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Faithfulness and Obedience
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3/8/2010
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"The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command." - 2 Thessalonians 3:3-4 NASB
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In Thessalonica, Paul faced a mob that "set the city in an uproar" (Acts 17:5) and drove him out of town. Later, when he wrote his second letter to these Thessalonians, it's clear the Christians in Thessalonica still faced the same kinds of trials and problems. In these conditions, it would have been easy to become discouraged or give up.
But Paul encouraged them to be confident-to know that God wanted them to be established and guarded. In fact, during uncertain times, He could make them stable, firm, and fixed.
However, there were conditions: First, they needed to trust Him. They could confidently depend on Him, because He was faithful. Second, they had to do their part to do "the things we command you." This meant obeying God's Word and putting it into practice in their lives.
They also needed to remember that they were involved in spiritual warfare, constantly under assault by the devil and his demons. They needed to be sure they were alert and equipped with the necessary spiritual protection.
These principles apply to all of us. God knows when we go through trials, when we face opposition, and when we have problems. In all these situations, we must be confident in Him! Obeying His Word will cause us to be fixed, stable, firm, and victorious over the devil.
Today, don't let anything shake your confidence in God. He is faithful, and you can trust Him. But you must fill your life with His Word and obey Him. You must be spiritually armed and ready for battle. Stand strong in your faith, and declare victory!
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| Prayer |
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Father, thank You for being faithful. I depend upon You and declare Your promises to be true in my life. Thank You for establishing me and guarding me from evil. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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| Extended Reading
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2 Thessalonians 3
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