Devotional | The Power of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is the sound of our faith. It is how we glorify God. Being thankful is how we bless the Lord.
‘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.’ Psalms 100:4-5
Thanksgiving is a spiritual law of progress and of faith. What we’re thankful for, we retain and experience an increase. What we’re unthankful for, we lose and experience a decrease.
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.’ Romans 3:27
There is no boasting in ourselves; we are saved by grace through faith. No matter how long we have walked with the Lord, there is always something to be thankful for.
The law of faith is unchangeable and applicable to ALL. Think, for example, of the law of gravity: it is a blessing (holding us onto the planet) until it is disregarded—like jumping off a building. The law applies equally to everyone; it is not personal.
‘For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.’ Romans 1:20-23
They did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful. Therefore, they were unable to retain the knowledge of God and were unable to increase.
What we’re thankful for, we retain and increase. What we’re unthankful for, we lose and decrease.
‘I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.’ Psalms 69:30
God takes up more space (becomes bigger) in our lives through thanksgiving. Thankfulness magnifies the Lord. Unthankfulness magnifies our problems. During a crisis, we can often lose focus and forget to be thankful.
‘As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.’ Colossians 2:6-7
When we abound in thanksgiving, we strengthen our faith. When we’re unthankful, we weaken our faith. Magnifying God through thanksgiving makes Him bigger in our lives and makes our difficulties smaller.
‘In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thankfulness is a discipline. Everything God asks us to do is for our own well-being. Thankfulness keeps our minds and hearts safe.
‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:6-7
God tells us to petition Him with a grateful heart. A grateful heart allows us to retain the knowledge of the Lord and to safeguard our hearts and minds.
We are blessed—no doubt about it—but we have all been known to forget the goodness of God. It is important to come together with other believers to encourage one another and to praise Him regularly. Praise is acknowledging the wonderful acts of God.
We praise God for what He’s done. We worship God for who He is.
‘But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!’ 2 Timothy 3:1-5
We need to be thankful, and we need to encourage our friends when they’re unthankful to stop and make a heart adjustment.
When the bottom falls out, the first thing to do is magnify God. He’s bigger than the problem. Thankfulness gets our focus in the right place—off the problem and on the One who is the solution.
The list of things we can thank God for is endless. Start by being thankful for the cross, for Jesus and His resurrection, for the forgiveness of our sins, then move on from there.
Brother Duane has taught in depth about thanksgiving on his broadcast, which you can watch on our website, app, YouTube, or on TV. Tune in to hear about the law of thanksgiving.
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