“Stand Fast in the Lord” – 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13
1 Thessalonians 3:2 – To establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
1 Thessalonians 3:3 That no man should be moved.
1 Thessalonians 3:8 Stand fast in the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts.
Paul’s desire for this church was that they would grow to maturity and strength in Christ.
Ephesians 4:14a That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
I. We Need to the Way
1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
Philippians 2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
God’s Word is:
Food to nourish us (Matthew 4:4)
Light to guide us (Psalm 119:105)
A Weapon to defend us (Ephesians 6:17)
Genesis 3:4-5 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
The devil does more harm in buttering you up than he does in beating you up.
We would do well to surround ourselves with good people who can prepare the way before us.
II. We Need to for Us
1 Thessalonians 3:6-8 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
There is a truth that God’s Word is one of the best resources for strengthening our faith because it does for us what nothing else can do.
Matthew 4:4b It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
III. We Need to Us
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Love for God and for others is how you get through tough times.