alt: Joel Osteen preaching about the importance of gratitude in faith.
We all yearn for something: a dream fulfilled, a loving relationship, restored health. We pray, we believe, we stand firm in our faith, yet sometimes the promise remains unseen. We may find ourselves persistently pleading with God, “God, you must turn this around! Please heal my child! Grant me this breakthrough!” But there’s a profound shift in perspective that unlocks the power of prayer: thanking God before the promise manifests.
Shifting from Asking to Thanking
Once we’ve prayed, the constant pleading can be replaced with gratitude. Instead of, “God, I’m battling this illness, please heal me,” we can declare, “Lord, I thank you that I am healed.” Instead of beseeching, “God, please guide my child,” we can affirm, “Lord, I thank you that my children are fulfilling their destiny.” This shift in mindset moves us from a place of begging to a place of believing. Continual pleading can subtly imply doubt, as if we’re trying to convince God. Thanking, however, expresses trust: “God, I know you are faithful to your word. I know your promises for my life will come to pass.”
Mark 11:24 tells us, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Believe the miracle is in motion, even unseen. Angels are dispatched, carrying your healing, breakthrough, and freedom. If we receive when we believe, if we already possess it by faith, then the asking transforms into thanking.
The Power of Thanksgiving: A Biblical Example
A woman in the Bible approached Jesus, begging him to heal her daughter. Initially, Jesus seemed to ignore her. Yet, when she shifted from begging to worship, thanking and praising him, Jesus healed her daughter. What begging couldn’t achieve, thanksgiving did. Don’t be a beggar; be a believer. Pray, believe it’s done, and thank God it’s on its way. Embrace your worthiness as a child of the Most High.
Philippians 4:6 instructs us to “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Thanksgiving is the release of faith. Instead of pleading with God about financial struggles, find scriptural promises and thank God for them. “Father, I thank you that I will lend and not borrow. I thank you that no good thing will you withhold from me.”
alt: A young girl praying, demonstrating the power of faith and gratitude.
Cultivating a Lifestyle of Gratitude
Begin each day with prayer and thanksgiving. Focus not just on requests, but on gratitude for what God has done and promised. This cultivates an attitude of faith and expectancy. When worry creeps in, counter it with, “Father, thank you that it’s on the way.”
Abraham and Sarah’s story exemplifies this. God promised them a child despite their advanced age. Years passed with no sign, yet Abraham remained strong by giving praise to God (Romans 4:20). He thanked God for the promised descendants, numerous as the stars. This unwavering gratitude sustained his faith until the promise manifested.
Turning Worry into Worship
When doubts arise, turn worry into worship. “Father, thank you that what you started in my life, you will finish. Thank you that my latter days will be better than my former days.” This is how Abraham stayed strong: he thanked God before he saw the promise. And Sarah, at 90, gave birth to Isaac.
alt: Abraham and Sarah, illustrating faith and patience in waiting for God’s promises.
Like Abraham, thank God before you see the promise. This activates faith. God honors those who praise Him in the face of challenges. He works miracles when we believe and give thanks.
God’s Unfailing Promises
God’s promises are “yes and amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). He will never let you down. There will be waiting periods, but all we need is the promise from the God who created the universe. Trust Him. “God, I trust you. I don’t have to see it to believe it. Lord, I thank you that what you promised is on the way.”
Luke 12:32 assures us, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” He wants to bless you. Embrace a heart of gratitude, and watch His favor unfold.
Thanksgiving in Every Circumstance
Even with a challenging medical report, pray for healing and then shift to thanksgiving. “Lord, I thank you that I am healed. Thank you that you’ve restored health to me.”
If battling addiction, pray for freedom, then declare, “Father, thank you that I am free. Thank you that I am whole.”
My mother exemplified this when diagnosed with terminal cancer. After praying for healing, she never asked again. She constantly thanked God for her healing, declaring wellness despite her physical condition. Forty-two years later, she is still thriving.
alt: A woman in prayer, demonstrating the act of thanking God for unseen blessings.
Complaining doesn’t attract God’s attention; faith does. Shift your perspective. “God, I face these challenges, but I thank you that you are fighting my battles. Thank you that you are turning what’s meant for harm to my advantage.”
James 1:5-7 warns against worrying prayers. Pray from a place of victory, aligning with God’s promises. When facing giants, magnify God like David. “Father, I thank you that you are the Great I Am, the Creator of the universe. Nothing can stand against you.” The bigger we make God, the smaller our problems become.
Jonah’s story reminds us to praise even in the belly of the whale. His shift from complaining to thanksgiving activated God’s power, leading to his deliverance. Likewise, thank God in the midst of challenges. “God, I thank you that things are changing in my favor. I’m not moved by what I see, I’m moved by what you promised.”
Don’t wait for the change to thank God; thank Him in advance. This is the release of faith. Believe what God has promised. Take Him at His word. As you thank God, you will experience supernatural strength, enabling you to receive the promise. Giants will fall, doors will open, healing will flow, and your destiny will unfold.
