By Crystal G.H. Lowery
Written on 16 November 2020
One of the ways we can increase and even overflow in faith is by turning up the dial on thanksgiving and gratitude. Your faith can never be complete until it is accompanied and preceded by thanksgiving.
We know that Hebrews 11:1 KJV says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” We can safely and confidently say that this is the definition of faith and the starting point in learning about and then applying faith. Faith is a foundation on which we build. If we do not have this solid foundation, the hopes for the future will never be brought into the present to become reality (the above ground structure).
Hebrews 11 goes on to tell us in verse 6 that “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (KJV) So, in order for us to please God, we have to have faith. As it reads in the verse, it tells it is completely impossible to please God without it. Impossible means that there is a zero percent chance of that thing happening. Impossible is not probable or certain. The door has been shut and locked on that thing coming to pass.
So, faith is very important. We need it initially to just even believe and come to God. We need it to live out our purpose and destiny by pulling in hopes to the present. Faith acts like the fishing rod to cast out the line with the hook and catch the promise with you reeling it in – acting in faith.
We know that we were given a gift of faith from Jesus himself when we gave our lives to Him and that we live from His faith (Hebrews 10:38 TPT). We all have been given the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). This means we were all given the same amount. If there was a faith room in heaven (and there probably is), when you were born again, there would be someone picking up the measuring cup and scooping your measure of faith directly from the heart of Jesus which he gives to each new believer. He has enough to share and give everyone because He is limitless.
How do you grow this faith? How do you increase it? One way is by giving thanks. It is no coincidence that we celebrate Thanksgiving in the fall of each year, just as the Pilgrims and Native Americans did on that First Thanksgiving. They celebrated a harvest. They had food and plenty. They had enough to share and celebrate for this time of celebration, but they had abundance to use throughout the harsh winter which was coming.
For all the hardship and trial that the Pilgrims endured in traveling to this new land in pursuit of freedom to worship God without the rules and dictates of a King, and all the pressing forward to build safe homes, learning how to grow new crops to feed their families, and live though disease that they had never been exposed to, these people were thankful for what they had. They were thankful for their blessings and counted each one. Not one was too small. They dedicated the harvest to the Lord and gave Him thanks for He is the source.
As we enter into this season of Thanksgiving, let us not only enjoy the traditions of turkey, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie, but let us really press in and overflow with thanksgiving. Let us give God thanks for every blessing in our lives. Let us thank God for the blessings we are still believing for in faith. Let us remember that God is our only source and that none of these good things, the prosperity we enjoy, and the harvest is from our own works, but that our hands are blessed by God.
In Colossians 2:7 KJV, Paul writes that we are to be “rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” This means that as we abound or overflow in our thanksgiving, we will also abound or overflow in faith. No one can claim to have strong faith when they have weak thanksgiving. Just like faith without works is dead (James 2:17 and 20), you can be assured that your faith will be on life support if there is little thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is such a powerful key as is connects to the strength of your faith. We give thanksgiving while still in faith, but we also give thanksgiving after receiving a faith promise. For example, if you have been believing for healing for your blood pressure to become normal and after years of dealing with this and believing for healing, you finally experience healing, you will be so excited and so thankful. You will be so grateful that you don’t suffer with something that can lead to other health problems. You will be so thankful you don’t have to daily take medication and spend money paying for medication. You will be so happy you aren’t periodically spending lots of time back and forth to your doctor’s office. You will be a very grateful person. You will be so thankful to God and praise Him for your healing and the new life you’ve been given….and you will be telling everyone your story with an overflow of gratitude.
Thanksgiving and faith act like a cycle that continually increases and feeds on the other. You begin with thanksgiving for the things you still have not seen but know that by faith, they are yours. By faith, you pull those promises into the present. This creates gratitude and thanksgiving. And then, you begin again with thanksgiving for other promises you are pulling in with faith. The cycle of thanksgiving and faith is one of overflow and abundance. If you’re in a negative cycle, step over into this positive one by starting with thanksgiving. Just begin by thanking God for the blessings you do have right now.
Make this season of Thanksgiving be the start of a new tradition of overflowing gratitude to God and watch your faith soar. BASED ON FAITH.
Crystal G.H. Lowery, Esq is a Christian Estate Planning Attorney and is the owner and founding attorney of Law Office Of Crystal G.H. Lowery, LLC. Crystal is also an author as well as the founder of Based on Faith, an organization whose vision is to become an international resource that increases biblical knowledge of faith within the body of Christ through comprehensive teaching, discussion of law, and the prophetic.
Copyright 2020 ©, Crystal G.H. Lowery and Based on Faith. All Rights Reserved.