The purpose and the force of Thanksgiving

Thanks giving is the mystery of the ministry of God that if full of wonders for every child of God.

It is important to note that God answers prayers of thanksgiving faster than prayers of supplication. When we are thanking god, God is seeking us.

Everything else in a service done is to make us better people, the preaching and the sermons but when we offer thanksgiving, is only God that is glorified.

In Acts 16:25 – Silas prayed and nothing was happening and when they started thanking, God intervened. When we do thanksgiving, we remind indirectly God to do the other that is not done for him to do.

In Luke 17:15 – The lepers that were healed by Jesus, it is only one leper that returned to thank God, He know that gratitude was more important instead of doing the religious practices

He glorified God with a loud voice – for everyone to health his thanksgiving. When it’s time for thanksgiving, then its warfare, they lower the voice. As believers, we need to make our gratitude loud and clear.

In Matthew 14 – when Jesus took the five loaves of bread and two fishes, He looked up in the heavens and gave thanks. Ingratitude is when you fail to thank God because your current loaf of bread is not enough for your action. In your own senses, what he has given is not enough.

Readings

• Deuteronomy 29:1-6
• Psalm 103:1-5
• Psalms 92:1-2

Key notes about thanksgiving

1. If God was not ashamed to show mercy publicly, then we should not be ashamed To go public with your gratitude
2. If you were not proud of your challenges, then publically, you certainly should be excited thanking the God who took it away.
3. We should be grateful to God for the things he has done and the things that are not yet done
4. We should be grateful that our challenges are receiving divine attention - God is not deaf and he has heard the cry of his people.
5. Thanks giving of yesterday is what keeps God of the remembrance – is what will move him from what you anticipated.
6. It is not expected of us to hold our gratitude

The purpose of thanksgiving

• To show that God is behind every good thing in our lives – James 1:17: Everyting god thing that you have received is a gift – John 3:27 – No one can received anything unless God gives it from heaven
• To celebrate the wonders of God in our lives – and Don’t forget God’s benefits: The wonders in Psalm 30:1-5 , You rescued, the enemies don’t triumphed over me, you rescued from the pit of hell. We must never undermine the mercies of God – We need to speak the thanksgiving of God.
• To ascribe all the glory to God – the glory of God is poisonous to men. Psalms 34:1-3: Exalt the Lord with me. Rea Psalms 34:4 –6: God delivers us from our fears | Isaiah 43:21 | Isaiah 48:11 and Isaiah 42:8. God is glory sensitive, to tamper with his Glory is to tamper with your life. God has no problems with our expectations as long as we are able to give him his Glory
• To show God’s kindness in our lives – Isaiah 63:7. God is more concerned about us when we are going through the challenges. Read Psalms 105-5.
• When God is appreciated for the present situation, he will be moved to confirm our manifestation - In John 11:1 – when Jesus was raising Lazarous, Jesus started with a thanksgiving – when the matter is tough, the most sensible thing to do is to do thanksgiving. In Daniel 2:25-26, following the decree of King Nebechadenazzuer, they thanked God despite the terrifying situation.
• We give thanks to show that we can see what god is doing – Deut 29:3-5:
• To show that we are not taking what God has done for granted – If God opens the door, no matter how little it maybe, be grateful for what you have
• To show that our wisdom, ability and resources are not responsible for what we are enjoying today – avoid bragging. It is not about your abilities or wisdom, it is about the mercies of God Zechariah 4:6
• To confirm our total dependence on the help and mercy of God for all things
• To conform our faith in the continuous intervention of God in our lives

What are the forces that are activated when we offer thanksgiving to God

• Thanksgiving is the will of God – and when it is not executed, God is put off. I Thes 5:18, in good or bad seasons, thank God, for it is for God’s will. It might appear that God is not paying attention, but the bible accounts that everything is working together for the good.
• Case of Joseph in Gen 50:20 - God will use your situation for your manifestation. Where thanksgiving is offered, the will of God is executed.
• Thanksgiving guarantees the moving forward in life – It’s the elevator from behind to the front. David was the most thanksgiving personality in the bible. David was always thanking God from the wilderness. Irrespective, nothing stood between him and thanksgiving. Job – always thanked God –we don’t just
• When Thanksgiving is executed, the enemies of your life are decapitated – Psalms 149: 1-7
• God establishes, continuous defeats the enemy in the affairs of our life – Rev 12:11
• Thanksgiving irrigates continuous manifestation – 1 Sam 17: 24-37
• Thanksgiving activates the next phase of divine intervention

The consequences of thanksgiving-less existence

• It’s a big risk to live thanklessness – It can turn your glory into shame. Always come on a thanksgiving mode
• Thanklessness can terminate one’s journey in destiny – Most of the children of Israel didn’t enter the Promised Land, Irrespective of the things that God did for them in the wilderness, they were not gratitude and God got angry and they were not able to enter the Promised Land.

Seven categories of unthankful people

1. They are focused on what is ought to be done and they have lost on what God has done – focused on negativities
2. They always forget the help of God in their lives
3. They always claim to wait for something mega before they can stand out to thank God.
4. Those who are over familiar with God and take his acts for granted: The more familiar we become with God, with church, the pastor, the more unthankful we become. Familiarity breeds content
5. Unthankful people are those who compare themselves with others and fail to see anything good that God has done. – Everyone’s destiny n God has a unique way, therefore don’t compare yourself with anybody.
6. Are those who possess an entitlement mentality – Acts 17:28 – God does not owe us anything. We owe God anything.
7. Are those who over rate personal abilities, resources and wisdom – They believe that whatever they have today is their effort. Your ability, your grades are not enough, until you acknowledge that without God, you will be stranded in life.