My husband Jack says that every time he is filled with the spirit, which is often, he feels a great release of a spiritual force called Thanksgiving. It wells up as a spring within and on occasion becomes a veritable River of Blessing from within. Jesus said, "Out of your belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water." One of the major streams of this River is Thanksgiving.
The Scripture is clear that the spiritual force of thanksgiving provided a powerful breakthrough experience for the people of God who were expressing this wonderful gift of the Spirit of God. In a mighty battle in 2 Chronicles 20 the enemies of Jephoshaphat (Ammonites, Moabites, and Meunites) came against God's people, including wives and children. At this time the Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel, a youth, who said,
"…this battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf." (vs 17)
They appointed SINGERS who went to the front lines of imminent war and were ONLY to use these obviously powerful words, singing them as weapons:
"Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever."
As they began to Thank God THE lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moab, and Mount Seir so that they began to attack each other. Just thanking God sent total confusion into the camp of the enemies of God's people. Are you aware of the spiritual force the word Thanks is? It reverberates all through the kingdom of darkness as thunder bringing the enemy powers to naught. It is so powerful, the lack of thanks to God keep people in hell (Rom 1:21).
Today in America we are faced with a terrorist enemy that has determined to destroy us, our families, our children. We thank God for our troops who are in danger's way for us, and are defending our way of life. But also, thank God for the weapons of our WARFARE that are MIGHTY to the tearing down of Strongholds right here on the home front. Thanksgiving is a wonderful SPIRITUAL WEAPON that when wielded with High Praise to our Lord destroys enemy encampments in our souls. Fear is ambushed, and Anxiety is set to confusion; Unbelief and Uncertainty attack themselves. These strongholds come tumbling down, and God's people are brought to FREEDOM again! This means ENDURING FREEDOM right here for right now. This also is the best way to do our part at home in this war with terror.
Lord give us a Thankful Heart as a means of healing, and as a powerful grace for spiritual breakthrough. Thanksgiving is the GATE to God's PRESENCE and it is in that PRESENCE that we are healed. Release us from our self absorption and put us over into YOUR PRESENCE. Let Thanksgiving well up and become a River of Blessing and of Praises to your Holy Name. You have death with us so wondrously, how could we refrain from the greatest chorus of Thanks. I believe God thirsts to hear our Gratitude, not because He needs it, but because it so blesses Him to see His child released from spiritual bondage and from a forgetful presumptuous distance that is blind to His steadfast and enduring love.
