Negative

<<unfavourable, adverse>>

Don’t allow life’s difficulties or negatives to cause you to resign yourself to a life of ‘if only ...’ and so prevent you from entering into your inheritance and potential in Christ. In the name of Jesus “rise up”, in faith shake off the shackles of the past that have held you in bondage (Act 3:6-8). Satan’s strategy is to keep us in ignorance of the blessings that are ours in Christ, besides bringing feelings of inferiority and doubt to get us sidetracked and focused on our weaknesses and incapability rather than recognising God’s power to help and promise to guide (Ps 32:8, 48:14; Jn 16:13). Being around a negative person creates an unsettling within you, the grumbling and complaining can pull you down and makes you depressed too unless you respond in the opposite spirit.

Even if things go completely against us in the natural realm, provided we are children of God, heaven will be our home when we depart this life and thus we will be winners in the long-term. We choose whether we view situations as obstacles, preventing us living victoriously for Jesus, or as challenges to overcome with His help; it’s our decision

View yourself as valuable – one for whom Christ died

whether we become bitter or better people through the events of life. The Israelites did not trust God, instead they looked at the size of the problem against them. Mentally they were defeated and the consequence was they spent another 40 years in the desert until all those who had made and agreed with this decision died; God declared "I will do the very thing I heard you say" (Num 13:31, 14:20-33). The declarations we speak over ourselves (and others) are powerful, with the Bible even stating the power of life and death are in the power of our tongue (Prov 18:21). We are instructed to deal with all negative emotions bringing them into submission to Christ (2 Cor 10:5). It is essential to hear from God and do what He asks. By having a close vital relationship with God, and knowing the promises of His Word we do not have to confront the challenges of life as the underdog, but rather as a victor with Him (Jn 8:32,36; 1 Jn 3:8).

The 10 commandments state “Do not…, Do not…” yet these seeming negatives are given for our benefit if we follow their advice; they will protect us and society, and so are overwhelmingly positive, as are the commands to love God with every part of our being, and our neighbour as ourselves (Ex 20:3-17; Mk 12:30,31). As the mind (or heart) is the control center of our whole being it is essential to guard this from negative thoughts and words by thinking about what is good, upright, uplifting, positive and true (Prov 4:23; Phil 4:8). The Bible’s says, rejoice in God in spite of setbacks, because “If God be for us who can be against us?” (Job 1:21; Hab 3:17,18; Rom 8:31). “What you [and Satan] meant for evil, God worked for good” (Gen 50:20). In fact, all things work together for our good if we love God and co-operate with Him (Rom 8:28). We don’t know what the future holds but we know who holds the future and so we should be thankful in all situations, realising God is in control (1 Thes 5:18).

A positive mental attitude coupled with faith in God looks for the good, positive and creative alternatives, giving courage, innovation and optimism with outgoing virtues. This is compared to the devil’s evil, negative, hopeless

Which of the two options do I live by?

but powerful enslavement to a critical, fearful, demoralising, destructive and limiting attitude.