Praying with Thanksgiving - Is a Power Prayer

 Praying with Thanksgiving

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” –Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
In the lesson on prayer that the Apostle Paul gives us in Philippians 4:6, there are two words that we often neglected in our prayers; these two words are: “with thanksgiving”

As we approach God to ask for new blessings, we must never forget to give thanks for blessings already received. We must be as defined in thanksgiving as we are in prayer. We approach God with specific requests. However, when we thank Him, we must do it in a general and indefinitely way.

Undoubtedly, one of the reasons why many of our prayers have no power because we have not given thanks for blessings already received.

When Jesus healed the ten lepers (Luke 17:14) and only one returned to express his gratitude (Luke 17:15-16), shocked and saddened, Jesus asked him (Luke 17:17) - "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

The thanksgiving for the blessings received already, enlarges our faith, and gives us the capacity to get closer to God with new courage and new hope. Men of the Bible, mighty in prayer and the history of the church have been men enshrined in thanksgiving and praise.

David was a godly man mighty in prayer, abounded with his psalms of thanksgiving and praise! The following verse by Apostle Paul in Romans 12:12 remind us to – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”.

The apostles were powerful men in the prayer, and of them we read, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”- (Acts 2:46-47)

Apostle Paul was a mighty man of prayer and often in his letters he exclaims definitively the importance of always giving thanks in prayers. In Colossians 1:3 – “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you”, in Colossians 4:2 – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”. Jesus at the last supper – Mat 26:27 – “Then He took the cup and gave thanks…”

Question for you: Are you devoted to prayer? Are you being and THANKFUL every time?
Given thanks for what you have is not reserve only for Thanksgiving Day.
In 1 Th. 5:18- says, “Give thanks in all circumstances”

Psalm 95:2 – "Let us come before Him with thanksgiving". 

THY KINGDOM COME