This video tells you four things that will result when you have an attitude of gratitude.
This is God’s will for us, that we would give thanks. And here’s why.
Number one: When we have this heart of thanksgiving, this attitude of gratitude, number one, it keeps God in the right place in our lives. It keeps him exalted, magnified, lifted on high, being adored, over and above the circumstances. When we cultivate this attitude of gratitude—this heart of thanksgiving—it keeps God in the right place.
Number two: It keeps us in the right place, down low, humble, dependent, praising, thanking. Keeps God at the right place, up high. Keeps us at the right place, down low.
And I’ll tell you what else, (number three) it keeps the devil at bay. When we have this attitude of gratitude and we move beyond grumbling and complaining, it keeps the devil at bay because the devil capitalizes upon the corollaries of complaining, such as anger, bitterness, wrath, malice.
In fact, Ephesians chapter 4 says, “Be angry but do not sin in your anger. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger thereby giving the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27). That word opportunity in the Greek is the word topos, it denotes a geographical location. In other words, when we do the opposite of an attitude of gratitude and a heart of thankfulness, and we move into that place of anger, bitterness, resentment, it gives the devil an open door into our lives. That’s the devil’s territory. Thanks and praise is the territory of God! Bitterness? Complaining? That’s the devil’s territory. And it opens our lives up, so to speak, to the schemes of the enemy. That’s why it’s God’s will for us that we would give thanks.
It keeps God in the right place, us in the right place, the devil in another place, and, finally, (number four) it keeps life in perspective. Life can get so hairy sometimes. I mean, it can seem to fall apart really quickly. But if we’re in that place of praise and thanksgiving—not as a national holiday, but as a spiritual and real lifestyle—it puts life in perspective.
God’s always bigger. He’s in the right place. He’s above.
We’re humble. We’re free from that sense of entitlement, false expectation.
The devil is kept at bay so you’re not buying into his lies, and his deceit, his condemnation.
Life is in perspective with an attitude of praise.
That’s why Psalm 100 says, “Shout joyfully” (Psalm 100:1). That’s why God assigned people in Israel to lead the nation in thanking (2 Chronicles 5:12-13; 1 Chronicles 15:16-24). That’s why we are commanded at the end of the book of Hebrews to give thanks (Hebrews 12:28). That’s why it’s God’s will that we would give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18).