Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 GNT

In the thirteenth episode of our “Letters from Paul” video series, you’ll explore 1 Thessalonians 5:12-26, which contains Paul’s encouragement to rejoice in the Lord despite persecution.

Paul wrote this letter early in his ministry. He was writing to the church in Thessalonica, which had experienced intense persecution. Despite this, the church was thriving and remaining faithful to Jesus Christ. Paul was overjoyed for them and wrote to encourage them in their faith and warn them of common issues in the early church.

In this passage, Paul instructs the Thessalonians to respect their leaders and continue pursuing peace in the church body. He also encourages them to build one another up, forgive one another, and avoid evildoing. Finally, he reminds them to continue rejoicing, praying, and thanking God in all circumstances since this is God’s desire for their growth and good. Today, we can ask God to help us imitate the faith of these early believers, who served God faithfully through difficult persecution.

Watch and be inspired by Paul’s reminder to continue growing in faith and love.