What does it mean to be thankful?
A feeling or expression of gratitude.
Being appreciative.
Being grateful.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – in everything give thanks for this is the will of God.
(Is it possible to thank the Lord in bad times? Job did.
i.e. – God wants us to thank Him (God initiates).
Psalm 92:1 – It is good to give thanks to the Lord.
Psalm 95:2 – Let us come to him with Thanksgiving.
Psalm 100: 4 – Enter his gates with Thanksgiving.
Meaning before you go inside someone’s house you must pass through the gate
otherwise you cannot see or get audience with the person.
Psalm 50:14(a) – Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God. What does it mean to
sacrifice?
Sacrifice is surrendering a possession (something worthy to you) as an offering to
a deity e.g. Christ’s offering of himself in the crucifixion).
Psalm 50:23 – God tells us that “giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me”.
- When you do, God will reveal to you his salvation. i.e. God will reveal ways
unto us to how to be saved from destruction, enemies, sickness, ways of
promotion, salvation from death and so on. - Revelation comes from thanksgiving. Once you know what to do, your
problem is solved.
Ephesians 5:20 – “Give thanks to God for everything through Jesus.”
Colossians 3:15(b) – And always be thankful.
Thanking God always:
- 2 Samuel 22:49-50 .
- 1 Chronicles 16:18- Give thanks.
- Psalms 136:1-3 – Give thanks for his mercies endureth forever.
- 1 Corinthians 15:57 – Thanks be to God who gives us victory.
- 2 Corinthians 2:14 – “Thanks be to God who causes us to triumph.
- Bible admonishes us to keep a thankful attitude in prayer, whether we see
what we want or not.
Philippians 4:6
Colossians 4:2 – Continue in prayer with thanksgiving. - Remember, I said in the beginning that thanksgiving is a door opener and
this is used by different people in the bible, let’s look at who and who used it
as a weapon.
1) Jesus used it as the death of Lazarus John 11:41. Father thank you for
hearing me, was Lazarus raised to live before Jesus thanked God? No, he
thanked God before the miracle or answer to prayer came. Thanks made the
impossible possible.
2) Jehoshaphat used it in 2 Chronicles 20:21(b) – give thanks to the Lord, his
faithful love endures forever vs 22 “when they began to sing, God moved.
– i.e. God did not move until they began to sing and gave Him praise.
- The Question is, what do we do when we are confronted with issues of life,
enemies, sickness, do we murmur or complain. - Job in his sorry state refused to curse God – Job 2:9–10
3) Joshua 6 – talks about the walls of Jericho coming down.
- We must cultivate a habit of thankfulness for us to get what we want, like
daddy says, if prayers is not doing it, try thanks and praises to God.
Written by: Yetunde Oriolowo