1 Samuel 7: 10-12, “10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. 11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar. 12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.”
Ebenezer means “A STONE OF HELP” Prophet Samuel set up a stone in commemoration of God’s help to the Israelites in their victory over the Philistines at Mizpah. Ebenezer is the time or season when you need to pause for a while to review the events around your life. It is the time to need to look beyond what you have been going through in life. Everyone with deep understanding of each season and events attached it will know that we have reasons to show our heart of gratitude to Almighty God, our HELPER. When you pause for a while, your mind will be able to recall so many things in the past and the present time that will make to appreciate God.
God wants us to praise Him in every season. Psalms 22:3, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
God wants us to praise Him in all things and at all times. Psalms 34:1-2, “1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.”
God wants us praise Him with our spirit, soul and body. Psalms 103:1-5, “1A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
God wants us to praise Him in Psalms, hymns, musical instrument, dancing and offering of thanksgiving. Psalms 150:3-6, “3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
WHY MUST YOU THANK HIM?
- You must thank God because He is your Helper. Psalms 121:1, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” Psalms 124:8, “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” He is the source of every help we are receiving every day. That is why we must praise Him name.
- Thanksgiving provokes the God’s glory to come down upon His people. 2 Chronicles 7:1-2, “1Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.”
- Thanksgiving opens you to the next chapter of your life.
- Thanksgiving brings confusion into the camp of your adversaries. 2 Chronicles 20:22-23, “22And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.”
- Thanksgiving leads to multiplication. John 6:11-13, “11And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.”
- Thanksgiving opens door for healing, deliverance, and breakthrough. It is a basis for miracles, signs and wonders. John 11:41-44, “41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which standby I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
If you don’t praise Him, you will attract curse to yourself. Malachi 2:2, “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.”
No matter the situation around your life, you must develop the capacity to praise God in all things and at all times. As you praise Him, He will raise you up to the next level in Jesus’ name.