The Right Attitude – I CAN and I WILL

The Right Attitude – I CAN and I WILL

23^rd October 2011

Introduction

Have you ever been in the company of someone and you are thinking to yourself; what awful attitude! The person is full of negativity, pessimism; they see what is wrong in everything, why everything will not work etc. We run away from such people. We can’t under-estimate the impact of our attitude on our life; in our relationships, to our work, to ourself and most importantly to non believers.

• Attitude to the world around us;
• Attitude to our relationships; does our attitude bring people down or uplift them
• Attitude to our work; it’s just a job, let me just do the minimum or do we do it to the best of our abilities
• Attitude to ourself; self depreciation, self defeating, self pity, self condemnation or self motivated, positive about own abilities

Importance of our Attitude

Chuck Swindoll said, ‘Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it…

Our attitude tells a lot about us; our beliefs, our mindset, our feelings towards something or someone

Our attitude affects how we live our life and play a major role in the outcome of our lives.

Our attitude is one of the first things people notice about us.

Attitude like character is so important to our ability to influence people

Why our Attitude is important

• As Jesus Ambassadors and witness
• 75% of our witness is through our lifestyle, our character and our attitude
• 25% is direct evangelism

What does our attitude say about Jesus to non believers?

• Affirmation or negation of our faith
• Are we optimistic full of hope or pessimistic always seeing the bad in things/people
• positive in our outlook and attitude or negative, doubtful
• Do we have a ‘Can’ do attitude believing all things are possible to those who have faith
• Do we build up people with our attitude or bring them down/ de-motivate them
• Pathway to success
• Successful people have one thing in common; positive attitude
• The right attitude helps you to look for creative and innovative solution to challenges
• The right attitude makes you stand out
• The right attitude is not giving up but having the courage to stand up when you fall
• Builds relationships
• We need relationships in our lives, we are interdependent. It is impossible to live a fulfilled and happy life without people
• People want to be around those with the right attitude; in how they are treated and what you give them

Definition

Attitude is defined as a predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation.

Attitude influences an individual’s choice of action, and responses to challenges, incentives, and rewards (together called stimuli).

Biblical Learning

2 Tim 3:16-17: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

TEXT: John 5: 1-15 and Mark 5: 25-34 (NKJ)

John 5: 1-15: The lame man by the Pool of Bethesda

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. ³ In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. ⁴ For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.^{[b] 5} Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
⁷ The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
⁸ Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” ⁹ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. ¹⁰ The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
¹¹ He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’”
¹² Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” ¹³ But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. ¹⁴ Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

Mark 5: 25-34: The woman with the issue of blood

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
²⁹ immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. ³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
³¹ But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
³² And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

Comparison

The Lame Man John 5: 1 - 15	The Woman with issue of Blood Mark 5: 25-34
General
Sick for 38 years. Was not born like that	Sick for 12 years. Was not born like that
Looked to one source for his healing	Looked to various sources for her healing
Jesus took the initiative	She took the initiative
No evidence of faith before or after	Showed faith
Jesus told him to sin no more or worse would happen to him. Got a warning	No mention of Sin was told to go in peace. Got a prayer
Attitude demonstrated
Self pity Not a solution seeker No initiative: Could not negotiate with others around him i.e. if you get there before me, help me next and vice versa Had given up No friends? No vision / no foresight: Did not answer affirmatively, focused on challenges and problems Did not recognize his solution in his front. Must have heard about Jesus.	Can do and will do attitude Focused on seeking solution to her problem not dwell on it, hence she heard about Jesus Used various initiatives Did not give up, continuously seeking solutions Woman of vision, want to get better Creative/Innovative: Touched the helm of Jesus garment.

Impact of Wrong Attitude

• We remain in the state we’ve been always even with the solution in use (Jesus) and in front of us (resources around us)
• We don’t see Jesus, we become too focused on ourselves
• We sometimes look in the wrong place for the right answer
• We neglect our role as the light of the world and the Salt of the earth
• We don’t have loving relationships;
• We might not make it to Heaven as we are filled with negative thoughts
• Wrong attitude is succumbing to the enemy who wants to keep us locked into his lies and hold us in bondage

Ingredient for the Right Attitude

1. Relationship with God: This is not a relationship that stopped when you gave your life to Christ. This is a relationship that is personal, vibrant and growing
2. Know who you are in Christ: A lots of us talk about, pray about faith, yet our action is complete opposite. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). Our bad attitude negates our faith. You must activate your faith.

• Our attitude demonstrates our faith. A person of faith will always have a positive outlook in life. Jesus told us not to worry. We can do all things. Even when we do not see it physically or the circumstances around us looks otherwise, we must be positive
• Apostle Paul told us to Rejoice always: Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. (Phil 4:4). There is nothing in this world that should get us to have negative attitudes. We have the assurance that;

                                                              i.      God will be with us all the time. our disposition should be one of Joy

                                                            ii.      Whatever we ask for, if we believe we shall receive (John 15:6-8)

                                                          iii.      We are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:20-21)

                                                           iv.      We are Sons and Heirs of the Promise (Rom 8:15-16, for you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out ‘Abba Father’. The Spirit Himself bear witness with our spirit that we are children of God))

                                                             v.      We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Math 5:13-14)

                                                           vi.      For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Tim 1:7

3. You need the Holy Spirit: We can only have the right attitude at all times by the enablement of the Holy Spirit.

• The gifts of the Holy Spirit are essential to having the right attitude
• Work with the Holy Spirit to change our attitude
• We have power to do all things through the Holy Spirit

4. It is a choice: Attitudes can be changed. Attitude is a tendency or predisposition. We can change our preferences, our beliefs and make the decision on how to respond to anything and in any circumstances. It is a choice.

• Requires a new mindset / a mental shift. ( Rom 12:1-3 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

5. Clear about your Purpose: You can have the right attitude when you are clear about your purpose. You know what you want to achieve

• There is a general purpose for every child of God, which is to make disciples of people.
• Yet, each person also has specific purpose within this for which they were created. We have been fashioned and gifted according to God’s purpose for our lives
• Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude…Thomas Jefferson

6. Expand your knowledge: Study about attitudes, attitudes of people who do exploits for God, those whose lives has changed, study successful people and the attitude they apply to their life and work.

Conclusion

Our attitude can affect our miracle. Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference – Winston Churchill.

God is the only One who can help us to have the right attitude in our life at all time. He only is the one that can give us that peace that surpasses all understanding no matter what is happening around us and to us. However, God has also given us free will to make choices. We can decide to activate our faith and live our live in faith, thereby appropriating all the wonderful promises that Jesus has made available to us by His finished work on the cross.

What choice are you making today? I CAN and I WILL.

Rejoice always: Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:4-8.