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Pastor Karen Kepkay
Thanksgiving – The Secret to Kingdom Life
Years ago, Pastor Rick Ciaramitaro, Windsor Christian Fellowship founding pastor, shared a powerful message at one of our monthly Leadership Summits about how thankfulness is the key to Kingdom living.
The Holy Spirit revealed this truth to Pastor Rick through personal experience. He and his wife Cathy went for a date night at a well-known Italian restaurant in their town. They had a fabulous evening enjoying each other’s presence while receiving exceptional hospitality, until the waiter brought the bill. Without thinking, he complained about how expensive the meal was. The moment he murmured, he looked over at his wife—her face filled with disappointment. Though he asked what was wrong, she dismissed it by saying “nothing.” They spent the car ride in silence, and after arriving home, Pastor Rick went to pray because something was off.
Pastor Rick shared: “I felt grieved and to my amazement, I believe God’s Holy Spirit in me was also grieved. As I sat and reflected, The Holy Spirit impressed me to review the evening’s conversation. I recognized that I had shut my wife down and grieved her when I complained. The Holy Spirit convicted me greatly and communicated that we as Christians often complain and stifle His joy and work in our lives… instead of rejoicing and thanking the Lord that we were in a position financially to go to a nice place once in a while…I had complained with an ungrateful heart. That murmuring had shut down me and my wife, and quenched the joy of the moment that the Holy Spirit had desired for us. I realize that every time I murmur or complain about something so trivial as a check after a meal, I can literally shut down God’s best for my life.”
It is thanksgiving that unlocks the kingdom of God and His blessings, while murmuring shuts down the Holy Spirit from guiding, revealing, encouraging, and ministering to us.
Pastor Rick expands on this spiritual principle in his book The Secret to Kingdom Life, giving us keys to unlock the wonderful secret about thanksgiving, bringing contentment in our walk with the Lord:
1) The key to Kingdom living is gratitude – a heart of thanksgiving.
Deuteronomy 28:47-48 (NKJV)
“Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.
In this verse we see a glimpse of the Israelites taking for granted the blessings of God, and began to lose joy, leading to murmuring and complaining. They did not appreciate what the Lord had done, and sadly God stopped blessing them. It is easy to allow an attitude of discontentment, taking things for granted and leading our hearts to grow cold. Thanksgiving on the contrary honors and appreciates God which opens the door to the supernatural.
2) Thanksgiving sanctifies the atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to move.
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NKJV)
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.
There are aromas that surround a believer’s life. The verse above tells us that we ought to have the fragrance of Christ. When we have a positive attitude of gratitude we are bringing the scented aroma of Christ that attracts the Holy Spirit. In contrast, when we are constantly murmuring, we attract the demonic realm into our lives. It is only through thanksgiving and worship that we are able to cleanse a dark spiritual atmosphere, allowing the Holy Spirit to move in and accomplish His work in our lives.
3) Thanksgiving is the highest expression of faith.
Romans 4:20-22 (NKJV)
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
While complaining is the highest expression of unbelief, thanksgiving is the highest expression of faith. Thanksgiving gives glory to God, as Abraham did. All that God desires in return for the sacrifice Jesus made for us at the cross is to be grateful.
Jesus demonstrated to us that thanksgiving is the highest expression of faith. In John 6:4-14, before multiplying the loaves and fish, He didn’t pray that God would meet the need, but rather simply gave thanks in advance for the provision and fed the multitude.
Thanksgiving is acknowledging your trust in God in the past, present and with your future. When we thank Him in advance before any requests, we connect with our God by faith, calling things that are not, as though they were.
4) Being thankful is being in the will of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NKJV)
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.”
Do you want to know God’s will for your life? According to scripture above, God’s will for you includes:
- Rejoicing always whether you feel like it or not
- Praying without ceasing
- Being thankful in everything in every circumstance
But notice the very next verse after that: “Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
To quench means to extinguish, suppress, or stifle. We can actually quench the Holy Spirit with our complaining and grumbling attitude, which can literally block our own deliverance.
The sacrifice of thanksgiving keeps us under an open Heaven. In contrast, negativity and murmuring quench the Spirit, hindering Him from moving in our lives.
God can turn every situation around in an atmosphere of gratitude. In a place of confusion and strife, thanksgiving can bring you peace, and soundness of mind immediately.
Six Ways We Quench the Spirit
You may be quenching the Spirit in your life without even realizing it. Do any of these sound familiar? If so, there’s a solution for it:
- Counting your troubles instead of your blessings?
Philippians 4:8 reminds us to focus on whatever things are good. - Worrying every day about something?
Thanksgiving helps you actually enjoy life and those around you. (1 Peter 5:18) - Feeling sorry for yourself and having pity parties?
“Woe is me” is just a mindset. Base your life on God’s promises and never on your present circumstances. (Romans 8:31) - Trying to compare and compete with others?
Comparison and competition are the “power twins of hell”. Refuse to let them take root in your life (Galatians 6:4-5). - Insisting upon your rights and your way?
Seek God’s way first, and He promises to provide for all your needs (Matthew 6:33). - Complaining about things you can’t change anyway?
You may not be able to change some things, but you can always change your attitude and confession of faith to a positive one.
When you consciously choose to stay “sweet” and thankful, you’ll never be disappointed (Romans 5:1-5).
If you realize you’ve been quenching God’s Spirit through ungratefulness, take a moment and acknowledge it to God. Ask for His help to overcome negativity, and He will flood your heart and mind with His supernatural peace, power, and provision.
5) Without thanksgiving, the promises of God won’t be activated in our lives.
In Psalm 34:1-3, King David gives us a pattern and conditions needed before God’s promise is fulfilled.
- We must bless and thank the Lord in all seasons
- Praise must be continually on our lips, as a habit.
- Be humble and thankful
- Focus on Him, not on self.
When God’s people do this, then His promise follows: “I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.” (v.4)
Thanksgiving involves sacrifice. You may not feel like thanking God in the storm or praising Him in tribulation; but when you remember His goodness revealed at the Cross, you can’t help but praise Him.
Today, choose to come into His presence daily with thanksgiving, and praise, be thankful to Him and bless His name, and put away any murmuring. (Psalm 100:4). Remember that a grateful heart recognizes our need for God and releases faith so our prayers bring about change. Thanksgiving keeps us in the love and mercy of God as it focuses on eternal life.
Ciaramitaro, Rick. The Secret to Kingdom Life. 2011. Camden House Books.