I Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ
Sometimes it is easy to be so involved in some endeavor that we forget why we are doing it in the first place. This can be true about even noble, good things like ministry, giving the gospel, and encouraging other people. We sometimes think the power for these things comes from us or that the opposition comes from other people. It really is liberating to realize that our conflict is neither for or against other people per se. Ultimately, our warfare is spiritual.
Paul was a man who understood opposition and warfare. He had persecuted the church of Christ and hauled people to prison, but later came face to face with that Christ and fought a spiritual battle.
In I Thessalonians 2:18 he says, “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.” So, with all the opposition that Paul received from other people, Romans, Jews, Gentiles, people who were antagonistic to his message, he realized that it really wasn’t his message and the opposition was not strictly speaking coming from those people. It was a spiritual battle. That is important to note because if we realize that the battle we have is spiritual and not against people, then it is easy to understand that our power doesn’t come from ourselves; our power comes from the Spirit.
Let me give you a couple of examples. In I Thessalonians 1:1 he says, “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father.” We can have peace in life, but it is not something we manufacture or that another person can take. It is something that is from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So, there is peace.
There is also boldness. There are a lot of people who have been bold in the truth who by temperament are very retiring or introverted. Their boldness does not come from them and it is not leveled against other people. It is a spiritual battle. I Thessalonians 2:2 says, “We were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God.” So, if the message is from God, the boldness comes from God. So, there is peace and boldness.
Then there is the gospel, the message itself. Paul wasn’t pleasing men; it was the gospel of God. I Thessalonians 2:13 says, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” So, it wasn’t Paul’s message. He didn’t have to make it up or be defensive of it in the sense that it was based on his abilities. It is God’s message and it was the Word of truth because it was the Word of God.
Paul’s very commission was from God. I Thessalonians 2:4 says, “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God.” I don’t have to please everyone. I have to please one, that is God.
So, everything you need today is provided from Heaven. When you realize that your power is from Heaven and the battle is a spiritual battle, that means the enablement and power for this is from God. Our peace, our boldness, the gospel, and our commission come from God. Our conflict is neither for or against other people. Ultimately, our warfare, work, and power are spiritual.