What is a Thanksgiving Prayer/Service
A Thanksgiving prayer or service is a heartfelt conversation with God where we pause to recognize His goodness and express our gratitude. It’s not about asking for anything but simply thanking Him for who He is, for all He has done, and for His faithfulness in every season of life.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18: “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Importance of Thanksgiving Prayer
If God never tires of blessing us, we should never get tired of thanking Him. When a family expresses their gratitude to God, they remind Him of things He is yet to do in that family.
We must all realize that the people of the old law never were privileged to commune directly with God as we do in this new covenant, all because of the finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary. “What a privilege we have to carry everything to God in prayer.”
The only way to communicate with God is through prayer, and the greatest gift you could give to a relative is to pray for him/her or, rather, come together as one to pray in thanksgiving to God for past, present, and future blessings he is to bestow upon the family as a whole.
Thanksgiving prayers move God to arise on our matter by raising a standard against the waves of evil oppression. (Daniel 3:13-27) In this very scripture, we saw how God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the snare of Nebuchadnezzar and his cohorts because of their heart of gratitude towards Him.
They were thrown into a wildfire, but not even a smell of smoke was on them, and the fire did not consume them.
Benefits of Unity in Thanksgiving Prayer
Unity in thanksgiving prayer is one of the most powerful methods of warfare. Remember the incident of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9, which portrayed how powerful the people who were in open rebellion against God were.
Even though they acted contrary to His command, God Himself testified in Genesis 11:6 that nothing would be impossible for them to accomplish, not because they were righteous, but because they were united as one.
So, unity is powerful, even if it is evil. As we saw in the case of the people of Babel.
Jesus speaking in Matthew 18:19-20: “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done to them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Therefore, whenever you come together as one and say prayers of thanksgiving to God, never forget the fact that he is present there, not because you are the most righteous people, no, but because he had already promised to be amongst a united people; we all know that he never lies. (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2)
So, if you desire for your family, church, community, friends, etc. to stand out in all ramifications of life, you must come together as one and say the prayers of thanksgiving with the whole of your hearts. 1 John 5:14: “For this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us
How to Pray
Many people are on the verge of giving up on praying simply because they have not received what they have been praying for. They have never come to the realization or asked themselves if they are doing God’s will, which is His word, just as we saw above in 1 John 5:14.
James 4:3 “You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lust.
Prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference, according to one of the greatest teachers of the word.
In prayer, you just don’t say whatever comes to your mind. Praying under God’s will, or rather, word. This means that you must look for scriptures that address the javelins of challenges thrown at you by the devil and pray God’s promises back to Him.
The scripture is the constitution of the courts of heaven. So, for you to effectively advocate appealing in the high courts of heaven, you don’t go suggesting your man-made constitution to the great Judge in the chambers of heaven. You must pray back to Him His standard and absolute constitution (will), and that would move Him to swing into action, because He can never contradict His word.
Psalm 138:2 “I will worship toward your holy temple and praise your name for your loving kindness and for your truth, for you have magnified your word above all your name.”
Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Keep in mind that God has already spoken concerning what you are facing right now, and the only way to put Him to work and swing into action on your behalf is through His word.
For example, when God’s word says, “Fear the Lord, you His people, for those who fear Him lack nothing; the lions may grow weak and hungry but those the Lord lack no good thing” Psalm 34:9-10.
Then you say, “Father, you know that I seek and hear you,, Lord, and you promised that I would lack nothing; therefore, take away every lack as you promised that I would lack nothing. Therefore, take away every lack and want in my life by supplying and providing all needs according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
God supplies your needs, not wants. That’s how you pray.
Thanksgiving Prayers
10 Powerful Prayers of Gratitude for Healing: Thanking God for the Gift of Life
10 Simple but Effective Morning Prayers of Gratitude To Start Your Day
10 Powerful Simple but Effective Thanksgiving Prayers for Family and Friends
40 Psalms of Thanksgiving: A Journey of Gratitude and Praise