Saturday, September 22, 2018

The Power Of Perspective

Attitudes, not circumstances make the difference for those who overcome even the toughest situations. God made us to be winners. And we will be as long as we choose to nurture an attitude that releases the power of God instead of one that keeps us confined to fear and failure.

Possibly the most powerful statement of victory in any volume written throughout history is Paul's declaration in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (NKJV).

These were not the idealistic thoughts of a philosopher. They were words carved from the life experiences of a man who had lived by the power of God and had seen God deliver him from the most dangerous situations.

Paul knew what the power of the Holy Spirit within him would do. God's faithfulness to deliver him time and time again had shaped Paul's perspective on life. Beyond any possibility of doubt, Paul had discovered where his strength came from—the presence of God.

Those who are winners in life understand the power of perspective. They have realized that the way we look at something can have a huge impact on whether we succeed or fail. Paul had learned to look at every obstacle from the perspective of the strength and power that was within him—the anointing of Jesus.

Like Paul, we too can develop a winning attitude. We have God's manual for success, the Bible. In His Word, God has given us the laws of the Spirit of life that will direct us and help us develop the point of view and attitude which can make us into winners. Our decision is whether or not we will develop a winning attitude.

A familiar saying instructs us: "Your attitude will affect your altitude." Our attitudes set the pace for our success.

Golf's great Arnold Palmer is reportedly reminded of this by the words on a plaque hanging in his office:

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 the faster man,
But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.

What do we think about the situations we face today? Are we thinking victory or defeat? God's Word says we can overcome any situation. But we have a part to play in seeing that promise come to pass. Our part is to adjust our thinking to agree with the Word of God.

Our willingness to line our thinking up with what God has said will set the course of success or failure. That's because what happens in us is much more important to our success than what happens to us. A happy person is not a person with a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set off attitudes.

The choice is ours. We can nurture an attitude of victory or defeat. We can have an attitude that releases the power of God or an attitude that keeps us confined to fear and failure.

John Chapter 3

King James Version (KJV)

3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

24 For John was not yet cast into prison.

25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.