Thanksgiving Activates Faith - Part 2

“Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.” (Ps. 67:5-6)

Praise creates an atmosphere of thanksgiving and expectancy, gratitude and grace. Praise is the environment for increase and blessing! It is interesting that the potential of “increase” in the earth and blessing in our lives is dependent upon our recognition of God’s goodness!

So much of our present and our future is a reflection of our attitude and outlook on life. Two people facing the same set of circumstances can have two entirely different attitudes and experience two entirely different results.

When our hearts are filled with thanksgiving and praise and we magnify the Lord, there are spiritual forces at work on our behalf. In the same way, the complaining heart and critical spirit will miss out on this blessing.

God’s delivering power is released through the praises of those who trust Him. The attitude of thanksgiving, expectancy, and hope is a major force in shaping our futures. The moment our expectancy is diminished and our hearts begin to “see” a negative outcome, we lose the power to bring change. Our futures are in our hearts. God’s blessings and increase are released in the lives of the thankful.

A thankful heart is one that is flowing in the grace of God and is not shaped by the corruption that is in the world. Many hearts are negative toward just about everything. It is an approach to life that may recognize God’s goodness on a theological level, but on a practical level life is lived from our own strength, our own logic, and our own resources. Of course, our strength, logic, and resources will never be enough, and the negative attitude begins to grow.

Rather than a default setting of praise and thanksgiving in our hearts, there is a fundamental approach to life as a victim. Unknowingly, we are shutting off God’s provision by ignoring His vision for our lives. We have chosen to see the issues around us as more powerful than the God who lives in us. Rather than praising God for His goodness, we begin to exalt the circumstances through complaining and fear. Rather than receiving His grace and provision by faith, we begin to contemplate hardship and loss.

“And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and GAVE THANKS, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.” (Mk. 8:6)

Jesus gave thanks for what He had. He praised God for what appeared to be a serious lack. But His attitude of thankfulness brought increase. When we give thanks and praise God for every blessing, the power of multiplication is loosed over our lives.

Jesus gave thanks for what He had. Rather than complaining about the obvious lack, He was thankful. Thankfulness is a prosperous attitude. Thankfulness is faith in action. A thankful lifestyle and attitude is the first key in turning a life of lack into a life of abundance.

Jesus blessed what He had. Far too often we are guilty of cursing our lack, cursing our possessions, our boss, our job, our car, our bills, etc. We must learn the power of blessing. Words are the most powerful force in existence! Bless what you have. Speak life over yourself, your resources and your future. It is a key to abundance.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Eph. 3:20)