Do you start out thinking you can, and end up thinking you can’t? Can’t is cannot, abbreviated. Someone has said “Success comes in cans, not in cannots.” The verb “can” means:
“To be able, physically, mentally, morally or legally; to possess the qualities, qualifications or resources necessary for the accomplishment of any purpose.”
The Roman poet Virgil (70-9 B.C.) commenting on the military successes of the Carthaginians, said:
“They can because they think they can.”
Henry Ford said:
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t: either way you are right.”
Self-confidence is important, because whatever you believe you can do, you can do. Small children operate VCR’s and computers easily, because no-one has told them that doing so is difficult. Their grandparents think it is! Why? Because older folk think technology is complex; and for them it is.
But only because they think it is.
Success may come in cans, but every can needs a ‘can opener’ – something to access success. A verbal ‘can opener’ is a confident “I know I can…”
Remember the children’s story about the Little Red Engine that thought it could? Its ‘can opener’ was: “I think I can.” Near the top of the uphill grade, it changed to “I know I can.” Over the top and on the downhill grade, it tooted triumphantly – “I knew I could!” Only a children’s story? Sure. But it illustrates the fact that you and I can achieve a lot when we really put our mind to it.
Positive Thinking is powerful, but Christians can do more than just Think Positive about life’s problems. Jesus said:
“If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain – ‘Move from here to there’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you.” (Matthew 17:20)
It’s good to Think Positive, but Jesus spoke of the mountain-moving power of God-given faith, faith with power out of all proportion to its size. Mustard seeds are so small that in bygone years miners used them to weigh gold dust.
Can faith that small move mountains? It can if you believe it can! You may know that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37), but do you also know that because Christ is in your life and God’s faith is in your heart, nothing is impossible to you? (Matthew 17:20)
The Christian answer to a problem is first to believe in God, and then to speak to the problem. Faith is first vertical and second horizontal. Jesus assured us that words spoken in faith can move mountains: medical, social, financial – whatever! Thinking positively about your problem may enable you to face it; but praying and saying power words will move it! (But pray before you say, or it won’t move at all.)
Positive Thinking limits you to your own abilities, but faith links you to Almighty God. No matter how positively you think, some mountains will never move. But “all things are possible to those who believe.” (Mark 9:23) Believing is faith in action. Faith moves mountains, because faith doesn’t just pray about the problem – it believes God for the answer; it not only sees what the Lord wants done – it starts doing it.
Inactive faith is as dead as a breathless body (James 2:20). God responds to active faith (Hebrews 11:6). You speak to the mountain – the problem confronting you – and, because of your faith, God moves the mountain!
Through active faith impossibilities first become possibilities and then certainties. “Nothing is impossible with God,” so why should anything be impossible to you? If you really believe it, say it. Put your faith into words, because God’s word in your mouth really can move mountains!