By faith we understand!
The power of thankfulness is more significant than most believers understand.
It is written by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews 11:3 NKJV
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in John chapter 6:
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
5 Then Jesus lifted up His Eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?“
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
The fishes and loaves multiplied as the disciples were distributing them, not before. The miracle was progressive in its multiplication effect. Jesus gave thanks for that which wasn’t enough.
Have you ever had a quick answer to prayer and then followed with a similar need you have a delayed answer? FATHER has revealed HIS nature and character in the first miracle. In the second situation, HE is revealing the condition of our heart. All delayed answers are gaining interest. Our thankfulness moves our faith forward toward the miracle we are expecting.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Colossians chapter 2:
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
And in Ephesians chapter 5:
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
I don’t thank GOD for disease, but I thank HIM because HE’S in charge in the middle of it.
Jesus specifically tells us in Matthew chapter 28:
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Jesus will turn anything around for His glory. Consider His friend Lazarus.
The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in John chapter 11:
1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.
3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You Love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
You would think that Jesus would immediately go to Bethany and heal Lazarus. Instead, He stayed two more days where He was at.
17 So when Jesus came to Bethany, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.
The mindset of Mary and Martha was limited to the expectation of Jesus healing the sick but not raising the dead.
39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”
43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud Voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
Jesus expanded the faith of the disciples as well as Lazarus and his family. He revealed the nature and character of Our Heavenly Father showing that physical death was not a certainty. Jesus delayed His response to reveal this greater revelation.
We are not to be intimidated by death when we are confronted with the situation. Knowing that Jesus has the power and authority over death, we are to submit to The Holy Spirit and raise the dead as He directs. By faith we understand the glory of THE LORD in all situations and are to give thanks in all things.