THE EXPERTS SAY THAT IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN LIFE, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
THESE WORDS ARE FOUND ON A PLAQUE IN THE OFFICE OF GOLFING GREAT ARNOLD PALMER.
“IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEATEN, YOU ARE.
IF YOU THINK YOU DARE NOT, YOU DON'T.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO WIN BUT THINK YOU CAN'T,
IT'S ALMOST CERTAIN YOU WON'T.
LIFE'S BATTLES DON'T ALWAYS GO
TO THE STRONGER OR FASTER MAN,
BUT SOONER OR LATER, THE MAN WHO WINS,
IS THE MAN WHO THINKS THAT HE CAN.”
AS CHRISTIANS OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH BEGINS WHEN WE FIRST ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO GROW IN CHRIST.
2 PETER 3:18 – GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
THE NEXT THING WE NEED TO DO IS TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GROW WITH GOD’S HELP.
PHILIPPIANS 4:13 - I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.
SCRIPTURE DEMANDS THAT IN BECOMING A SPIRITUAL PERSON WE SET TWO GOALS FOR OURSELVES.
FIRST WE NEED TO STRIVE TO DEVELOP CHRIST-LIKE BEHAVIOR
2 PETER 1:5-8 – ADD TO FAITH, MORAL EXCELLENCE, THEN KNOWLEDGE, THEN SELF-CONTROL, THEN, PERSEVERANCE, THEN GODLINESS, THEN BROTHERLY KINDNESS, LASTLY LOVE. FOR IF THESE QUALITIES ARE YOURS AND ARE INCREASING, YOU WILL BE NEITHER USELESS NOR UNFRUITFUL IN THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
SECOND – WE NEED TO SEEK TO DETERMINE AND DEVELOP OUR FUNCTION IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. FIND OUT WHAT WE ARE GIFTED BY GOD TO DO!
ROMANS 12:3-5 - FOR THROUGH THE GRACE GIVEN TO ME I SAY TO EVERYONE AMONG YOU NOT TO THINK MORE HIGHLY OF HIMSELF THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK; BUT TO THINK SO AS TO HAVE SOUND JUDGMENT, AS GOD HAS GIVEN TO EACH A MEASURE OF FAITH. FOR JUST AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY AND ALL THE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, SO WE, WHO ARE MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER.
AS THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, CHRISTIANS NEED TO CREATE GOOD HABITS THAT WILL SLOWLY AND SURELY HELP US TO REACH THOSE GOALS.
HABITS THAT CHANGE OUR WORLDLY BEHAVIOR. LIKE BIBLE READING, STUDY AND THE DISCIPLINE OF PRAYER.
1 PETER 2:2 - AS NEWBORN BABIES DESIRE THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD THAT YOU MAY GROW THEREBY.
HABITS THAT DEVELOP OUR FUNCTION IN THE BODY OF CHRIST LIKE ASSEMBLING TOGETHER, PARTICIPATING IN WORSHIP AND MINISTRY.
HEBREWS 10:24-25; LET US CONSIDER HOW TO STIMULATE ONE ANOTHER TO LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS, NOT FORSAKING OUR OWN ASSEMBLING TOGETHER, AS IS THE HABIT OF SOME, BUT ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER; AND ALL THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY DRAWING NEAR.
AS WITH ANY CHALLENGE TO GROW AND CHANGE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT CHRISTIANS NEED IS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE!
WE REALLY NEED TO BELIEVE THAT ALL OUR WORK WILL BE WORTH IT
1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 - THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE STEADFAST, IMMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, KNOWING THAT YOUR TOIL IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.
WE ALSO NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED TO PERSEVERE THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES
2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9- WE ARE AFFLICTED IN EVERY WAY, BUT NOT CRUSHED; PERPLEXED, BUT NOT DESPAIRING; PERSECUTED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED;
WE SEE CLEARLY THROUGH HIS WRITING THAT THE APOSTLE PAUL HAD A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. BUT WHY IS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE SO CRITICAL TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH?
TONIGHT - GROWING SPIRITUALLY – THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
THE DANGERS OF HAVING A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE. HOW TO BLOCK OUT NEGATIVITY.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY- HOW TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE EVEN IN THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES - BUT BEFORE WE START, AS ALWAYS LET’S PRAY.
FATHER GOD,
GUIDE OUR STUDY TODAY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
CONVINCE US AND CONVICT US OF YOUR TRUTH THROUGH JESUS WE PRAY,
AMEN.
IN ANY VENTURE THERE IS A GREATER CHANCE FOR FAILURE IF WE ENTER INTO THE THING WITH A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE,
THIS IS CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLE OF THE TWELVE SPIES OF ISRAEL.
OPEN YOUR BIBLES TO NUMBERS 13.
HERE WE FIND THE NATION OF ISRAEL ON THEIR WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND!
GOD HAS RESCUED THEM FROM EGYPTIAN BONDAGE. HE’S GIVEN THEM MOSES AND AARON TO LEAD THEM THROUGH THE RED SEA INTO THE WILDERNESS TOWARD THE PROMISED LAND.
HE’S DESTROYED THE ARMIES OF PHARAOH WHO HAD PURSUED THEM.
HE HAS FED HIS PEOPLE WITH MANNA AND QUAIL DURING THEIR JOURNEY.
HE HAD EVEN PROVIDED WATER FOR THEM IN THE DESERT.
IN NUMBERS 13 WE FIND THEM ON THE BRINK OF ENTERING INTO THEIR INHERITANCE, THE LAND OF CANAAN - WHEN THE LORD GIVES MOSES THIS COMMAND.
NUMBERS 13:1-3, 17-31
OF THE TWELVE SPIES SENT INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN TEN DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY COULD TAKE THE LAND.
NUMBERS 13:32-14:4
THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE OF THOSE 10 NEGATIVE SPIES AFFECTED THE REST OF THE PEOPLE SO MUCH SO THAT IT MOTIVATED THEM TO WANT TO RETURN TO SLAVERY IN EGYPT!
THAT IS INSANE! WANTING TO RETURN TO BONDAGE! WITH THE WHOLE WORLD OPENED BEFORE THEM!
WITH A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY, WITH ENORMOUS AND ABUNDANT FRUIT!
WITH THE GOD OF ALL CREATION ON THEIR SIDE.
THE NEGATIVITY OF A FEW MEN, MEN WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE BRAVE MEN OF INTEGRITY REPRESENTING THE BEST THAT ISRAEL HAD TO OFFER,
THEIR NEGATIVITY DISCOURAGED THE REST OF THE PEOPLE.
THE NEGATIVITY OF A FEW CAUSED THE REST OF THE PEOPLE TO REBEL AND COMPLAIN AGAINST GOD!
THE NEGATIVITY OF A FEW PROMPTED THE REST NOT TO BELIEVE GOD!
THE NEGATIVITY OF A FEW CAUSED MANY TO DIE IN THE WILDERNESS!
TURN TO NUMBERS 14:26-38
WHEN NEGATIVE ATTITUDES ARE ALLOWED TO DEVELOP, WE STOP BELIEVING IN GOD AND IN OURSELVES.
WE STOP TRYING TO DO WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO.
WE DISCOURAGE THE PEOPLE AROUND US AND WE FAIL TO REACH THE GOALS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO ACHIEVE!
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE VALUE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS SEEN CLEARLY THE ACCOUNT OF THE REBUILDING OF THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM.
TURN YOUR BIBLES TO NEHEMIAH 4.
THIS IS THE ACCOUNT OF THE JEWS TAKEN BY CAPTIVITY TO THE CITADEL OF SUSA IN THE PERSIAN EMPIRE.
TAKEN FROM THEIR HOMELAND TO ANOTHER CAPTIVITY.
BUT THE PROVIDENCE AND MERCY OF GOD HAVE PROVIDED THEM WITH A SECOND CHANCE AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN LIBERTY BY KING XERXES TO RETURN AND REBUILD THEIR CITY!
JERUSALEM WAS A RUIN WHEN THEY RETURNED TO IT.
A DEVASTATED AND SCORCHED CITY. THE WORK BEFORE THEM WAS MASSIVE AND DAUNTING.
FURTHERMORE THERE WERE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL, OPPOSITION TO THE REBUILDING, WHO PLOTTED AGAINST, RIDICULED AND MOCKED THE REBUILDING JEWS.
HOW WOULD WE FEEL IF OUR GLORIOUS CITY, OUR HOME AND HERITAGE LIE IN RUINS BEFORE OUR EYES?
HOW WOULD WE DEAL WITH OUR ENEMIES AND THEIR ATTACKS?
ANY CITIZEN WOULD BE DISCOURAGED. IT WOULD BE EASY TO IMAGINE FAILURE.
IT WOULD BE NATURAL TO BE DISHEARTENED AND HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF NEGATIVITY. BUT LOOK AT THE VALUE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN ISRAEL!
NEHEMIAH 4:1-6
THE PEOPLE HAD A MIND, A DETERMINATION TO WORK!
THIS POSITIVE ATTITUDE HELPED THEM TO OVERCOME THE RIDICULE OF THEIR ENEMIES!
THIS TIME, THE POSITIVE ATTITUDES OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL LED TO THEIR SUCCESS IN REBUILDING THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM!
NEHEMIAH 6:15 –THE WALL WAS FINISHED IN FIFTY TWO DAYS!
WHEN POSITIVE ATTITUDES ARE DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED…
WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN GOD AND OUR ABILITY TO SERVE HIM!
WE KEEP ON TRYING TO DO WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO!
WE CAN ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE AROUND US AND OVERCOME THOSE MOCKERS WHO OPPOSE AND DISCOURAGE US!
WE CAN ULTIMATELY REACH THE GOAL THAT GOD HAS PLACED BEFORE US!
LIKE REBUILDING THE WALLS OF A GREAT CITY, SPIRITUAL GROWTH TAKES A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE GOD WILL HELP US TO REACH HIS GOALS FOR OUR GROWTH.
WITHOUT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, WE WILL FALL SHORT OF BECOMING WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US TO BE.
WITH THAT IN MIND LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
THE FIRST THING WE CAN DO AS CHRISTIANS IS TO CHOOSE TO BE POSITIVE!
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE OR CHANGE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE BUT WE CAN CONTROL HOW WE REACT TO THEM.
WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDES, EMOTIONS AND MOODS.
WE CAN FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION OF JAMES 1:2 AND COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN TIMES ARE HARD.
WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THE TESTING OF OUR FAITH ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE, DEVELOPS PATIENCE.
AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE TAUGHT TO VALUE OUR HARDSHIPS AND BE MOTIVATED BY THEM.
TURN TO ROMANS 5:3-5; 12:9-12
CHRISTIANS WHO MAINTAIN THEIR POSITIVE ATTITUDES THROUGH HOPING IN GOD AND PRAYER WILL REJOICE IN DIFFICULT TIMES!
WITH A PROPER UNDERSTANDING WE CAN MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN SPITE OF EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
BESIDES MAKING THE CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO BE POSITIVE, ANOTHER WAY TO MAINTAIN THAT ATTITUDE IS TO BLOCK OUT THE NEGATIVITY!
AVOID THE NEGATIVE SELF TALK! I HAD AN AUNT WHO CONSTANTLY TOLD ME AS A CHILD THAT FOR ME THERE WAS NO SUCH WORD AS “CAN’T”.
STOP SAYING AND THINKING “I CAN’T DO IT…”
STOP REMINDING YOURSELF THAT “IT’S TOO HARD…”
READ, REMEMBER AND RECALL WHAT GOD AS SAID ABOUT YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HIM AND HIS SON!
PHILIPPIANS 2:13-“ IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU”
4:13 – I CAN DO ALL THINGS…
YOU CAN DO WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO!
GALATIANS 6:9- LET US NOT GROW WEARY IN DOING GOOD FOR IN DUE SEASON WE WILL REAP IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.
THE GREATER EFFORTS WE MAKE, THE GREATER RESULTS WE WILL SEE!
1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 – YOUR LABOR WILL NOT BE IN VAIN!
ANOTHER WAY TO BLOCK OUT NEGATIVITY? - AVOID NEGATIVE PEOPLE!
1 CORINTHIANS 15:33- BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD MORALS!
CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS CAREFULLY! STAY AWAY FROM TOXIC PEOPLE.
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WHOSE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES POISON OTHER PEOPLE!
IF NOT, YOU WILL BECOME A MEMBER OF WHAT RICK PITINO CALLED “THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MISERABLE” AND THE KILLERS OF DREAMS!
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE WHO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT!
HEBREWS 10:24- LET US CONSIDER HOW WE MAY PROVOKE ONE ANOTHER TO GOOD DEEDS!
SEEK OUT PEOPLE WHO WILL REFRESH YOUR SPIRIT AND NOT DISCOURAGE IT! PAUL DID!
1 CORINTHIANS 16:16,17 - I WAS GLAD WHEN STEPHANAS, FORTUNATUS AND ACHAICUS ARRIVED, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUPPLIED WHAT WAS LACKING FROM YOU. FOR THEY REFRESHED MY SPIRIT AND YOURS ALSO. SUCH MEN DESERVE RECOGNITION.
BE LIKE BROTHER BARNABAS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS. HE IS CALLED THE “SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT”. IN ACTS 11 IT IS WRITTEN OF HIM THAT THROUGH HIS ENCOURAGEMENT AND POSITIVITY MANY PEOPLE WERE “ADDED TO THE LORD”
WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, THE RIGHT AND POSITIVE SELF-TALK AND THE RIGHT COMPANIONSHIP, WE CAN AVOID BEING HARDENED AND DISCOURAGED BY THE SIN OF NEGATIVITY.
ANOTHER WAY TO BLOCK OUT THE NEGATIVES…
LIVE IN THE PRESENT, NOT THE PAST, WITH YOUR EYES ON THE FUTURE!
IF ANYONE COULD DWELL ON THE SIN IN HIS PAST IT WOULD BE THE APOSTLE PAUL.
TURN TO 1TIMOTHY 1:12-15
THE APOSTLE PAUL! FORMER BLASPHEMER AGAINST GOD, PERSECUTOR OF MEN. AN INSOLENT ANGRY MURDERER!
BUT WITH ALL HIS PAST MISTAKES PAUL MADE THE CHOICE TO LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND AND CONCENTRATE ON THE PRESENT WITH AN EYE TOWARD THE FUTURE.
TURN TO PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14
PAUL REACHED TOWARD THE PRIZE, THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST!
IT WAS THIS FUTURE GLORY THAT ENABLED HIM TO ENDURE HIS PRESENT TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS!
THIS IS THE MATURE ATTITUDE THAT MOTIVATED PAUL. THIS IS HOW PAUL GOT THROUGH THE PRESSURES, PERSECUTIONS AND TRIALS OF HIS MINISTRY.
THIS WAS HOW HE WAS ABLE TO PERSEVERE THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT OF TIMES.
IN CONCLUSION – GOD HAS GIVEN US EVERY REASON TO HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE, HIS WORD, HE IS ABLE AND READY TO HELP US TO GROW.
HE HAS PROVIDED THE TOOLS TO HELP US GROW, IN HIS WORD, THROUGH PRAYER AND THE PRAYERS AND ENCOURAGEMENTS OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
HE HAS DESIGNED THE CHURCH TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY AND THE PROPER ENVIRONMENT FOR GROWTH.
OUR LABORS ARE NOT IN VAIN AND THEY WILL NOT GO UNNOTICED BY GOD!
THE CHALLENGE FOR US IS TO NOT LET OUR POSITIVE ATTITUDES BE DESTROYED THROUGH OUR OWN NEGATIVE SELF-TALK, THROUGH THE INFLUENCE OF NEGATIVE PEOPLE OR THROUGH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
THE CHOICE IS OURS – WE CAN LIVE POSITIVELY THROUGH FAITH IN GOD.
WE CAN CHOOSE TO BLOCK OUT THE NEGATIVITY THAT THREATENS TO DISRUPT OUR PEACE.
WE CAN LIVE IN THE PRESENT, NOT THE PAST. WITH AN EYE TOWARD THE FUTURE.
WILL WE MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE? WILL WE MAKE THE CHOICE THAT THE RIGHTEOUS OF GOD HAVE ALWAYS MADE?
JOSHUA 24:15- “AND IF IT SEEMS EVIL TO YOU TO SERVE THE LORD, CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, WHETHER THE GODS WHICH YOUR FATHERS SERVED THAT WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, OR THE GODS OF THE AMORITES IN WHOSE LAND YOU DWELL. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”
