"3 Keys to Unlock Your Prophetic Thanksgiving"
Helen Calder, Melbourne, Australia
This week, my husband and I celebrated an early Thanksgiving dinner with members of our family who are US citizens. It was a significant moment for us as a family.
As I have prayed about what to share today, this is what I believe is on God's heart for many of you this week and beyond:
• As a stone cast into a lake causes ripples outwards...• As a drop of ink onto blotting paper spreads...
...When God's presence touches you, those closest to you are impacted first. Whether it is a traditional celebration of Thanksgiving or simply giving thanks to God, taking a prophetic approach to thanksgiving is a powerful means of releasing God's purpose into your life—and the lives of others around you.
1. See People Around You Through a Prophetic Lens
"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer." (2 Cor. 5:16)
"Prophetic" very simply means we have insights about our Father's intention—His heart, thoughts and plans—given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes relationships get damaged through decisions and events, or the actions and attitudes of others. When we see a person through our Father's eyes, we see someone of value, we see someone God loves and a person Jesus died for. We see from His redemptive viewpoint. We perceive someone who has a future and a hope.
The Holy Spirit enables us to view a family member who has caused us pain and see them through the Cross of Christ. We forgive because He has forgiven us—and the fruit of the forgiveness that we release to others is that we are set free (see Eph. 4:32, Mark 11:25, Matt. 18:21-35). It is one thing to forgive an act or actions that have damaged you; it is quite another to forgive a person of the ongoing consequences you have experienced since then.
Today, I believe the Spirit is releasing new and deeper levels of forgiveness. As the Holy Spirit ministers healing and the Father's love into your heart, you are enabled to forgive. And true, heartfelt thanksgiving becomes the natural overflow of God's work in your life.
2. Take a 3 Dimensional Approach to Prophetic Thanksgiving
"'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.'" (Rev. 1:8, NIV)
Hear your Father say, "I am the God of your past, present and future! I am redeeming your past. In the present, I am working all things together for good. I have a future and a hope for you to journey into."
Three-dimensional thanksgiving is when we give God thanks for our past, present and future. This means that we can:
• Express our gratitude for what God has done in the past—and embrace His redemption in Christ for past pain.• Thank Him for all that He is and has given to us today—and by faith see Him present and at work in our trials.• Thank God for the future fulfillment of His prophetic words and the hope set before us.
When we give thanks for what is yet to come, we acknowledge God is good and is the source of what He has promised. We are receiving His promises by faith ahead of time. This is prophetic thanksgiving.
3. Pray for Others Around you and Sense What God is Saying
Sometimes we think that prophecy is solely for people we minister to, or for evangelism. We can forget that our Father has our family members on His heart too.
Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving as a holiday, or simply seeking to explore prophetic thanksgiving, let gratitude overflow into your words and actions. You don't need to preface a prophetic insight by saying it is a prophecy or "word from God". Speak life-giving words of encouragement and release Heaven's intention into those around you.
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