The Importance Of A Positive Attitude

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.