In step with the Spirit
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
It truly is a season of Kingdom Expansion and without a doubt our focus of fasting and praying during this time helps us keep in step with the Spirit!
Our focus today is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, ‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.’ ESV
No matter what situation we may face we are directed by God to rejoice always and to pray without ceasing giving thanks in all circumstances. That’s how we are able to rejoice always! We are learning to commune with God no matter what the situation is praying without ceasing, choosing to give thanks in all circumstances!
Luke 17:21 “…the kingdom of God is within you.” NKJV
The world does not have the power to confine us. Jesus came to awaken an eternal spring that comes from within us expanding God’s Kingdom to the world around us.
John 7:37 ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring which will provide them with life-giving water and give them eternal life.’
When we come to Jesus and drink, rivers are awakened from within us. We take a drink and rivers begin to flow. Kingdom expansion begins to happen as we focus our attention and our affection on Him rejoicing, praying, giving thanks, refusing to quench the Holy Spirit in the pursuit of a consecrated life.
Both God and the devil want to put something inside you to release something through you to the world around you.
Proverbs 4:23, ‘Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.’ ESV
It is very natural for us to produce and multiply what exists within us. We must be focused on Kingdom expansion in order to be fruitful and multiply what God has seeded within us. So, let’s rejoice always, pray without ceasing and learn to give thanks in away that produces this kingdom expansion in the earth!
- Pastor Lawrence Neisent