Curry's Chapel Church
20251123 Power of Thanksgiving

  • 🕊️ “The Power of Thanksgiving: Personally, Corporately, Spiritually”

    Introduction

    Good morning, church! Before we begin, let me ask:
    Have you ever tried to microwave a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving morning? If so, you’ve experienced the kind of panic that makes you pray in tongues you didn’t know you had!
    Thanksgiving is more than a holiday — it’s a posture, a practice, and a powerful spiritual principle.
    Today, we’ll explore thanksgiving in three dimensions: personally, corporately, and spiritually. Let’s turn to 1 Thessalonians 5:18:
    1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
    Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
    Notice Paul doesn’t say “give thanks for all circumstances,” but “in” them. That’s a key distinction. Gratitude isn’t denial — it’s defiance. It’s declaring that God is good even when life isn’t.
    Thanksgiving is not just a polite response to blessing — it’s a prophetic declaration in the face of lack. It’s not just a virtue — it’s a weapon. And when we learn to wield it personally, corporately, and spiritually, we begin to walk in the fullness of God’s will.

    Main Teaching

    1. Thanksgiving Personally: Cultivating a Grateful Heart

    Gratitude begins in the heart. It’s easy to complain — our coffee’s cold, our car won’t start, our kids won’t listen. Thanksgiving rewires our perspective.
    Scripture: Psalm 103:2
    “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
    David talks to his own soul like it’s a stubborn mule. “Soul, don’t forget!” Because forgetting is easy. Gratitude is intentional.

    Illustration: The Gratitude Journal

    A woman once started a gratitude journal after a season of depression. She wrote three things she was thankful for every day. At first, it was hard: “I’m thankful for socks.” But over time, her heart softened. Her journal became a sanctuary. Gratitude didn’t change her circumstances—it changed her.

    Joke:

    “I’m thankful for my alarm clock — it reminds me I’m still alive. I’m thankful for traffic — it means I have a car. I’m thankful for laundry — it means I have clothes. And I’m thankful for my kids’ noise — it means they’re still home and haven’t moved to Mars.”

    Practical Application:

    Start each morning with three “thank yous” — before coffee, before emails, before complaints.
    Practice “thank-you prayers” before bed. Reflect on moments of grace.
    Write a note to someone who’s blessed you — your gratitude might be their breakthrough.
    Create a “gratitude trigger” — every time you touch your phone, say “thank you” for something.

    Reflection:

    What’s one small thing today that you usually overlook but can thank God for?

    2. Thanksgiving Corporately: Building a Culture of Gratitude

    Thanksgiving isn’t just personal — it’s communal. The church is called to be a thanksgiving factory, not a complaint department.

    Scripture: Colossians 3:16

    “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly… singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
    Gratitude is meant to be sung, shared, and celebrated. When we gather, we don’t just worship — we witness. Our thanksgiving becomes contagious.

    Illustration: The Thankful Church

    True Story: A small church in rural Georgia had a tradition: every Sunday, someone stood and shared one thing they were thankful for. One week, a boy stood and said, “I’m thankful my dad came to church.” His dad hadn’t been in years. That simple testimony broke something open. Gratitude became revival.

    Joke:

    “Church should be the one place where people say ‘thank you’ more than ‘you’re sitting in my seat.’”

    Practical Application:

    Begin meetings or small groups with a round of thanksgiving. Elders, please, remind me to do this when we meet.
    Let’s create a “gratitude wall” in our church — where we post notes, photos, testimonies.
    Celebrate answered prayers publicly. We do this to some extent already. Let’s not just pray — let us praise.
    Let’s Include thanksgiving in our worship by declaring God’s goodness.
    Let’s plan on hosting a “Thanksgiving Sunday” — a service dedicated to testimonies of gratitude.

    Reflection:

    Who in your community needs to hear your gratitude today?

    3. Thanksgiving Spiritually: Unlocking Heaven’s Perspective

    Thanksgiving isn’t just emotional — it’s spiritual warfare. It shifts atmospheres. It dethrones fear. It invites heaven.

    Scripture: Philippians 4:6–7

    “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
    Thanksgiving is the hinge between anxiety and peace. It’s the spiritual posture that opens the door to supernatural calm.

    Illustration: Jesus and the Loaves

    In John 6, Jesus faces a hungry crowd and a meager lunch. What does He do? He gives thanks. Before the miracle. Before the multiplication. Thanksgiving preceded abundance.
    Gratitude isn’t the result of blessing—it’s the seed of it.

    Joke:

    Jesus fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. The mother with 12 kids says: I can barely feed my family with a Costco membership.

    Practical Application:

    When you pray, begin with thanksgiving — even before the answer comes.
    In spiritual warfare, use gratitude as a weapon. Thank God for victories you haven’t seen yet.
    Teach your children to thank God out loud — it builds faith in their bones.
    Use thanksgiving to break spiritual stagnation — when you feel stuck, start praising.

    Reflection:

    What are you believing God for? Can you thank Him in advance?

    4. Thanksgiving as Witness: Overflowing into the World

    Gratitude isn’t meant to stay inside the sanctuary—it’s meant to spill into the streets.

    Scripture: Psalm 105:1

    “Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.”
    Thanksgiving is evangelism. When we give thanks publicly, we declare the goodness of God to a watching world.

    Illustration: The Thankful Waitress

    A pastor once asked his waitress how her day was going. She said, “Honestly? Terrible.” He said, “Can I tell you something I’m thankful for?” She nodded. He shared how God had healed his daughter. She started crying. Gratitude opened the door to grace.

    Practical Application:

    Share your gratitude on social media — not just opinions, but praise.
    Thank your coworkers, baristas, delivery drivers — let your gratitude be a witness.
    Keep a “thank-you stash” — gift cards or notes to bless someone unexpectedly.

    Reflection:

    Where can your gratitude go public this week?

    5. Thanksgiving as Identity: Becoming a Thankful People

    We don’t just practice thanksgiving — we become it. It’s not just something we do — it’s who we are.

    Scripture: Hebrews 12:28

    “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful…”
    Gratitude is the posture of the unshaken. It’s the language of the kingdom. I t’s the rhythm of heaven.

    Illustration: The Thankful Prisoner

    Corrie ten Boom, imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, gave thanks for fleas. Why? Because the guards wouldn’t enter her barracks — and that meant she could hold Bible studies. Gratitude doesn’t depend on comfort — it depends on perspective.

    Practical Application:

    Memorize a thanksgiving verse each week.
    Create a family rhythm of gratitude — at meals, bedtime, car rides.
    Let gratitude shape your identity — “I am a thankful person.”

    Reflection:

    What would change if gratitude became your default?

    Conclusion: The Ripple Effect of Gratitude

    Thanksgiving is more than manners — it’s momentum. It moves us from scarcity to sufficiency, from fear to faith, from isolation to intimacy.
    Let’s be people who give thanks personally — because God is good to us. Let’s be people who give thanks corporately — because God is good among us. Let’s be people who give thanks spiritually — because God is good beyond us. Let’s be people who give thanks publicly — because the world needs to see. Let’s be people who give thanks perpetually — because gratitude is our identity.

    Final Scripture: Psalm 100:4

    “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”
    Gratitude is the gate. If you want to enter deeper into God’s presence, start with thanksgiving.

    Closing Challenge

    This week, I challenge you to:
    ✅ Write a thank-you letter to someone who shaped your faith. ✅ Share a testimony of gratitude in your small group or online. ✅ Begin every prayer with thanksgiving—even if it’s just “Thank You for breath.” ✅ Post one public praise—let your gratitude be a witness.
    And remember: Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday. It’s a holy habit.

    Let’s pray:

    Lord, Make us people of gratitude. Teach our hearts to sing even in the storm. Let our thanksgiving be a witness, a weapon, and a way of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

      • 1 Thessalonians 5:18NIV2011

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