Praise, Pray, and Praise Again
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (KJV)
This passage contains important instructions from Paul in three parts. We are told to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. They are separate, and yet they overlap one another.
Rejoice in the Greek is the word chairo, which means to be cheerful, calmly happy, to be well off, to be glad. We are to rejoice in Christ because of Him and all He’s done for us. We have reason to rejoice and praise Jesus for who He is: our Salvation, our Victory, our Provider, our ever-present God. We can praise because of Jesus Christ’s love and fellowship. When you lose your joy, remember who Jesus is and all He’s done. Rejoice evermore and, when attacked, praise and pray to jump start your rejoicing again.
Pray without ceasing. Pray is the Greek word proseuchomai. It means to pray, to supplicate, to worship. To pray without ceasing means to be in constant contact with God, in fellowship and connection with Him at all times. It pictures someone who is always listening to the Lord, talking to Him, and practicing His presence all through the day. It refers to being continually aware of Him, even through praise and worship. We can pray in tongues, pray in our natural language, pray His Word, and pray our hearts to Him.
We are to give thanks in all things. Thanks is the Greek word eucharisteo, meaning to be grateful, to express gratitude. Thanksgiving is the expression of joy Godward, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The more thankful we are, the more joyful we will be. It causes us to have a good attitude which gives us a good outlook on life. So, you could say that giving thanks is similar to praising God.
We are to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. As we continue to do these things as a lifestyle, we will automatically rejoice more and be more grateful. We’ll be full of the fruit of the Spirit, manifesting Christlike character. It will overflow into our lives and ministries. We will mature, growing up in God, becoming a person of the spirit, and not of the flesh. When we live a life of rejoicing, praying, and thanking God, we live in an attitude of praise and worship to Him. We will glorify Him in all we do. So, keep praising, praying, and praising again.
