DAY 4/9 UNCOMMON PRAISE, UNCOMMON WHOLENESS
● In Philippians 4:6-7, the Bible says ...
● Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
● From this text, it appears clearly that thanksgiving is the cure to anxiety, depression, worry and all kind of negative feelings and emotions.
WHAT IS THANKSGIVING?
● DEFINITION 1- It is acknowledging with all humility that it is God at work behind the happenings in our lives. Not our skills.
● There is danger in the pride of accomplishment.
● Anywhere and anytime in the Bible men bragged or boasted over their accomplishment, the sentence of divine judgment always follows after.
● Failing to give God thanks attracts divine judgment and can cause physical death. God forbid!
Case 1 | Nebuchadnezzar
● Daniel 4:29 At the end of twelve months Nebuchadnezzar walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
● Daniel 4:30 The king spoke and said, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?"
● Daniel 4:31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, "O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from thee.
● Daniel 4:32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen. And seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will."
● Daniel 4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
● Dan 4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
● Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
● Dan 4:36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
● Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Case 2 | Herod
● Acts 12:21 The appointed day came. Herod, wearing his royal clothes, sat on his throne and began making a speech to them.
● Acts 12:22 The people started shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
● Acts 12:23 Immediately, an angel from the Lord killed Herod for not giving glory to God. Herod was eaten by maggots, and he died.
Take note of the 3 following lessons from the texts above ...
● Lesson 1- Thanksgiving keeps the heart grateful and guarantees the continuation of marvelous things in your life.
● Anything marvelous in your life is the Lord's doing not your doing. If you want it to continue to happen in your life, always give thanks to Him for it !
● Psalms 118:23 This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
● 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
● Lesson 2- Thanksgiving keeps the heart humble and secures the preservation of God's blessing in your life.
● Failing to give thanks to God for his doing is a sign of pride and pride comes before destruction. If you don't want to see the destruction of your life, always give thanks!
● Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
● Lesson 3- Thanksgiving keeps the heart pure and moves life from glory to glory not from glory to shame
● Not giving God thanks is a sin. As a matter of fact, if you don't give God thanks, He will turn your glory into shame. Never ever appropriate results to yourself, or you will lose it.
● Hosea 4:7 "As they were increased, so they sinned against Me; therefore will I change their glory into shame.
DEFINITION 2 - Thanksgiving is an attitude of appreciation and gratitude to God for something received from Him, for what He has done and for what He will do.
● First of all, take note that anything you don't appreciate will depreciate. Meaning, anytime you don't give thanks, you depreciate both the giver and the gift. Result? You will lose it.
Case 1 | Esau depreciated (despised) the gift of birthright. He lost it forever.
● Genesis 25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
● Hebrews 12:16 Make sure that no one commits sexual sin or is as concerned about earthly things as Esau was. He sold his rights as the firstborn son for a single meal.
● Hebrews 12:17 You know that afterwards, when he wanted to receive the blessing that the firstborn son was to receive, he was rejected. Even though he begged and cried for the blessing, he couldn’t do anything to change what had happened.
● Have you ever given someone a gift and not received thanks for it? Have you ever felt unappreciated by people? If so, how did it make you feel? Probably not very good.
● Secondly, take note that appreciation is application for more.
● The more you appreciate the giver, the more you apply to receive more from him.
Case 2 | The 9 lepers
● After 10 lepers were healed, only one came back to express his gratitude while 9 disappeared.
● In Luke 17:17, Jesus asks wondering with indignation, "Where [are] the nine?"
● JESUS IS ASKING TODAY : "AFTER YOU GOT THE HEALING, THE BREAKTHROUGH, THE MARRIAGE, THE JOB, WHERE DO YOU GO? NOW, WHERE ARE YOU?
● IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, I CURSE ANY ROOT OF UNGRATEFULNESS IN OUR MIDST!
HOW TO GIVE THANKS
1- Return to the source
● Luke 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, TURNED BACK, and with a loud voice glorified God,
● Luke 17:15 Mmoja wao alipoona kwamba ameponywa alirudi akimtukuza Mungu kwa sauti kubwa.
2- Raise your voice in praise and thanksgiving
● Luke 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, TURNED BACK, and with a loud voice glorified God,
3- Raise an offering of thanksgiving as a token of testimony
● Psalms 96:8 Give to the LORD the glory due to his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
● Psalms 107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
● Psalms 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
● Luke 5:14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
CONCLUSION
● All the other lepers got healed, but only the one who returned to give thanks was made whole.
● Luke 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
The 9 got cleansed...
● Luke 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
● The one who came back to give thanks got made whole.
● Luke 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
● Remember what happened to Nebucadnetsar. He was made whole
● Dan 4:36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
1- My reason returned unto me;
2- The glory of his kingdom returned unto me
3- The honour and brightness returned unto me;
4- My counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and
5- I was established in my kingdom, and
6- Excellent majesty was added unto me.
THAT IS UNCOMMON WHOLENESS
✍🏽Pastor TD Kasuku
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