Supernatural Abundance: A Journey To The Father's House (8 page)

ATTITUDE DEFINED

Attitude can be defined as “a mental filter through which we process our thoughts and view the world.” Given the fact that the average person has more than 50,000 separate thoughts per day, it's obvious that the expression “attitude is everything” is true.

There are many people who filter their thoughts through a negative screen, which leads them to view the world as a dark, ominous place populated with gloom and doom. When we filter those same thoughts through the screen of a positive attitude, the world is a bright adventure overflowing with surprises and abundance.

After all, who wants to be around someone who sees the glass half-empty instead of half-full? A bad attitude is like a virus, it spreads to everyone around you. Just like a cold germ, every time the bad attitude opens its mouth, more people are infected.

There are some things in life we can’t do anything about. Where we were born, who our parents were, and what we look like. One thing we can do something about is our attitude. Nobody can make us have a good attitude or a bad one; it’s a choice.

• Good versus Bad Attitude - A bad attitude will always blame others when things go wrong: A good attitude will accept responsibility for making mistakes.
  
• A bad attitude makes excuses: a good attitude gets results. A bad attitude says, “Get going!” A good attitude says, “Let's get going.”
  
• A bad attitude looks at life as a trial to endure. A good attitude looks at life as an adventure to enjoy.
  
• A bad attitude looks at a rose bush and sees the thorns. A good attitude looks past the thorns, and sees the roses.
  

I'm sure you could add to this list. But I want to ask you a question: Which person would you prefer to be, the one with a good attitude, or the one with a bad attitude? Would you rather be known as someone who lights up a room when you enter the room, or when you leave the room? Let's face it, we love being around positive people because their attitude is contagious, and we want to catch it. No doubt about it, people with great attitudes light up a room when they enter it, not when they leave it.”

Attitude is the Key Ingredient to Successful Living

We are in charge of our own attitudes. We can face change with a negative attitude (the glass half empty) or we can choose to face change with a positive attitude (the glass half-full). I have come to believe that attitude is more important than facts, my past, my failures, my successes, or what other people think or say or do. Attitude has the power to make or break your organization, your Church, or your home.
 

Some people have such a rotten attitude that they think the whole world stinks. Ninety-five times out of one hundred, when we begin to feel that things in life stinks, the problem is not with the world or with others. The problem is with us. Our attitude has become negative. When you change a negative attitude to a positive one, you can change your world.

Warren Wiersbe, former pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago wrote: “Without a doubt the human mind is the most awesome creation of God. With it, God has given us the ability to think, to reason and to choose whether we will focus on positive thoughts or negative thoughts. In every one of our lives, there is the positive and the negative. The choice as to which one we will focus on, feed on, and nurture on is up to us.”

Model the Attitude of Jesus

The greatest leader who ever lived had the greatest attitude! His name was Jesus.

We would expect history’s greatest leader to have the greatest attitude. Paul said, “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.”
 
All we have to do is watch Jesus' actions, listen to His words, and we know that He was the master of His own attitude. Hebrews 12:2 says we are to,
“Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
 

Here are three key facets of Jesus’ winning attitude:

1.
 
Jesus knew Why He was here.
 

He wasn’t confused about His purpose. Jesus was very sure as to why He was here, what He was to do, and who sent Him.
 
If we believe we are here for a purpose, we will live in the present moment of divine destiny. We will not wander, be confused, or live with negativity or doubt.

The enemy tries to convince us that we are the only person ever born without purpose. It’s a lie.
 
Call it a lie.
 
Believe it’s a lie.
 
Then start to live like it’s a lie!
 
God has a purpose for every son and daughter of His!

2.
 
Jesus knew what He was sent to do.

He was clear about His mission. Knowing we have a purpose is only the first step in defining that purpose. There has to be a “why” attached to it.
 
Again, Jesus is very clear.
 
Look at Jesus’ “I am come” statements:

• “To fulfill the law”
   
  (Matthew 5:17)
  
• “To bring a sword”
   
  (Matthew 10:34)
  
• “To send fire on the earth”
   
  (Luke 12:49)
  
• “To give sight to the blind.”
   
  (John 9:39)
  
• “To bring light to the world.”
   
  (John 12:46)
  
• “To seek and save the lost.”
   
  (Luke 19:10)
  

Jesus defined His mission statement, even without the proliferation of “how-to” books today: “I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:1)

3. Jesus knew where He was going.
 

He was sure of His destiny. The one thing the enemy hated about Jesus was the fact that Jesus knew His destiny. The Devil tried to do all he could to stop Jesus.
 
Jesus’ experience in the wilderness was about Satan’s attempts to detour His destiny.

Jesus expressed His destiny in the “I go” statements:

• “And then I go unto him that sent me.” (John 7:33)
  
• “For I know whence I came, and where I go.”
   
  (John 8:44)
  
• “I go to prepare a place for you.”
   
  (John 14:2-3)
  
• “I must needs go through Samaria.”
   
  (John 4:4)
  

No wonder Jesus had such a great attitude. No wonder the enemy wants to kill your attitude.
 
When we look at the life of Jesus, we can see why there was so much pressure on Him. Men and women who know their purpose, mission, and destiny cannot be stopped!

To have the attitude of Jesus is to think right, speak right, and to act according to God's word. When we make a conscious choice to do these three things, we can be assured the promise of prosperity will be given without hesitation or restriction.

Appendix III

OVERCOMING A SPIRIT OF POVERTY

Don’t Settle for Less than Your Father Intends

The Bible teaches there is a spirit opposite to abundance, and it’s called the spirit of lack and poverty. Many of God’s children live far below what their heavenly Father intended for them.
 

It’s much like a story I heard a young man who immigrated to the United States many years ago. He saved up enough money to buy passage and boarded a ship to follow the American dream. He knew he had enough money to pay for his fare, but not enough to buy food or sustain him on the trip. He packed all the provisions he could carry, but he knew it wouldn't be enough for the whole journey. About two days into the trip, the man looked at the few bits of cheese and crackers that remained and thought, Well, I guess I can make it the rest of the way without food.

While the man sat on the upper deck looking out at the ocean, a steward walked by and said, “Young man, it's lunchtime. Why don’t you come and join us in the dining room?” The young man said, “Sir, I only just had enough money for passage. I don't have enough money to pay for food.” The steward said, “Let me see your ticket.” The steward looked at the man's ticket and said, “This ticket is a full fare ticket which entitles you to lodging, food, and every amenity the ship offers!”

This young man had the mentality that is too common among believers today. He was willing to go without food to pursue his dream, though in fact, he was entitled to everything the ship had to offer. You may think, What a tragedy! But there are many people that live their whole lives like this young man.

Let me share with you some thoughts about the spirit of poverty and what wealth and abundance really means.

There is a scripture that describes what I’m talking about:

Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.” (Proverbs 13:18)

Someone asked me, “What is an idol?” The best definition I've ever read is, “Anything you have to check with before obeying the instructions of the Holy Spirit.” When we live in the cycle of “insufficiency,” we will many times say “NO” to Holy Spirit! The spirit of poverty must be exposed before it can ever be broken.

I want to break down the individual links in the chain of poverty for you. Before I do, it would be helpful to define terms that are often discussed in the body of Christ:

•
Riches

•
Wealth

•
Prosperity

•
Abundance

Riches or Wealth:

“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your Fathers, as it is this day.”
(Deuteronomy 8:18)

When speaking of the word wealth, some only view it in terms of money. This is a great deception. Money is only a part of true wealth. In my life I have seen many people who have a great deal of money, but I would not consider them truly wealthy.

When using these two words “riches or wealth,” we are speaking about considerable financial or material assets.
 
There is more to it than just having large bank accounts, or owning large estates. I’m sure you have met people just like I described.
 
They have many “things,” but that does not equal wealth.

My definition of wealth may be a little different from yours. I believe that wealth is: being provided for through an unlimited supply. Philippians 4:13 says:
 
“And my God shall supply all of your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

We need to understand! Wealth must be viewed in light of present need. For example, money may not be the present need. The need may be healing for a family member, peace of mind, a new job situation, or help for a rebellious child. Financial wealth is not the end in itself. God's ultimate will for us is we be made whole.

“Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money.”
 

~Anonymous

Did you know the most famous gold strike in American history occurred in January 1848 when a man named John Marshall found gold at Sutter's Mill in northern California? The find set off a gold rush that reached a frenzied pitch. It even attracted prospectors from Europe. But it ruined Marshall and John Stutter; the man who owned the land where gold lay for the taking. Gold seekers overran Sutter’s land, his cattle were stolen, and he was driven into bankruptcy. Marshall died drunken and penniless.
 

What is Prosperity and Abundance?

I’m linking two words together to help you understand what I mean when I talk about prosperity and abundance.

When using these two words, it does not necessarily mean that a person has much money in the bank, or owns great material possessions. The promise from God is that all of your needs will be met, and there will be enough left over to share.

In short, when we think in terms of God's provision, we are not necessarily talking about people whom others would consider to be very wealthy or rich. I would like to think that it means succeeding in what each individual is called and commissioned to do. There is an old saying that goes like this, “Where God guides ... He provides.”

The apostle John said:
 

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
(3 John 3:2)

If you study John's third epistle, you will discover that he was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He was telling us that God wants us to “prosper” in all things, and be in “health” just as our “soul prospers.” This covers every area of life, including the material.

John, in using the word “prosper,” is saying, “to have a prosperous or successful journey, or accomplish what you intend to with success.” It's the same word that Paul used in Romans 1:10 when he prayed he may have a “prosperous journey by the will of God” to visit and minister to the Christians at Rome.
 

There are many people who would not consider Paul very successful, and certainly not prosperous. I can tell you this; God had a different view than most people concerning the ministry of Paul.