The Power of Thanksgiving: Giving Thanks Makes You Well
Just now, this most eventful year is ending!
This year (2020) will end before the end of this week, and the new year (2021) will begin this weekend.
In spite of all the troubles we have seen and experienced this year, we have to thank GOD faithfully and genuinely for His Goodness.
It IS The Will of GOD to thank Him in everything.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is The Will of GOD in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
When you ALWAYS thank GOD for what you have, you will have what you need.
In John 6:4-14, The Passover was near. And The LORD Jesus Christ was in the wilderness with a great multitude of hungry people. There was only five barley loaves and two small fish that a wise lad had.
But “when He had given thanks“(v.11) for the little, GOD multiplied it and fed the great multitude!
This is The Law of GOD: Thank Him for the little that you have, and He will give you the plenty that you need. Faithfully and genuinely thank GOD for what you have and He will give you what you need.
Remember, they were in the wilderness. The wilderness is a metaphor for a testing and trying time in life, an important opportunity to learn The Ways of GOD for your promotion.
Just as the children of Israel messed up and missed it by complaining and sinning in the wilderness, so a lot of the children of GOD today mess up and miss it in the wilderness.
How are you conducting yourself before GOD in your wilderness? Let The Holy Spirit help you to please The LORD, learning, knowing and obeying His Ways.
And one of His Ways is giving thanks.
Giving Thanks for the Little Actually Makes You Well
One day, The LORD Jesus entered a certain village, and there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” (Whatever Jesus The Master says to you, just do it).
As they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, a Samaritan, “when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified GOD” (Jesus IS GOD!), “and fell down on his face at His Feet, giving Him thanks.”
So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give Glory to GOD except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:12-19).
I have seen leprosy survivors before. Leprosy deforms and disfigures various parts of the body — especially the fingers and toes which are terribly knawed. The body is horrendously scarred and disfigured.
The point here is that all ten men were healed. But the one man who returned to GOD thanking Him and praising Him, was made perfectly well. His whole body was restored; no scars, no disfigurement. He received more.
We receive a lot more when we thank GOD for the little. The opposite happens when we don’t thank GOD.
Ingratitude makes you loose a lot!
However, we must not thank GOD, or do anything else for Him, because of what we might gain. Godliness is not a means of gain, (1 Timothy 6:5).
In “God’s Generals” (a must-read), the story is told of Smith Wigglesworth one time when, as a young man, he was looking for work as a plumber.
He went to one established plumber and inquired, but the man said he had no need for anyone.
Smith’s response? He THANKED him.
And as he turned to walk away, the man called him and hired him, saying: “There is something about you that is different. I just cannot let you go.” Smith got the job he was looking for. Immediately.
I believe the faith and humility of giving thanks released The Glory of GOD on Smith for favour with the man.
Make it a Spiritual habit to thank The LORD fervently in every thing, for what you have, what He has done (no matter how little), and He will without fail do all that you need according to His Will.
When you give thanks, you give Glory to GOD. It is an expression of great faith that gets His Attention, delights Him, yes, pleases Him well.
In the Luke 17 passage, our Great GOD Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13), referred to the Samaritan’s giving Him thanks as “Glory To GOD” and “Your faith has made you well.”
Thanksgiving is so important to GOD that it is the very first thing He says we are to do when we approach Him, and that in everything, we must give thanks.
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His Name. For The LORD is good; His Mercy is everlasting, and His Truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5.
And, again, thanksgiving is one of the key things The Bible says IS “The Will of GOD,” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Giving thanks involves lifting up the hands, outstretching the hands to GOD. This is what “yadah”, the Hebrew word for “thank” means. Yadah comes from the root word “yad” which means “hand”.
Various parts of our body have various purposes by GOD for GOD, hence we are to “present our members as instruments of Righteousness to GOD.” (Romans 6:13).
Lifting up the hands in thanksgiving is of great Spiritual significance.
Hence Paul said: “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” (1 Timothy 2:8).
The very first thing I do when I get up from bed through out the night is to lift up my hands to GOD and thank Him. Indeed, my first words and acts to GOD every day upon getting up is to thank Him.
And, lifting up my hands, I often declare throughout the night and the day:
“Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2.
The evening sacrifice was the final sacrifice for the day, a prophetic pointer to The Sacrifice of Christ now at the end of the age.
Thus, lifting up the hands in thanksgiving and praise to GOD is as The Sweet-smelling Aroma of The Offering and Sacrifice of Christ to Him. (Ephesians 5:2).
Also, clap the hands and, of course, use the mouth, in thanksgiving to GOD. (Thanksgiving is great praise to GOD).
“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to GOD with the voice of triumph!” Psalm 47:1.
Let us spend the rest of this year, and the rest of our lives thanking GOD always.
“The LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:22.
“Farewell” Acts 15:29.
~ Jacob Awagah
“And having been perfected, He became The Author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:9.
Thank you for such a timely reminder to Always give thanks to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
This is a good reminder for me. Yes I need to thank the Lord for the rest of this year, and the rest of my life. Thank you for this message. May the Lord bless you.
Thank You, Lord, for this timely and precious teaching, that You have given us, through Brother and Apostle Jacob.