Faith thanks BEFORE it sees the results

Let me tell you about this past Sunday in church.   We saw the heart of God to heal.  As we sang the praises of God and the Truth in the song “Healing is Here", Pastor Scott called the people who needed to receive healing to come down to the altar. He reminded us of the purpose of Christ taking the stripes on His own back to purchase healing for us His people. Pastor encouraged us to believe God & receive what Christ has already purchased.

Sometimes receiving is difficult. Our flesh wants to receive and then believe. Our enemy wants us to doubt and do without. But our Savior tells us to have faith in God (Mark11:22). Faith is what enables us to receive - literally the Greek word means “to lay hold of so as to utilize it”. Healing has already been provided, but we need “to lay hold of it so as to utilize it” in our everyday life, and faith is like the “swipe card” that allows us to access what Christ has already put in our account.

Faith brings God’s provision that we don’t yet “feel” or “see”. Faith IS the evidence of things NOT SEEN (Hebrews 11:2). When Christ was faced with the dilemma of feeding 5,000 men and their families and only “saw” the provision of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, he could have complained to Father God that the need was greater than the provision or that the provision was too small to be the answer to his dilemma. Yet, he didn’t complain. Instead, He did a very faith –filled action …He gave thanks! (John 6:11)

When you give thanks in the face of a seemingly “too big” problem or when looking at a seemingly “too small” remedy, your thankful words are faith- FILLED words also! Your words of thanks ARE words of faith in God! You are not saying what you “see”; you are saying what you “believe”. Oftentimes giving thanks is the way through to the remedy, the way to receive the “more than adequate” provision of your faithful Father!

Faith thanks BEFORE it “sees” the results! Faith thanks BEFORE it “feels” healed. Follow Christ’s example and give thanks BEFORE! Remember, when Christ gave thanks, the multitude was fed and there were 12 baskets of leftovers! Gratitude brings abundant blessings into your life.

Grate-full  =  Faith-full

Don’t forget we have an enemy that is working overtime to belittle what Christ has done on our behalf: the stripes Christ took to heal us, the Blood to remit our sin, grace to forgive all, the LOVE of God given through Christ. Our enemy magnifies the problem and belittles the remedy; and he tries to get you to do the same.  

The way you magnify the problem is by complaining. The way you magnify the remedy is by thanking.  (Ps 69:30)

Use the POWER of giving thanks to subdue & overcome! Giving thanks enables you to receive from your Savior and overcome evil with good - “It is GOOD to give thanks unto the Lord". (Ps92:1)

 Giving thanks utilizes the POWER of faith to receive what Christ has already provided.

Start thanking and you will start receiving! Keep thanking and you will keep on receiving!