Thanks is a key that unlocks tremendous blessings.
Preached by Apostle Aje Pelser
Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town
Here follows some Biblical examples where the key of thanks unlocks eternal blessings.
1. Thanks unlocks the target of our prayers
2. Thanks unlocks the 10 percent or the miraculous
3. Thanks unlocks new revelations of our identity
4. Thanks unlocks our testimony and helps us overcome
5. Hanks in advance unlocks our faith future
6. Thanks for Jesus’ work on the cross brings us together
7. Thanks for suffering for His name unlocks greater glory and purpose
8. Thanks unlocks more of Jesus for people to see!
1. Thanks unlocks the target of our prayers
We are taught by apostle Paul to stop worrying about everything and start praying and making petitions to God, with thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6. IN addition this form of prayerful ‘thanks’ unlocks the peace that passes our understanding.
Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Php 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The word for thanksgiving here is the Greek word: G2169 ‘eucharistia’
From G2170; and it infers: ‘gratitude; actually grateful language to God, as an act of worship.’
2. Thanks unlocks the miraculous for all nations.
The leper that was cleansed and gave thanks to Jesus, was a Samaritan. The others were presumably Jews who went to the priest and were pronounced cleansed. This fulfilled the law but did not show gratitude to the source of healing. By saying thanks this man sealed his healing and unlocked the Gospel for his Samaritan nation, who were at enmity with the Jews at the time.
Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
3. Thanks unlocks new revelations of our identity
Phm 1:4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,
Phm 1:5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
Phm 1:6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Phm 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
4. Thanks unlocks our testimony and helps us overcome
One way to give thanks to God is through your testimony. But we can also use that form of thanks to unlock our victory and continually overcome, every time we tell our Gospel story to anyone.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
5. Thanks in advance unlocks our faith future
Prophet Nola has taught us on the Hebrew Praise Words that exhibit giving of thanks in a thankful expression of praise – physically.
One is the throwing out of the hands:
“Yadah: to worship with extended hands, to throw out the hands, to give thanks and worship to God, to confess=. (Yad means hand)”
The other includes faith for the future:
“Todah: to extend the hands in a sacrifice of praise, or thank offering, It’s a confession of thankful praise inferring sacrifice. Used only a few times when in connection with thanksgiving.”
6. Thanks for Jesus’ work on the cross brings us together
1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
7. Thanks for suffering for His name unlocks greater glory and purpose
Act 5:41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Col_1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
1Pe_4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
Luk 22:28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.
Luk 22:29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me,
Luk 22:30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
Jas 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
8. Thanks for God’s Love unlocks more of Jesus for people to see!
1Jn 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.