 7). Verses 2-3 show us three things that made the Thessalonians a good example: their work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verses 4 and 5 also demonstrate to us the element of predestination where God has chosen His people because He loves them. The Holy Spirit has the power to work in us and in turn convict us of the truth of the gospel and accept it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
The Thessalonians encourage us with their perseverance even as they received the word in much affliction to become imitators of the apostles and of the Lord (verse 6). True repentance is illustrated in the Thessalonians' act of turning to God from idols to serve the living and true God (verse 9). It is a humble acknowledgment that God is the master and we the servants.
How then are we to truly experience the joy of the Spirit? While some believers may wrongly pray to the Holy Spirit, we need to understand that it is to God the Father, and not the Holy Spirit, that we should be praying and giving our thanks to (verses 2 and 3). We pray to God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Also, others may sometimes find themselves confused when they believe that they are starting to "hear" some other voice from God. It is important to realize that the Holy Spirit will and should never contradict with God's Word, as is shown in 1 Thessalonians 1. If it "does", then it isn't the Holy Spirit one is "hearing" but some other spirit (possibly even an evil spirit) or one's own delusions. As for those who think that having the gift of the Spirit will free them from all sorrows and enrich them with all possible blessings, again God's Word tells us to expect suffering and affliction with the gospel that the Holy Spirit convicts us to believe in, so it is not entirely a bed of roses. Even roses have thorns...
Will you let the Spirit dwell in you to convict you of the gospel and live a changed life of faith, love and hope?
Labels: 1 Thessalonians, Australia, Christianity
posted by Shih Ying GUN (Jane) @ 2:21 PM
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