Jesus lived a life of thanksgiving. He always thanked His Father for what He had and for always hearing Him when He prayed. That was how He released miracles in His life.
In the story of the feeding of the five thousand (see John 6:1–13), Jesus’ attitude was one of thankfulness. He took a little boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish, gave thanks and had them distributed. He gave thanks for the little that was there and the little multiplied. Not only did the people eat as much as they wanted, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers!
So when you see the meager balance in your bank account, thank the Lord for what you have. That’s your “five loaves and two fish.” When you give Him thanks that He is your provider and the source of your supply, in spite of the little you have, your little will become much, with leftovers!
Even when faced with the impossible, the solution was still, “Father, I thank You…” When Jesus stood outside Lazarus’ tomb, and the people took away the stone that was covering the tomb, He did not see the situation as hopeless and impossible. He simply lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” Then, He proceeded to call forth Lazarus, and the man came forth alive once more!
The raising of Lazarus, who had been dead for more than four days, was one of Jesus’ greatest miracles. And He accomplished this by saying, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” He thanked His way to an awesome miracle.
My friend, the next time you find yourself praying, “God, please do this for me! Please give me...” stop! Instead, say, “Thank You God, for hearing me. And because You have heard me, I thank You that I have what I asked for.” And when you thank God, the little that you have will multiply. Your impossible situations will turn around to reflect God’s provision. And resurrection life will hit you!
"I'M HERE TO TELL YOU" EDITOR'S NOTE
It seems we are back talking about confidence again. When you pray to God Almighty, it helps if you understand your standing before an all holy God. Do you even have the right to petition the Almighty? Who are we that we can even approach the throne of heaven with a request. Well, if you believe what Jesus did for you at the cross and if you have put your faith in Him and His redemptive work, then you have every right to ask God for anything. You can ask with confidence, knowing that He loves you, hears you, wants the best for you and has already provided for you all you need since the beginning of time. The power we have through Jesus is awesome. Knowing that power is real in our lives gives us ultimate confidence. Today, boldly ask God for anything your little heart desires. He already knows what you want. He already knows what you need, but He loves when you act like you know you belong to Him and show Him the faith that He has given you in the first place.
