It was at the position of thanksgiving and praise in the midst of crisis that the Lord took action to deliver Jehoshaphat and his people from their trouble and bless them greatly.
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“After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them.
After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.”
2 Chronicles 20:21-25 NIV
“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ””
2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV
Three Crises Wherein Jesus’s Unusual Response of Giving Thanks Gave Way for Miracles:
1. Severe Lack of Provision: 5000 men (not counting women and children). The only food available was five loaves and two fish.
He gave thanks.
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.” Mark 6:41 NIV
Result:
“And the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.” Mark 6:43 NIV
2. Death / Loss/ Grief (John 11)
“So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,” John 11:14 NIV
Jesus gave thanks.
“So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.”
John 11:41 NIV
Result:
“The dead man came out.”
John 11:44a NIV
3. Jesus was expecting to go thru His greatest suffering.
“And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”
Luke 22:15 NIV
Jesus gave thanks.
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”” Luke 22:19 NIV
Result:
“…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:3a,4-6, 54, 57 NIV
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV
