The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV

Hi. I’m just here to share with you, a little something that I learnt concerning thanksgiving. No, not the thanksgiving dinner. I’d love to try the thanksgiving turkey this year. It is to die for. But anyway, lest I digress, the topic is about thanksgiving to God. Though I believe the national thanksgiving holiday event held in Canada, United States and a few countries along the way, was founded on the same principle – giving thanks to God. Let me begin:

First, it is an offering that is given to God. Just sneak a peek, once again, at the opening verse. We are expected to give thanks.

Secondly, this offering of thanksgiving is not meager. It’s not something that of less value to God. He doesn’t simply wave it off as a mere string of words put together. Thanksgiving is one of His most cherished offerings. It’s like giving me a PS4™ console. Just kidding. Probably.

From our opening scripture, we are obligated to give thanks to God in everything that we do or encounter; of whatever sort it is. In doing this we are fulfilling the will of God.

In support of this truth, Ephesians 5:20 says,

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

Giving God thanks should be performed always and for all things. Many fail to perform this as they should because they feel God deserves thanks when something spectacular and seemingly impossible happens. One examplary case is when you miraculously escape life- threatening dangers with dim chances of survival. We are expected to give thanks for all things. Everything little thing about you is important to your Heavenly Father.

Do you remember those kind of sacrifices that were being offered to God by the Israelite folks, under the old covenant? Sheep, goats, doves, grain, offered as sin offerings, burnt offerings etc.? Thanksgiving is like that in this wonderful new covenant that you and I are a part of.

Thanksgiving is a form of sacrifice offered to God.

Thanksgiving is a form of sacrifice that we are obligated to offer unto the Lord. One of the best things a believer can offer to God, is thanks. It says here in the Book of Psalms that:

“…For it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord.”

Psalm 92:1

Another important thing. Thanksgiving, when offered unto the Lord, can cause His Hand to deliver you from great perils.

This is seen in the life of Jonah when he prayed unto the Lord. Let’s sneak a peek.

“But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.’

So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”

Jonah 2:9-10 NKJV

When Jonah offered the sacrifice of thanksgiving as a dessert to his prayer, he was delivered from the belly of the fish.

Another example is the account of the deliverance of Paul and Silas in prison:

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”

(Acts 16:25, KJV)

Paul and Silas prayed, and like Jonah, offered the sacrifice of thanksgiving by singing praises unto God. What has singing praises have to do with thanksgiving?

Hebrews 13:15 says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

This sacrifice provoked the hand of God so mightily that he brought forth a great earthquake that shook the very foundations of the prison, such that the chains of every single prisoner were loosed. Hallelujah! Isn’t that wonderful?

Do not underestimate the power of thanksgiving.

Giving of thanks always is another way by which a believer can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Here’s what the Bible says:

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, GIVING THANKS ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

(Ephesians 5:18-20).

For a believer, being filled with the Spirit is meant to be a daily experience. One easy way to do that is by consistently giving thanks to God.

The last benefit of this wonderful sacrifice of thanksgiving, that I want to share with you, is that of the miraculous. If you want to walk in the realm of the miraculous, habitual thanksgiving unto your Heavenly Father is a great key. Jesus is our perfect role model. He offered thanks to the Father when he broke the five loaves of bread to feed over five thousand people.

“And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.”

‭‭John‬ ‭6:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Most of us know how the story ends. This sacrifice of thanksgiving initiated a wonderful miracle. Five loaves of barley bread and two fish supernaturally multiplied to feed over five thousand people. The people were fully satisfied and twelve baskets of leftover food remained.

There was another historic instance where Jesus raised a friend called Lazarus, from the Dead. He used this same technique-offered thanks to the Father.

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.

And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.””

‭‭John‬ ‭11:41-44‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I guess this story pretty much covers all that I got to say. Thanksgiving is a wonderful assert.
Conclusion

Let me recap on some of the cool benefits of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a wonderful key. It’s like a spiritual catalyst that speeds up lots of activities in the supernatural realm. It’s initiates and greatly speeds up:

Deliverance from perils.
Continual infilling of the Holy Ghost in your body and life.
Miracles.

The sacrifice of thanksgiving is never to be considered too meager for God. If they were, He wouldn’t have asked for them to be offered to Him always. They are very pleasing to Him – a sweet soothing aroma that moves His mighty hand for your benefit.
The best part is, thanksgiving is completely free. All you need to do is just do it. Say it with me.
“Thank you Father.”
Let this act be a habitual lifestyle. In the good times, and especially in the bad times – that’s when you’ll get to experience the mind blowing works of God in your life.

I await your testimony. Shalom!!!

Uche Okorie.