TOPIC: THANKING GOD IN ADVANCE
Thanking God is a faith action.
There is no prayer stronger than thanking Him
Human beings only thank when they have received or have it at hand, but faith charges us to be thankful always.
Faith is thanking God in advance.
Living by faith means giving thanks to God in advance because Jesus said believe and you will receive.
It is believing that what God has promised He will do.
Mark 11:24(KJV) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Ps 100:4(MSG) Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.
Psalm. 107:21-22, (TLB) Oh, that these men would praise the Lord for his loving-kindness and for all of his wonderful deeds! 22 Let them tell him thank you as their sacrifice and sing about his glorious deeds.”
There are many reasons to give thanks to God. Didn’t some of your friends and mates die before they came of age Col 1:12 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Lord thank you for thou has heard me. – John 11:41-44(KJV)41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Give Him praise and thanks no matter how tough the battle is .
1 Thess 5:16-18 (MSG)16 Be cheerful no matter what; 17 pray all the time; 18 thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
Hab 3:17-19(KJV)17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
Unto you shall the sacrifices of praise be given – Heb 13:14-16 (NLT)14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Ps 65:1-5 (NIV)Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come. 3 When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. 4 Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. 5 You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,
If you don’t learn the principle of thanking God in advance you won’t have the strength you need to wait for the promises to come.
I am sure somebody like Abraham got up one morning and was tempted to be discouraged. The negative thoughts will say , ‘Abraham you are an old man. Time is against you.’ Abraham dwelled on those thoughts and went about worrying, looking at himself, thinking and saying I am old, but the Lord brought him out and showed him stars on the sky to count, just to prove a point to him.
Gen 15:2-6 (NV)2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars — if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
He began to thank God. The way He stayed in faith day after day, month after month for 24 years is by thanking God in advance.
When you thank God in advance He sustains your spirit with vision. He will also make covenant with you. There is no way He will fail you.
Sometimes begging does not get God’s attention. You speak to him and thank Him.
Heb 11:6(KJV)6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
What begging won’t do, praising God will do.
Don’t be a beggar, be a believer.
Once you pray switch over to thanking Him and believe.
Ex 15:1-9(KJV)Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.2 The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.18 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
