I love a good recipe! I especially love recipes that only have a few ingredients. If I said that I have a recipe for guaranteed victory, everyone would want to know it, right? Well, today is a great day because God has given us the recipe in His Word (the greatest recipe book of all time)!
God’s recipe for victory, which can be applied to any situation, is perfect for overcoming even the most difficult trials; and best of all, it only has three ingredients! That is my kind of recipe! The recipe can be found in I Thessalonians 5:16-18, which says, Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Let me break it down for us by ingredients.
Rejoice evermore.
No matter what is going on around us or within us, we need to rejoice. The Biblical definition of the word rejoice is to give joy to. As Christians, we need to give joy to every situation. The world lends fear, dread, anxiety, and panic to most situations. We must give them joy! One of the best ways to give joy to a situation is to find a way to be a blessing to someone. If we will do something that blesses others in the midst of our storms (trials), it will not only give joy to the recipient but also to us!
Pray without ceasing.
Whatever the situation, we need to rely on prayer. There is no prayer too small that the Saviour is not willing to hear it. He cares for us and wants to hear from us. We may not be able to do anything else to help a situation, but we can pray. Prayer does not always change the situation, but it will always change the one praying. This ingredient is not one in which just a pinch is used; but the recipe requires a whole heap! Do not just pray once—pray continually. Do not stop!
In everything give thanks.
How quick are we to gripe and complain? How quick are we to lose our joy and begin to worry and fear? The reason that we are compelled to murmur, gripe, complain, lose our joy, then worry is because we are carnal! We are allowing our flesh to have control. Our attitude is a reflection of the spirit that dwells within us. The fact that we are saved does not mean that we are allowing the Holy Spirit to have control. If we allow the Spirit to have control, we will find it much easier to use this ingredient. We are to give thanks in EVERY thing, including in the storms and trials. Just as certain ingredients can make an unappetizing dish taste better, giving thanks can make an unappealing situation much more palatable. We may not be happy about a situation, but we can be happy in the situation by just adding gratitude.
There we have it: the recipe for victory in any situation! Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; and in every thing give thanks. The best part about this recipe is not only the final product of victory but also fulfilling the will of God for our lives. That is what I call a “blue-ribbon” recipe. Even the most unaccomplished cook (Christian) is able to make this recipe to perfection. What a wonderful God we serve, Who not only provides the recipe but also gives us the necessary ingredients, as long as we will use them!
by Crystal Collingsworth