Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving
In this three-week series, we learn:
1. The Posture of Thanksgiving – Joy in our hearts
2. The Perspective of Thanksgiving – Humility in our minds
3. The Practice of Thanksgiving – Praise on our lips
SERMON FOCUS
The right posture when entering God’s presence is joy—a joyful heart, glad service, and thankful song.
Posture matters. Just as people approach a king’s court with respect and joy, we should approach the King of Kings with thanksgiving and praise.
Part 1: The Posture of Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:1-2)
The word joyful in Hebrew means a shout of triumph. It’s the sound of victory, not defeat. Joy is not just a feeling, it is a choice, an attitude, and a posture of the heart.
Five Key Truths About Joy
1) Joy is the Heart’s Attitude Toward God, Not life’s Circumstances
2) Joy is a Spiritual Posture of Expectancy
3) Joy is the Overflow of Gratitude Remembered
4) Joy is the Believer’s Strength to Give Thanks
5) Joy is Contagious Thanksgiving
1. Joy is the Heart’s Attitude Toward God, Not Life’s Circumstances
Joy is the posture of thanksgiving, it’s not a reaction, but a position of the heart. When we come into God’s presence, we are invited to come with glad hearts. The psalmist doesn’t say, “Make a joyful noise if everything is going well.” He commands joy because joy is rooted not in what’s happening around us, but in who God is within us.
Philippians 4:4, Acts 16:22-26
In verse 2 when the psalmist says, “Serve the Lord with gladness,” he’s showing us that joy isn’t optional, it’s the spiritual posture of thanksgiving. It’s evidence of a thankful heart, the outward expression of inner gratitude.
2 Samuel 6:14, John 15:11
2. Joy is a Spiritual Posture of Expectancy
To enter His gates with thanksgiving means to approach God with expectancy, believing that He’s already been good, and trusting that He will continue to be. Joy looks forward with faith-filled anticipation.
In Israel, when worshipers approached the temple gates, they came singing. Their praise went before their petitions. Before they asked for anything, they thanked God for everything.
1 Samuel 1:9-18, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 16:11
3. Joy is the Overflow of Gratitude Remembered
Joy grows when we remember what God has already done. When you recall His faithfulness, joy begins to rise because gratitude is the seed, and joy is the fruit. Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
1 Samuel 17:34-37
4. Joy is the Believer’s Strength to Give Thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
When life wears you down, joy is what lifts you back up.
Nehemiah 8:10, Habakkuk 3:17-18, Acts 16 (Paul and Silas)
When your joy is in the Lord, no loss, lack or delay can take it away. Joy gives you strength to keep thanking God even when you can’t trace Him.
5. Joy is Contagious Thanksgiving
Philippians 1:3-4 says, “3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,”
Joy is never meant to be contained; it’s meant to be contagious. A joyful believer becomes a living invitation to praise. Joy draws people to Jesus because it reflects His goodness.
Psalm 34:2–3, Luke 1:39-47
The right posture of thanksgiving begins with joyful expression, “make a joyful noise.” It continues with glad service, “serve the Lord with gladness.” And it culminates in grateful presence, “come before His presence with singing.” This isn’t about mood; it’s about mindset.
Joy is not optional for the believer – it’s essential. It is
· The attitude that aligns us with God’s goodness
· The expectancy that keeps us looking ahead
· The memory that reminds us of His faithfulness
· The strength that sustains our gratitude, and
· The spark that multiplies thanksgiving in others.