A lack of gratitude and giving honor where honor is due is unpleasant.  The enemy delights in it because it withholds a testimony of the goodness of God at work on the earth.  All it takes to stir up excitement in hell is for a believer who receives something from God to withhold their testimony of his goodness and love from others.

Jesus encountered this during His own time here on earth.

Luke 17:11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Ten lepers received the mercy and goodness of God through the ministry of Jesus, but only one, a Samaritan, returned to give glory to God for what he had received from Him.   Maybe he had no sense of entitlement due to being a Samaritan; I can’t say for certain, but it sure seems that way.

This is one miracle during Jesus’ ministry that, although it was meant to glorify God, it appeared that the enemy was the winner.  The enemy successfully robbed God of the testimony that the other nine were meant to bring in that moment and time.  Of course, we now, down through the ages, have the testimony of what took place because of the gospel writings.  So, God still triumphs.  But I believe He would prefer that this story have included the testimony of the other nine.

Bearing witness to the work of God and giving thanks so that others may see and know of His goodness is not a small thing.  It is very important.  Withholding gladdens and pleases the enemy.

Whenever God moves in a person’s life, and He is made real to them through their encounter with Him, it is important that they testify to His goodness and His mercy and return and give thanks to Him for the abundance of His love and compassion.

The Holy Spirit uses these occasions to help someone’s faith rise above their doubts.  He uses it to turn their eyes to Jesus and what He can do and has already done.  The enemy wants it silenced for this reason.

Our Father is not going to feed one of our brothers and then withhold from us and let us starve.  He is no respecter of persons.  He invites all His children to the table to dine.  He is not going to love one child and hate the other.  He loves all who are His by grace through faith in Christ.  But it can appear to onlookers that such is not the case when the testimony of His love and goodness are withheld, and glory isn’t given to Him as it should be for His activity in one’s life.

We can be like the one leper who returned to give glory to God and offer His thanks, or we can choose to be reserved and keep it to ourselves like the other nine.  The other nine, mind you, do not appear in a good light within the Scriptures, which should register with us as something unpleasant to God.  However, The former leper appears before us in a good light as having brought pleasure to Jesus and glory to God.  I think I prefer being of that sort.  I hope you do as well and will make it your aim and practice to find ways to always give glory to God for His work in your life.