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Be thankful in ALL circumstances, for this is
God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (Verse on Bible Hub)

THE POWER OF GRATITUDE 

A friend once told me she couldn’t imagine how God could even ask us to be thankful in all circumstances. I felt the exact same way. Life on earth is so unpredictable, filled with good and not so good moments. It’s hard to imagine the power of gratitude or how we can be in the posture of giving thanks to God at all times.

But God desires for us to abide in Him, to focus on His presence and goodness, with all of our strength so those unpredictable situations don’t consume us.

Let’s take a peek into the life of someone in the Bible whose close relationship with God saved his life and sustained him despite his grave circumstances. Daniel was young when he was captured and exiled sometime between 605 and 563 BC. And the Babylonians spent years working on this young man, attempting to mold him into someone he was never created to be.

In an effort to integrate Daniel into their customs and culture, they gave him a new name and wanted him to learn their language and literature. They even tried to change his eating habits, all in an attempt to integrate him into a new lifestyle, of which serving their pagan king was a huge part.

King Nebuchadnezzar changed Daniel’s name (which is Hebrew for ‘God is my judge‘) to Belteshazzar (Babylonian for ‘Bel protects his life‘) in an effort to alter his identity and cause him to begin to forget the God he served. ‘Naming’ someone demonstrated relationship or ownership.

But Daniel never abandoned His true King, the One Who could protect him.

And the Lord miraculously kept Daniel alive and thriving despite his dire circumstances.

The power of gratitude.

Years later king Darius, who actually favored young Daniel, would reluctantly have to honor a decree he was manipulated into signing by his administrators and satraps. The decree declared that anyone caught praying to any other god or human other than himself would be thrown into the lion’s den.

How did Daniel respond?

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published,
he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened
toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees
and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
Daniel 6:10 (Verse on Bible Hub)

“… giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.“

Despite Daniel’s ongoing captivity, his situation never consumed him or caused him to turn away from his God. His ongoing prayer life and his heart of gratitude towards his Lord untied God’s hands to work powerfully on Daniel’s behalf.

And Daniel walked on what should have drowned him.

Even in the midst of a new threat, he continuously prayed and gave thanks to his God.

When they threw Daniel into the lion’s den, the king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” The next morning, the king ran to the den and called out in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, Whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

Did you notice how the king acknowledged God as the One Daniel served continuously, not once but twice?

And Daniel responded, “My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight.”

This passage goes on to tell us that when Daniel was lifted up out of the den, not one wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Then, at the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were thrown into the lions’ den and were immediately overpowered and crushed.

The Power of Gratitude.

Then King Darius proceeded to issue another decree. This pagan king commanded that everyone in his kingdom revere the living God of Daniel, Whose Kingdom would never be destroyed and Whose dominion would never end.

I find that so amazing. How about you?

Read the passage here ::: Daniel 6:16-28 NIV (Passage on Bible Gateway)

I just LOVE God’s Word, don’t you?

Daniel’s story is packed with so much faith inducing encouragement for us. But you might be asking how this story is relevant to us today?

Well, you can’t deny this world is working overtime to mold and label us into people we are not. They want us to be people who look, act, walk and talk like them. 

Remember, naming or labeling someone demonstrates perceived ownership.

BUT the truth is … GOD has redeemed us and HE calls us by our real names. He says we belong to HIM exclusively. Read this beautiful and amazing promise here: Isaiah 43:1

And what about Daniel’s experience in the lion’s den? How does that relate to us?

Girlfriend, if we are sold out Believers of Jesus Christ, then let me tell you … the enemy sees us as a serious threat to the kingdom of darkness.

How serious?

Well, lets just say our faces are on the ‘Most Wanted Posters‘ in every post office in Hell.

BUT … let’s read a little passage from 1 Peter …

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”
1 Peter 5:6-9 NLT

This passage doesn’t say the devil is a lion. It says he prowls around LIKE a roaring lion, a big and fake bully, looking for someone to devour. But as it was with Daniel, the enemy has nothing on us and can’t have us when we stand firm against him and refuse to come into agreement with him.

How?

By steadfastly and prayerfully focusing on our God. Trusting and praising Him, humbly yielding ALL of our worries and cares to Him and not rising up to make something happen for ourselves. 

Thankfulness, gratefulness, praise and worship (to God) are extremely powerful. Praise always precedes the victory. It also helps to keep our souls at rest and draws the Lord near to fight our battles for us.

Praise and Worship is pure spiritual warfare.

When Daniel was raised up from the lion’s pit, not one wound was found on his body. He had spent the entire evening in the presence of the enemy and walked away with not one wound.

Quite opposite of what happened to Daniel’s accusers …

When the king threw them into the lion’s den, I am reminded of David when he said ::: “My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it.” Psalm 57:6

And another thing the Lord revealed in this passage was this ::: Even non-believers will struggle to deny the realness of God when they see how very real He is in our lives.  

[bctt tweet=”Even non-believers will wrestle to deny the realness of God when they witness how very real He is in our lives. #freshgracefortoday ❤” username=”https://twitter.com/Living_Loved_”]

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in
order that you may know the hope to which He has called you,
the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people.”
Ephesians 1:18 (Verse on Bible Hub)

A little encouragement for you today ….

God is still on the throne:

God didn’t have to compete with any other gods (little g) to take His throne, and He can’t be dethroned by anyone or anything that is screaming loudly for our attention right now.

“The LORD has established (made, prepared, set up, placed, set)
His throne in Heaven, and His sovereignty rules over all.“
Psalm 103:19 (Verse on Bible Hub)

God is still in control and can’t be taken by surprise:

God knew yesterday what we would be facing today, and He’s already in our ‘tomorrow’ working things out for our good. Always always …

“”I Am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “Who
is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.””
Revelation 1:8 (Verse on Bible Hub)

God will never abandon us to figure it all out on our own:

He promised that He would never leave us or forsake us. And God cannot lie!

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified (fear, panic,
dread, tremble, be terrified, because of them, for the LORD your God
goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6  (Verse on Bible Hub)

God is bigger than the situation we are facing:

Taking our eyes off of the situation at hand and placing our focus on God helps us to walk in the truth that God is bigger than whatever we are facing. In our perspective, whatever we focus on grows exponentially bigger before us.

““Behold, I Am the LORD, the God of all flesh (mankind, peoples of
the world, creature, world, humanity). Is anything too hard for me?
Jeremiah 32:27 (Verse on Bible Hub)

  In His Word, God already gave us a sneak peak at the end of the story:

And the circumstances at hand will never have the power to alter His truth or His will for our lives in any way. Because our great big God is in us and with us, we will not be moved despite this situation and our feelings right now.

“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be
moved (shaken, defeated, removed, overthrown, upended), but abides
(endures, remains, stands, remains firm, stays) forever.”
Psalm 125:1 (Verse on Bible Hub)

We can ask God to give us wisdom when we need it:

We can be confident God will graciously and generously give us wisdom when we ask Him. Sometimes He will show us our next step as He walks through this valley with us. But many times, He may just want us to remain still and not panic or set something into motion while He works things out for our good as only He can. Even if this situation is our fault, we can still approach our loving God to help us make it right. 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously
to all without finding fault (rebuke, reproach, criticism,
reprimand), and it will be given to you.”
James 1:5 (Verse on Bible Hub)

Praying for us all (especially myself) to realize the power of gratitude to God. He is always good and faithful, wanting only the best for us. His promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus.

“I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Psalm 34:1 (Verse on Bible Hub)

The Power of Gratitude, Daniel’s Heart for God @ freshgracefortoday.com

Similar post ::: “Giving Thanks to God | The Power of Gratitude”

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