Suffering with Joy Given by the Holy Spirit - 1 Thessalonians Series

 

This is multiply a word of encouragement for village church planters, pastors and leaders and I am Brad Snowden

1 Thessalonians 1:6 In the last part of this verse it says “…after you welcomed our message in a time of great trouble with the joy supplied by the Holy Spirit”

You as church planters know and are experiencing circumstances that are very hard and this is what the Apostle Paul is speaking about. Things are hard YET these circumstances cannot rob us from our Eternal joy and hope that God’s word gives us. Jesus told us that we would never be alone, that He would send us a comforter that would guide us into all truth. God’s promises must be our source of delight. It is because of the circumstances around us that His hope is all that can lighten our hearts. 

When I was in a wheelchair it made me sad to see my family struggle to push me around. If I focused on that it would cause me to be discouraged because it was like that for over 4 years. It was during that time all  I had was His promises and the joy of knowing that in the middle of all the struggles God was with me and there was nothing that He could not do.

The truth is we can be in the middle of great suffering and have joy at the same time. It is not something that we can do, we cannot make it happen. We must allow the Holy Spirit to comfort, strengthen and empower us with God’s everlasting truth. 

Do we allow circumstance to rob us of our joy?

Do we allow circumstance to rob others from God’s joy? 

You my brother, my sister are a vessel of everlasting joy and hope that is not of this world, but of an everlasting spring of great delight. This joy that the Holy Spirit gives is like a refreshing spring of water in a dry and thirsty land and you are the vessel to pour out His joy. How great is the joy of our salvation, the truth for all peoples, even in the suffering there can be joy. Take joy today you are not alone, you have His joy given to you by the Holy Spirit. This has been a word of encouragement please share this message of joy with others.

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