Tactical Thanksgiving
Do you find it hard to be thankful? Does victory against the enemy feel impossible? Then join us below as we uncover the power of praise and thanksgiving when waging war against the enemy!
Battle with Thanksgiving
John 10:10 speaks a well-worn truth, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” This should not cause us to be fearful, but instead forewarn us that the enemy is on the prowl. Moreover, John 10:10 continues, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Our Lord and Savior has ALREADY won against the enemy! Yes, the enemy may try to attack, but the victory of our God is assured… we have every cause to be thankful!
Unfortunately, we often fail to see this truth. We find ourselves in conditions that we do not consider to be ideal and think that our lives are falling apart. There is more to our story than a season of trials and tribulations. God is an expert at turning what the enemy means for evil into good. He sees the whole picture…
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”—1 Peter 5:8
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”—James 1:2-4
Remember Joseph? He grew up loved by his parents; protected, gifted, and cherished. But he spoke out of season and his brothers sold him into slavery. Yet, this very act allowed the dreams of Joseph to ultimately be realized! However, 13 years of slavery, servanthood, and imprisonment had to be walked out before Joseph could see the fulfillment of God’s plan. Something in Joseph had to be refined, and it took trials and tribulations of a severe kind to achieve it…
“…‘I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.’”—Genesis 45:4-8
When we read the Word of God, we discover that often those who have the greatest calls face the most resistance from the enemy. This is not a truth meant to instill fear, but awareness, that we might be armed. Prepared for the battles to come.
The Blood of Jesus, His Heavenly Hosts, His Word, and all of our God serves as mighty weapons of war!
Additionally, there are weapons of love, of hope, of faith… but still another remains…
The weapon of thanksgiving, and its partner, praise.
Our Tactical Advantage
We know that our only chance at victory against the enemy lies solely in God. Only He has the power and ability to win not only battle after battle, but the entire war!
When we consider this truth, that God is ultimately the source of our victory, there is a rising of our faith. Yet, it can also cause us to question our own role. After all, since God already has the victory, what good do our acts of thanksgiving or praise do? Why do they matter?
They matter because God loves us. Because He has given us a free-will where we can choose to be thankful and full of praise as He desires or not. He made us in His image and granted us the ability to speak, to create not only with our hands, but also with our mouths…
When God speaks a thing, it is done (see Isaiah 55:11 and Numbers 23:19). His words are truth and life (see Revelation 21:5). He gave us a precious aspect of Himself by granting us speech. And this is why thanksgiving and praise hold so much power. Because, even though we do not possess the power of God, the words we speak release more than we understand…
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”—Proverbs 18:21
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”—Matthew 12:37
“So Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’”—Matthew 17:20
Our words have the power to bring life or death. To sound in alignment with God and His perfect will, or with the enemy…
Take Responsibility for Your Words and Walk with Praise and Thanksgiving
Our words need to be supplemented with responsibility because each hold consequences. This knowledge is sobering, awakening us to the power of the spoken word, but it need not be debilitating… Holy Spirit within us alerts us to what we should speak into the atmosphere. This allows us to do what Jesus did, speaking nothing unless our Father desires it (see John 8:38). Additionally, we have been granted God’s Word, which tells us what we ought to think and speak on… preparing us for victory!
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night, on an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound. For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.”—Psalm 92:1-4
David was hand-picked by God to serve Him and be king over His children. Even in the fields and hills as he herded alone, David praised the Lord. He played music to God, even before He told him the marvelous plans that He had for him…
“But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.”—Psalm 92:10
When we praise and thank God in ALL circumstances—even when the season has us hidden or battling trials and tribulations—we are being faithful. We are telling God and all the spiritual powers that we trust in God and God alone. That even if God’s promises for us stand beyond our gaze, we will praise Him with thanksgiving… we will have faith!
David’s story did not end with praising God as he herded sheep. No. Next, he would face Goliath. He would again behave and speak from a place of faith. When those around him doubted the ability of any to defeat Goliath, David understood that God held the power which could be activated by faith. David spoke out the promise and then acted upon that to defeat Goliath. By speaking the unseen into the atmosphere David was walking in faith…
This is connected with thanksgiving. When we thank the Lord for the promises we know He will fulfill… when we thank Him for the things that He has done… when we proclaim the marvelous deeds of God; past, present, and future… our faith grows! The enemy, no matter if it is a Goliath or not, cannot withstand such words. The enemy cannot withstand our praises and thanksgiving to God, for they proclaim the truth of who God is and the wonder and majesty of His plans!
No longer should we give in to the lies of the enemy by speaking things contrary to God. No longer should we complain or whine about the timing or way of God’s perfect plans!
Instead, it is time that we begin to praise God in ALL circumstances! That we thank our God for all of the things that He has, is, and will do! It is time that we operate as a light in dark places, tuning the words of our mouth to the frequency of the Holy Spirit!
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”—Philippians 4:8
Being thankful is a tactical frame of mind which, when put into words, can bring down strongholds. The enemy cannot withstand our praise and thankfulness, because they put our focus on God. They increase OUR faith while serving as a light to dark places. They change our thoughts and outlook to match our Father’s. No longer should we give in to the lies of the enemy, the time has come to walk in thanksgiving!