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| PentecostalTheology.com
Overcoming Negativity Brings Victory in Life ~ Ray Horton
We are overcomers! Many defeated Christians could be overcomers! I try to maintain a positive attitude through all circumstances in life, not because I want to hide from reality, but because I trust in a higher reality. God is faithful; He is bigger than every circumstance, and He responds to the prayers of His children.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death…” (Rev. 12:11). And we too have already overcome by the blood of Jesus, and apply it to every situation by our words (do we meditate on and speak the testimony of God’s work in our lives, or the testimony of the devil’s temptations and bad reports).
We can often, in effect, curse ourselves with negative thought/talk
Worry, anxiety, fear, anger or passive acceptance of our would-be problems all are really self-fulfilling negative prophecy, which make the problem worse through negative words, opening the door of our minds, where the battleground is, for the enemy to confuse and deceive us. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Prov. 18:21). “…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life…” (Deut. 30:19).
We can often, in effect, curse ourselves with negative thought/talk. “With it [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way” (James 3:9-10). That cursing of “men,” through negative talk, includes ourselves.
He is for us; He will never fail us
Rather, let us speak the truth revealed by God’s Word, that He is for us and not against us, that He is faithful and can be trusted, that He has given us all we need for life and godliness. Let us speak of who He is in us as we abide in Him and Him in us, who we are in Him, and all that He has given us.
He brings us through, if we let Him. So, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:18). Notice, this verse says “in” everything, not “for” everything. We can thank Him and praise in in the midst of negative stuff from the world, the flesh, and the devil, because He has made the way for us to go through it all, unscathed, and will work these circumstances to the good of us, His children, the called out ones, as we love and trust Him (Rom. 8:28).
How do we trust God and have a positive attitude in every circumstance? Paul tells us in Philippians 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Vs. 4) What do we rejoice in? “The Lord!” Vs. 6 says “Do not be anxious or worry about anything…” How can we rejoice and avoid worry? Vs. 6 continues: “…in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” How do we pray? With “thanksgiving.” To pray with thanksgiving is to pray out of faith, not fear.
What is the result? “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Vs. 7). Is that not just what we need, our minds and hearts (the battlefield) guarded against the lies that say “you won’t make it,” “you’re no good,” “this situation is impossible”? It’s that “peace of God” that comes upon us when we pray with thanksgiving for all that He has done (remembering His past faithfulness to us), as well as thanking Him in advance for the answer, that brings us out of the downward spiral and to the joyful expectation of victory.
Change the Subject
And Paul gives us another key – to change the subject in our minds and meditate instead on the good things of the Lord (count your blessings): “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Vs 8-9).
This isn’t wishful thinking, pie in the sky, burying our head in the sand, being irresponsible. This is faith! We all have it – it’s a gift from God. In our thoughts and words, let us use our faith to claim the victory already won for us on the cross, and bring in the manifestation of that victory in each situation. Remember, God’s heart for His children is that of a rewarder, and He wants to answer prayer and do good things for us, which is why it is faith that pleases Him (Heb. 11:6). “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11).
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). He is our redeemer! He is our rock! His love will never fail us! So, we can rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit. We can boldly declare the victory with the authority given to us. So, let us speak life and overcome.
