Building People of Substance for Works of Power
August 8, 2026
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 KJV)
All of us tend to read Scripture through the lens of our own wants, needs, and prejudices. This list is full of things to which we can gladly shout, “Amen, brother. Preach that!” Of course we need to honor our leaders. We surely ought to help people who are hurting and learn to get along a little better. Thank God, Jesus has given us joy, and we know we need to pray more. Who can argue with cultivating gratitude?
We’re comfortable with most of these. Not that we always do them, but we know we should, and we appreciate being encouraged to do better. However, when we reach “Quench not the Spirit,” most of us just nod and smile. We have no clear idea what that actually means. We have the Spirit in our songs and on our statement of faith, don’t we? What else are we supposed to do?
Paul explains what he meant: Don’t look down your nose at prophecies. That tells us two things—prophecies were happening in the Thessalonian church, and some people were treating the gift with disrespect. Maybe some of the words being given were goofy or even heretical. If you’re part of a charismatic church or spend any time online, you’ve probably heard a few humdingers. If you’re not careful, it can leave you skeptical.
Many churches have decided the manifestations of the Spirit passed away with the apostles. Others claim to believe in the gifts but never instruct people or make room for them. Worst of all, some allow prophecy but never correct error—they tolerate instead of evaluate. The result is a congregation that tunes out the moment someone begins to give “a word.” In every case, the baby has been thrown out with the bathwater.
Paul considered this important. I’ve taken a little liberty and woven together his instructions to the Corinthians with the word to the Thessalonians. Listen to this:
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all… earnestly desire the best gifts… Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy… I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied… for you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged… Desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies.” (Excerpted from 1 Corinthians 12 & 14 and 1 Thessalonians 5, NKJV)
We are the people of the Spirit: born of the Spirit, baptized with the Spirit, sealed by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and transformed by the Spirit. When we ignore these gifts, we limit the transforming power of God. When we leave out the person, presence, and power of the Spirit, our gatherings become little more than a concert followed by a speech. Notice the blessing at the end of these instructions to the Thessalonians:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
That verse begins with “And.” Go back and read from verse 12 straight through to verse 23. I used the King James because many modern versions either drop the “and” or soften it to “Now.” The word is in the original, and I want you to feel the connection.
Paul is handing us a list of tools designed for the process of sanctification—tools that prepare us for the return of the Lord. He begins with esteeming our leaders and closes with esteeming the Holy Spirit. One is no less important than the other.
We need the supernatural manifestation of the Spirit, especially prophecy. This is the gift that brings “edification, exhortation, and comfort” in the ongoing work of being transformed into the image of Christ. It is a vital tool God has given the Church. To experience its benefits we must first refuse to despise it, then commit ourselves to evaluating it carefully. That takes courage, humility, and a willingness to be changed—not merely entertained.
When we do these things, we can have confidence in the promise of verse 24:
“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1Thessalonians 5:24)
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