11 Steps of Successful Prayer (Step # 3) by Janie Davidson
I know a lady who has many grandchildren, but only regularly sends birthday cards and presents to three of them. Do you know why? Those three grandchildren always thank her for her gifts and for remembering their birthdays. The others don't.
Our relationship with God should be a personal and loving one on both ends. Obviously, God loves us dearly. (John 3:16) It is only right that we respond in kind.
Praising God, worshipping Him, and thanking Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do for us is not only appropriate and a blessing to God, but it also helps us. When we spend the time to dwell on God, our faith rises up, our problems seem much smaller compared to Almighty God, and joy springs up out of our spirits. I really think that it does more good for us than for God, but it is also a blessing to God, and it is nice to be able to return something of value to Him. God has done so very much for us already that if we think about it much at all, it isn't hard to find lots to thank Him for. On top of that, it is entirely appropriate to thank God for answers to prayers that you know by faith God has given you, even though you may not see them, yet. Joshua and his army were instructed to give their victory shout before the walls of Jericho came down.
Psalm 100
A Psalm of thanksgiving.
Shout for joy to Yahweh, all you lands!
Serve Yahweh with gladness.
Come before his presence with singing.
Know that Yahweh, he is God.
It is he who has made us, and we are his.
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
Into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, and bless his name.
For Yahweh is good.
His loving kindness endures forever,
His faithfulness to all generations.
Luke 11:12-19 (WEB):
As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance. They lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." It happened that as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. Jesus answered, "Weren't the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?" Then he said to him, "Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you."
2 Corinthians 2:14 (WEB):
Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.
2 Corinthians 9:15 (WEB):
Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!
Ephesians 1:15-23 (WEB):
For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints, don't cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 5:17-21 (WEB):
Therefore don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Don't be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and singing praises in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.