Overflowing Thankfulness

COLOSSIANS 2:6-7 (NIV)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,

rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Thanksgiving is defined in the dictionary as follows:

• The act of giving thanks.

• The act of expressing gratitude.

However, do you know that not all the people who says "THANK YOU" really means they are thankful? Someone received a gift from somebody and after they depart they began to ask themselves "What is this? I don't like this stuff." Did he really thank the person that gave the gift?. Someone received a bonus from his/her boss and say "THANK YOU" and after he turns his back he/she would then say, "This is not the amount that I am expecting, I was expecting more". Is he really thankful?

Sometimes a person thank the Lord for everything that He has done in his life but afterwards, he began to question the Lord.. Why is my salary delay? Why they are treating me like this? Lord, why this and that...

We cannot give truly give thanks to other people or God without a THANKFULNESS in our hearts. The bible says in Psalms 9:1-2 NIV,

1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;

I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

3 BARRIERS OF HAVING A THANKFUL HEART

1.) DISCONTENTMENT

ECCLESIATES 5:10 NIV

"Whoever loves money never has enough;

whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.

This too is meaningless."

1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

I remember one person told me "If my salary will be like this much, I will be happy, I will never complain about work". When he got the salary that he was desiring, he still complain and told me "If I will have a higher salary and a good boss, I will never complain:. My beloved brothers and sisters, its all about "CONTENTMENT". Even Paul says in

Philippians 4:11-12 NIV

"11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

The never ending wants will leads to discontentment. The only thing the we should be discontented is "WINNING SOULS".

2. ENVY/ COVETOUSNESS

Exodus 20:17 NIV

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Discontentment is just the first level of the 3 barriers. The second level is covetousness. When you saw your neighbor bought a brand new car and parked outside his house, you tend to compare yourself on what you have now. Out of covetousness you will also buy even though its out of a loan. When I was a young Christian, God made me realized not to speak these words "BUTI KA PA". This is a sign of covetousness. If you indulge yourself to envy and covetousness you will lead yourself to unending discontentment and ungratefulness.

3. PRIDE

Luke 18:0-13 NIV

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

The final and greatest barrier of having a thankful heart is PRIDEFUL heart. Do you think that the Pharisees are really thanking God? No, they are boasting about their good works and their capabilities to God.

When we start to see yourself better than the other, be careful my brothers and sisters. Don't allow the devil to get into your heart and develop a prideful heart.

We know that without the great love of Jesus and dying for our sins, we can never have eternal life. Also, without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit we can never do what Jesus wants us to do. We can't have excellence in our Ministries and even in our work places.

In Christ we received new life, a life that's in the fullest as Jesus said in John 10:10. Our life is not about us anymore but it's about Jesus through the Holy Spirit. That's why Paul said in

Galatians 2:20 AMP

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

We have seen the "3 Barriers of Having a Thankful Heart". Now, the question is what drives us to have a thankful heart - a heart that overflows with thankfulness?

You can only have true thanksgiving if you have a "THANKFUL HEART". The answer to this is "JOY". Happiness, gladness, cheerfulness and laughter all these things belongs under joy. There are 3 Kinds of JOY.

3 KINDS OF JOY

1.) NORMAL JOY

This is the kind of joy that we all experienced, Christians and non-Christians. This is the kind of joy that we see around when people laugh out of funny things or moments. Some people try to amuse themselves to laugh, like going to comedy bar just to experience laughter. All these laughs are just temporary. That's why its called the normal joy.

2.) JOY IN THE LORD

This kind of joy is ignited because of what the Lord has done on your life. Like those of answered prayers, miracles that we experienced and blessings that we received from him. This is the kind of joy that Jesus said in

John 16:24 NIV

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

The bible says in;

1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever."

This is the joy that we usually experience, that even amidst of challenges we are still joyful. This is why we are blessed because even we are experiencing this we are still praising and worshipping and thanking God.

3.) JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

This kind of joy is not about what we see, feel or hear; this is the kind of joy that overflows from our inner most being going outward. Let us see what the bible says in Psalms 16:11 and Romans 14:17.

Psalms 16:11 NIV

"You make known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

This is why whatever is the situation in our life then joys comes out and overflows from innermost part of our being you will not be able to contain it - resulting to jumping, shouting and even dancing.

Only victorious people shout for victory, only victorious people laughs, that's why satan hate when we shout over our victory and laugh in the Spirit. Just like what Job said;

Job 8:21 NIV

"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter

and your lips with shouts of joy."

As I have mentioned earlier, true thanksgiving will only be produced by having a thankful heart. Those 3 barriers I have mentioned will hinder you to have that thankful heart. Those barriers are Discontentment, Envy/ Covetousness and Pride. However, all these barriers can be broken by Joy - there are 3 types of joy and these are as follows: Normal Joy, Joy in the Lord and Joy in the Holy Spirit.