Sermon Notes

THANKSGIVING AND MIRACLES - Sunday – 10^th December, 2023

Overview

1. Introduction – thankfulness and miracles
2. Thankfulness – a gateway to the glory of God
3. Thanking God for everything in the name of Jesus Christ
4. Thanksgiving releases miracles
5. Thanksgiving releases blessings
6. Giving thanks sacrificially
7. Giving thanks out of an intimate relationship with God
8. Conclusion

Introduction – thankfulness and miracles

For most people, there are two types of thanksgiving. One is more of a demanding phase in which we ask God for a blessing so that we can express our gratitude. The other approach is to please God by offering our gratitude and negotiating a miracle in exchange for our offering. The Bible does not teach us in this manner, especially in the New Covenant where thanksgiving is an integral part of our growth in Lord Jesus Christ, rather than it being a stand-alone act. If we are growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit in us will release thankfulness into our hearts, thereby enabling us to have an attitude of gratitude. And this attitude of gratitude will make the glory of God visible in our lives.

Thankfulness – a gateway to receiving the glory of God

The glory of God is the beautiful union of our spirit with the Holy Spirit.

“…that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:…”

John 17:21-22 (NKJV)

According to the gospel of John chapter 2, the disciples declared that they "beheld the glory of God" when the miracle of water turning into wine was manifested. The miracle was released and declared glorious because of the union of the Spirit of God within Jesus' human nature. Again in John chapter 17, we find Jesus praying for our union with Him and for God's glory to be seen in us as much as in Him. This shows that when the Spirit of Jesus and the spirit of man comes in union with the Spirit of Abba Father, it releases the fullness, and the beauty of God Himself. This is not a physical beauty but a beauty that manifests in the spirit realm.

The beauty of Lord Jesus Christ is revealed when our spirit and the Holy Spirit is in union, and this is known as "The Glory" of God.

Thanking God for everything in the name of Jesus Christ

“…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Ephesians 5:20 (NKJV)

As our prayers are always offered in the name of Jesus Christ, the Word of God exhorts us to give thanks to the Father in the name of Jesus. Usually, when we are given a task to complete in someone else's name, it indicates that the person had to complete it; however, at this point, the task is entirely our responsibility to complete. The church now bears the responsibility, just as it did in the glorious union of Jesus and Abba Father, where Jesus thanked the Father for everything. Once we understand the secret of thankfulness, we can live as Jesus lived during his earthly ministry.

Thanksgiving releases miracles

There are numerous instances in the Bible of Jesus thanking the Father and releasing miracles.

So, they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.”

John 11:41-42 (NLT)

Here, we witness Jesus giving thanks to Father God in a very special way before working a powerful miracle. Jesus thanked God in advance for hearing His prayer. And this response of Jesus brought life into a dead man, thereby paving a way for a great revival in the land of Bethany. Jesus wants the church to give thanks in the same manner and perform miracles, which will lead to a significant move of God in the nation.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)

The deeds of salvation are already done by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The Word of God exhorts the church to offer thanks in advance and perform acts of faith. This attitude of thanksgiving will release miracles into our lives.

So, He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.

Mark 8:6 (NKJV)

The second instance when Jesus thanked God in advance and performed a miracle is when He fed four thousand people with seven loaves and few fishes. In the normal order, Jesus should have taken the bread, broken it, and distributed it to everyone, and thanked the Father later for the miracle. However, Jesus did not follow the normal order.

He took the bread, gave thanks to God the Father and offered thanksgiving in the name of the Father which released open heavens, glory, and miracles. When Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it, it multiplied—giving thanks in advance was the key to the multiplication. Expressing gratitude amidst the brokenness in our lives will multiply the glory of God in our lives and this releases miracles.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

The Bible instructs us to just give thanks to God and pray, without worrying about anything else. What sets us apart from the average person is that we are grateful not just in prosperous times but also in difficult times, such as when we are ill, lonely, depressed, or discouraged. We are grateful even when others are demeaning to us. Thankfulness releases the beauty of God in our life.

Thanksgiving releases Blessings

They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. So, they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. Now those who had eaten were about four thousand.

Mark 8:7-9 (NKJV)

Jesus thanked for the few foods He had in His hand which multiplied and became a blessing to many people. The amazing thing about this miracle is that they managed to take seven sizable baskets full of leftovers.

Developing a habit of gratitude allows blessings to flow into our lives and the lives of others around us. Furthermore, blessings will be heaped upon us so that there will be plenty left over for later. God has the ability to send individuals into our lives who will speak into our lives or stand by us. Thus, God's glory will be manifested and miracles will be released.

Giving Thanks Sacrificially

“He who offers a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way rightly [who follows the way that I show him], I shall show the salvation of God.”

Psalms 50:23 (AMP)

The Bible asks us to sacrificially offer thanks. Offering thanks sacrificially means to perform something beforehand – it can be in any area of our life. Tithing in the Lord’s house is a sacrifice of thanksgiving. When we examine the miracle of feeding the five thousand, we see that the little boy performed a sacrificial act by giving whatever little he had, anticipating a greater miracle. Truly, it happened so, they received 12 baskets full of blessings. Offering sacrificial gratitude is essential, for whatever we offer to God, it will be accepted, paving the way for greater blessings in our lives.

Giving Thanks out of an Intimate Relationship with God

You are my God, and I give thanks to You; [You are] my God, I extol You. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.

Psalm 118:28-29 (AMP)

Thanksgiving is an act that evolves from personal intimacy with God. The Word says, ‘You are my God and I will give thanks to You. A person who is in an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, and having a heart full of gratitude will be able to truly worship God in spirit and in truth. Having a murmuring and resentful heart prevents one from being thankful, which can prevent our miracles.

Concluding Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Today we understand that thanksgiving is the secret to receive miracles into our lives and we accept a heart of gratitude that will help us to be in an intimate relationship with you, which will release Your Glory into our lives. We love you and we praise you.

In Jesus’ name

Amen