The Power of Thanksgiving

Scripture Reading: John 11: 17-44

Text: Daniel 2: 23

Thanksgiving is a spiritual exercise pre-conceived from the heart in appreciation to favor done to someone. God requires that we thank him always in everything (1 Thessalonians 5: 18). Appreciating what God has done for us is a necessity for more blessings and spiritual growth. In our text for today (Daniel 2: 23), Daniel in his travail in the land of bondage remembered the God of his fathers and thanked him for anticipated knowledge and wisdom to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Same God honored Daniel with the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Indeed, all believers must cultivate the habit of thanking God in actual and anticipation of his goodness and love for his children. Thanking God in failures and disappointment may be difficult sometimes, but imbibing such spirit always bring great joy and spiritual reward. Today, we will look at some of the benefits of thanking God.

• It is a key to supernatural breakthrough. That is why the Psalmist in Psalm 92: 1-2, says that it is good to thank God. We have the responsibility to thank God with the fruits of our heart and lips, words of our mouth, our substances, tithes and offerings (2 Chronicles 20: 17-20). Not paying our tithes blocked our blessings, but thanksgiving open doors to our blessings.
• Thanksgiving enables us to assess God promises in our lives. The manifestation of God’s promises in our lives becomes evidence when we have done God’s will in thanking him always (Hebrews 10: 36).
• Thanksgiving God completes and perfects our prayers (Philippians 4: 6). Without thanksgiving, our prayer is not complete and may not be answered. Recall that when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he started with worship and thanksgiving (Matthew 6: 9-15).
• Prayers with thanksgiving can turn death to life. In John 11: 41-44, Jesus started the miracle of bring Lazarus back to life with thanksgiving to his father. And the father speedily answered the prayer.
• Thanksgiving multiplies answers to our greatness and meet our needs (John 6: 6-12). Giving thanks has a great potentials to increase our blessings. In this passage, Jesus took the five barley loaves and two small fishes, and after giving thanks, brake them; and they multiplied to feed five thousand people with twelve baskets full of fragments. It goes to show evidently the power of thanksgiving.
• Thanksgiving paves way from fresh impact and impartation of God power and greatness in the lives of believers. When we thank God, he comes nearer to us and began to energize and empower us for his purpose.
• It is a good and great thing to thank God (Psalm 92: 1-2). We cannot void this truth because even ordinary man expect and demand gratitude from fellow man when favor is done; so also our God.
• It is God’s will that we thank him always (1 Thessalonians 5: 18). God always inhabit our praises of his children and he is always delighted when we thanked him.
• Thanksgiving enhances our restoration and reservation. Psalm 107: 20-21 emphasized that our healing and deliverance come from the word of God and are perfected when we praised him.

Indeed, a lot can be gotten from with less prayers and more thanksgivings. It is our hope and prayer that we shall all cultivate the habit of thanking God at all times and circumstances in our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding me that there is power in thanksgiving. Let your spirit always remind me to thank you in every situation whether good or bad in Jesus name – Amen.