The practical message here comes from verses 16-19: “Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t suppress the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians is one of the earliest epistles from Paul, and therefore one of the first New Testament books written. It emerged relatively soon after the birth of the church, when the first Christians were living in hope and expectation of the imminent return of Jesus.