"Thank-You Therapy" | Part Two

Give Thanks

Read the first part of this post here.

Experience the God Who Delivers

God’s people had cried out to God. They were in anguish because of their oppression. He heard them. The children of Israel had cried out to God, the only God who could save them. God delivered them, he brought them out of slavery. He freed them from captivity. Have you ever cried out to God?

Blog #1 cute by with glassesI have. In June of 2004, I was given a diagnosis of stage-four non-Hodgkins lymphoma. There was cancer, a blood cancer, in four places in my body—it was in my bone marrow. It was not only in the lymph node of my lower left eyelid, but in the bone marrow of my right arm, shoulder, elbow, and femur of my left leg. I prayed to God for my healing and so did many of you. We prayed, AND some nights and days, we anguished in prayer for my healing—if it was God’s will. During the season of cancer, I studied the healing of the ten lepers in Luke 17. There were ten lepers who asked for healing. All ten were healed, but only one went back and thanked Jesus for that healing. So after six months of chemotherapy and lots of prayer, my doctor called and said, “Sheryl, I can’t believe it. There’s no more cancer!” I was delivered from disease—from stage-four cancer!

After I found out God chose to heal me, I decided I wanted to be that one “leper” to thank God and glorify Him whenever possible for my healing, to thank Him for my life. In fact, I borrowed this prayer of Moses from Psalm 90:12 that says, “Teach me to number my days, that I might present to you a heart of wisdom.” I thank God for delivering me from cancer. For giving my life back to me, it’s actually His life to use for whatever purpose he wills it. Everyday, I thank God, just as that tenth leper who out of the ten asked Jesus for healing; I want to be that one who goes back to thank Him.

Thank-You Therapy Takeaway Truth: God Wants to Deliver You

What do you need deliverance from? Are you worried about the future? Isaiah 40:31 is for you: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” Are you worried about the unknown—test results, finances, even a prodigal child? Isaiah 54:10 is for you: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed.” “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love…for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things,” says Psalm 107:8–9. This scripture tells us to give thanks to the Lord, for His love that never fails. God’s perfect love is one that will never fail us. Answers.com describes thirst as: A sensation of dryness in the mouth and throat related to a need or desire to drink. The desire to drink. An insistent desire; a craving: a thirst for knowledge.

#1 Thank you God for loving meHunger is described as: A strong desire or need for food. The discomfort, weakness, or pain caused by a prolonged lack of food. A strong desire or craving: a hunger for affection.

Experience the God Who Satisfies

God wants us to walk by faith and allow Him to meet our needs. He is the God who is enough. He wants to satisfy our needs, fulfill our desires. He wants us to trust Him with our doubts. I work with incarcerated women at the residential treatment center at the Bakersfield Rescue Mission. These women are court-ordered placements, yet as they walk under this arch that says “You Are Loved,” they experience the God who satisfies, who provides for their needs. They believe God’s love is unconditional. They are beginning to understand the passion, power, and purpose of God’s love for them, that even their time in residential placement is a result of their consequences, that God’s love is the catalyst behind every circumstance. They are beginning to believe that God’s will is best for us and them and those they love. In a book called Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning, Jon Eagan says, “Define yourself as being radically loved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is just an illusion.”

Imagine if the body of Christ, the church, would believe we are radically loved be God. Imagine how it would change and rearrange everything we believe about ourselves, God, and our future? Do you believe God can satisfy you? Maybe you don’t have any problem believing God can redeem you or deliver you—but that God can actually satisfy? Stepping out in faith means we don’t wait to see the bottom line, the end of the story, before we walk with God, even if the outcome doesn’t make sense.

Thank You Therapy Takeaway Truth: God Wants to Satisfy You

#1 Thank you God!God wants to satisfy you. Does that mean He does what we want? It means when we pray according to His will, He changes our wanting, our desires, to want what He wants. Psalm 107:1 and 8 gives us the words to pray: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; his love endures forever. . . . Let us give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Let Him quench your spiritual thirst and satisfy your soul hunger as you thank Him for redeeming you, delivering you, and satisfying you—He is everything you need!

Father, we thank you today. Thank you for your love. It’s your love that covers a multitude of sins—it redeems us. It’s your love and compassion that delivers us. It’s your love that satisfies us. Father, forgive us for the times when you speak to us and we aren’t paying attention and don’t recognize your voice. Thank you for speaking loudly to us today—so loud that we can hear you saying through our trials, “I LOVE YOU!” We have heard you speak to us today through your Word. Lord, as a response to hearing your Word, we submit to you. So many need to know about how you work, and we want to tell others what you have done for us. Thank you for the opportunity! In the precious name of Jesus, amen.

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