Attitude - That one word can shape your destiny!
We've just finished our series on the Manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit—wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation. I’d say that those gifts are more valuable than rubies, diamonds, or even Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO. The gifts are the wind in our sails.
The Holy Spirit powers the voyage.
In keeping with my Sail boat Analogy - can we ask honestly of ourselves - "What kind of crew members are we?" - Because that’s where "attitude" comes in.
You can have the wind of the Spirit blowing, you can have a solid boat, you can know how all the equipment works—but if the crew has the wrong attitude, that boat will drift, stall, or end up shipwrecked on some deserted island. Not because God failed, but because we resisted His wind - by our attitude.
Your attitude makes all the difference in the world.
It is often the difference between living under a blessing or under a curse.
And on the flip side of that coin called “Attitude” is something called “Expectation.”
Good or bad, your attitude shapes your expectations. Your expectations shape your decisions. Your decisions shape your outcomes!
“I’m too short. Too fat. Too slow. Too old. Not experienced enough.” - We preach these little sermons to ourselves all day long.
But careful .... "we become the person we think about all day and night".
We have this ongoing "tug of war" - in our minds - "Faith vs. Fear" - "Hope vs. Despair".
Instead of saying, “I’m too old” or “I’m too inexperienced,” how about this instead:
“I may be older, but that may be exactly what they’re looking for—wisdom".
"I may be new, but that may be exactly what they want—a fresh set of eyes". - You see - I’m not going to make up anyone’s mind for them. Let them tell me no thanks. I won’t tell myself no first.” -
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” - (Henry Ford)
The Bible said it first: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
We usually get just about what we expect.
“I knew I wouldn’t get that job. Pass that test. Make that sale. Lose this weight. That’s why I never sent in the résumé, never studied, never started the program, and I never asked.”
With that attitude, we’re finished before we ever start.
Or we can say:
“I may not get this job, pass this test, or make this sale—but it’s good practice for the next one. I’m a work in progress. I’m going to keep showing up and getting better.”
We don’t control everything. But we do participate in our outcomes—largely through our attitude and expectations.
Think of Thomas Edison.
They say he tried about 1,000 different light bulbs before one worked. When asked how he didn’t get discouraged after failing so many times, he said, “I have not failed even once. I have only discovered 1,000 ways that do not light a bulb.” - His failures 'informed' his success. That’s attitude. That’s expectation. That’s faith instead of doubt.
I love this saying: “Persistence is to success as carbon is to steel.”
One of the most powerful thoughts in my own life has been:
“I never see failure as failure, but only as a learning experience.” - and right next to it:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Those two truths shaped my expectations, helped me push through my fears and doubts, and framed over25 years of business outcomes—not by making my life easy, but by making me willing to try one more time.
Samuel Ullman wrote, and General Douglas MacArthur loved to quote:
“Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul...
You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt;
as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear;
as young as your hope, as old as your despair.”
Proverbs 17:22 says it best of course - “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
God is not a pessimist. He is an optimist. You’d have to be to put up with me—or any of us - I guess.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” -Jesus said that! - Dying on the Cross was the most optimistic act in all human history. He believed that one day, people like you and me would actually believe in Him, His death and resurrection - would bring us eternal life - simply BELIEVE! Too simple to me when I first heard it - but God is an eternal optimist - He trusts - in us - can we say the same about Him?
The Bible tells us: To - Ask. Seek. & Knock. And keep on asking, seeking, knocking.
James warns ...
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea... That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6–7)
God is serious about attitude and expectation. I’ve lived long enough to see that ...
We usually get what we expect to get. When you expect to lose, you stop trying—and then you almost always lose. When you expect to win, you keep trying—and eventually, you do win. Even in “losing,” you win, because you are doing something most people never do: you "try -try again".
A person I used to work with used to say speaking to themselves mainly - but out loud ... for all the world to hear - "Nothing beats a failure but a try - Nothing beats a failure but a try -Nothing beats a failure but a try". Meaning if you don't try - you've automatically failed -it's the trying - that makes you a success!
I’ve failed many times. But - I’ve also learned this: "I’m not judged by the number of times I fall, but by the number of times I get back up and keep trying" -The number of times I succeed is usually in direct proportion to the number of times I fail—but refuse to quit."
Failure is a building block to success.
On a sailboat, you don’t cut the sails because of one bad current. You adjust them. You take in the line or let it out. But you don’t give up the journey. As a Christian, when I look back at the hard things I’ve faced—things I never wanted to face—I can say, “It was God who saw me through.” - So when the "next" thing comes, I expect God will be there too.
So I can confidently say, “God’s got this one too.”
It may not work out the way "I" would have written that particular chapter of my life. Many times - it doesn’t. But God’s plan and will for your life is so much better than any you can dream up. If you give it to Him, He will work all things together for good.
Our part? Trust Him, and do your best. Show up. Even when we don’t know what to say or do, we still try. We don’t retreat. We draw near. We seek His face.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” - But that too raises a question: one I often ask myself – when I want to move in my own direction. Is the Lord really "my" shepherd? Or am I back to shepherding myself? Are you still shepherding yourself? Or has the world become your shepherd? —trying to keep up with the Joneses?
The Bible is the most positive Book ever written.
It is filled with examples of people facing impossible odds, yet walking in victory because of their attitude of faith. Plan great things for God. Expect great things from God.
I think of Joshua and Caleb. Israel came out of Egypt, spent about two years getting to the edge of the Promised Land. They were right there. Twelve spies went in. Ten came back saying, “We can’t !!!!” - Two ... came back saying - “God can.”
An attitude of fear and unbelief saw the glass half empty and said, “We’re like grasshoppers. They’re going to crush us.” - An attitude of faith said, “Yes, there are giants. Yes, there are walls. But God promised. Let’s go up at once and take it.”
Attitude informs expectation.
Expect defeat—and most often, that’s exactly what you'll get. Expect God to be faithful—and you'll keep moving, even through deserts.
Now, hear my heart in all this .... (this is really important)
God is not a vending machine. You don’t get what you want by putting in enough “positive attitude” coins. Joshua and Caleb still had to wander another 38 years with a faithless generation. A good attitude didn't keep them from life's hardships. But it 'did' guarantee this: they walked through it with God, and they lived to see His promise fulfilled. That is a blessing - and it must have been a sweet - sweet victory - on that day of walking into His promise!
I experienced something like that in my own life. At one point, business was booming. I had a great attitude. Things looked strong. Then my position was eliminated. I was let go. It led to near financial ruin. I didn’t lose that job because of a bad attitude. But God used that loss to drive me to my knees—to deepen my relationship with Him.
The Message Bible in 2 Corinthians 12:7 - describes Paul’s thorn in the flesh experience this way: “Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees.” - It wasn’t something I caused. But God used the circumstance to shape me. I went to the Lord in prayer and He re-framed my attitude about my circumstance. What disappointment is God using in your life right now to draw you closer to Him? To transform you more and more into the person He designed you to be—to shape you in the image of Christ?
A great attitude doesn’t always result in the outcome you want.
But a faith-filled attitude will always yield a harvest of blessing—sometimes here, sometimes in eternity, but it comes. You cannot out-give God.
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We serve a positive God. A God of the possible. The Exodus is a picture of us. Israel left Egypt—their slavery—during Passover to head toward a better life, toward home - their "promised land". Jesus is our Exodus and our - personal Passover Lamb. His blood over the doorposts of our hearts frees us from our slavery to sin and death.
In both stories, doubters die and believers go on in. Does attitude matter? You bet it does!
Attitude shapes a life. It shapes a destiny. And it starts with what and how you think—
Have an attitude of gratitude, an attitude of faith In Jesus Christ!
Proverbs 18:14 (AMP) says, “The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness, But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?”
Jesus warned us: “In this world you will have trouble.” Not maybe. You will.
“But be of good cheer,” He said. “Take heart. I have overcome the world.”
I remember a little framed plaque hanging on the office wall of my first boss. It was a poem written by Walter D. Wintle - he wrote ...
“Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster one,
But sooner or later the one who wins
Is the one who thinks they can.”
Romans 8:31 asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” - Don’t miss that "God is for you." - The Cross proves that. The empty tomb proves that.
So let me bring this home with a simple call to action.
1. Take Time to Identify one area in your life - that you are holding onto a "negative attitude" about. (Where have you been talking yourself out of what God may want to do? A job? A relationship? A calling? A health battle?
2. Bring That area to God in prayer - and ask Him to change your perception and expectation. You could pray something like this: “Lord, I give You this situation. I don’t know how it will turn out, I don't even know why I'm going through this - but I choose to believe You are for me. I know Lord that You will be with me and will work this all out for my good and the good of all involved.”
3. Take one faith-filled step this week. - Send the résumé. Make the call. Start the class. Begin the plan. Apologize. Forgive. Serve. Ask - & Try Try again.
The Holy Spirit is the wind. Your life? - the boat. Your attitude is how you set your sails. Will you set them for fear, doubt, and defeat? Or will you set them for faith, expectation, and obedience? - Today, choose to agree with God. Plan great things for Him. Expect great things from Him. Hoist your anchor - raise the sail and see where He wants to take you. Life is meant to be an exciting adventure - let Him be the captain of your life - and with an attitude of gratitude - He will bless you so!
Blessings,
Bob
We've just finished our series on the Manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit—wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation. I’d say that those gifts are more valuable than rubies, diamonds, or even Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO. The gifts are the wind in our sails.
The Holy Spirit powers the voyage.
In keeping with my Sail boat Analogy - can we ask honestly of ourselves - "What kind of crew members are we?" - Because that’s where "attitude" comes in.
You can have the wind of the Spirit blowing, you can have a solid boat, you can know how all the equipment works—but if the crew has the wrong attitude, that boat will drift, stall, or end up shipwrecked on some deserted island. Not because God failed, but because we resisted His wind - by our attitude.
Your attitude makes all the difference in the world.
It is often the difference between living under a blessing or under a curse.
And on the flip side of that coin called “Attitude” is something called “Expectation.”
Good or bad, your attitude shapes your expectations. Your expectations shape your decisions. Your decisions shape your outcomes!
“I’m too short. Too fat. Too slow. Too old. Not experienced enough.” - We preach these little sermons to ourselves all day long.
But careful .... "we become the person we think about all day and night".
We have this ongoing "tug of war" - in our minds - "Faith vs. Fear" - "Hope vs. Despair".
Instead of saying, “I’m too old” or “I’m too inexperienced,” how about this instead:
“I may be older, but that may be exactly what they’re looking for—wisdom".
"I may be new, but that may be exactly what they want—a fresh set of eyes". - You see - I’m not going to make up anyone’s mind for them. Let them tell me no thanks. I won’t tell myself no first.” -
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” - (Henry Ford)
The Bible said it first: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
We usually get just about what we expect.
“I knew I wouldn’t get that job. Pass that test. Make that sale. Lose this weight. That’s why I never sent in the résumé, never studied, never started the program, and I never asked.”
With that attitude, we’re finished before we ever start.
Or we can say:
“I may not get this job, pass this test, or make this sale—but it’s good practice for the next one. I’m a work in progress. I’m going to keep showing up and getting better.”
We don’t control everything. But we do participate in our outcomes—largely through our attitude and expectations.
Think of Thomas Edison.
They say he tried about 1,000 different light bulbs before one worked. When asked how he didn’t get discouraged after failing so many times, he said, “I have not failed even once. I have only discovered 1,000 ways that do not light a bulb.” - His failures 'informed' his success. That’s attitude. That’s expectation. That’s faith instead of doubt.
I love this saying: “Persistence is to success as carbon is to steel.”
One of the most powerful thoughts in my own life has been:
“I never see failure as failure, but only as a learning experience.” - and right next to it:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Those two truths shaped my expectations, helped me push through my fears and doubts, and framed over25 years of business outcomes—not by making my life easy, but by making me willing to try one more time.
Samuel Ullman wrote, and General Douglas MacArthur loved to quote:
“Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul...
You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt;
as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear;
as young as your hope, as old as your despair.”
Proverbs 17:22 says it best of course - “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
God is not a pessimist. He is an optimist. You’d have to be to put up with me—or any of us - I guess.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” -Jesus said that! - Dying on the Cross was the most optimistic act in all human history. He believed that one day, people like you and me would actually believe in Him, His death and resurrection - would bring us eternal life - simply BELIEVE! Too simple to me when I first heard it - but God is an eternal optimist - He trusts - in us - can we say the same about Him?
The Bible tells us: To - Ask. Seek. & Knock. And keep on asking, seeking, knocking.
James warns ...
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea... That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6–7)
God is serious about attitude and expectation. I’ve lived long enough to see that ...
We usually get what we expect to get. When you expect to lose, you stop trying—and then you almost always lose. When you expect to win, you keep trying—and eventually, you do win. Even in “losing,” you win, because you are doing something most people never do: you "try -try again".
A person I used to work with used to say speaking to themselves mainly - but out loud ... for all the world to hear - "Nothing beats a failure but a try - Nothing beats a failure but a try -Nothing beats a failure but a try". Meaning if you don't try - you've automatically failed -it's the trying - that makes you a success!
I’ve failed many times. But - I’ve also learned this: "I’m not judged by the number of times I fall, but by the number of times I get back up and keep trying" -The number of times I succeed is usually in direct proportion to the number of times I fail—but refuse to quit."
Failure is a building block to success.
On a sailboat, you don’t cut the sails because of one bad current. You adjust them. You take in the line or let it out. But you don’t give up the journey. As a Christian, when I look back at the hard things I’ve faced—things I never wanted to face—I can say, “It was God who saw me through.” - So when the "next" thing comes, I expect God will be there too.
So I can confidently say, “God’s got this one too.”
- This cancer.
- This job.
- This child.
- This illness.
- This contract.
- This loss.
- This relationship.
- This disappointment.
- This opportunity.
It may not work out the way "I" would have written that particular chapter of my life. Many times - it doesn’t. But God’s plan and will for your life is so much better than any you can dream up. If you give it to Him, He will work all things together for good.
Our part? Trust Him, and do your best. Show up. Even when we don’t know what to say or do, we still try. We don’t retreat. We draw near. We seek His face.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” - But that too raises a question: one I often ask myself – when I want to move in my own direction. Is the Lord really "my" shepherd? Or am I back to shepherding myself? Are you still shepherding yourself? Or has the world become your shepherd? —trying to keep up with the Joneses?
The Bible is the most positive Book ever written.
It is filled with examples of people facing impossible odds, yet walking in victory because of their attitude of faith. Plan great things for God. Expect great things from God.
I think of Joshua and Caleb. Israel came out of Egypt, spent about two years getting to the edge of the Promised Land. They were right there. Twelve spies went in. Ten came back saying, “We can’t !!!!” - Two ... came back saying - “God can.”
- Same giants.
- Same walls.
- Same cities.
- Different attitude.
An attitude of fear and unbelief saw the glass half empty and said, “We’re like grasshoppers. They’re going to crush us.” - An attitude of faith said, “Yes, there are giants. Yes, there are walls. But God promised. Let’s go up at once and take it.”
Attitude informs expectation.
Expect defeat—and most often, that’s exactly what you'll get. Expect God to be faithful—and you'll keep moving, even through deserts.
Now, hear my heart in all this .... (this is really important)
God is not a vending machine. You don’t get what you want by putting in enough “positive attitude” coins. Joshua and Caleb still had to wander another 38 years with a faithless generation. A good attitude didn't keep them from life's hardships. But it 'did' guarantee this: they walked through it with God, and they lived to see His promise fulfilled. That is a blessing - and it must have been a sweet - sweet victory - on that day of walking into His promise!
I experienced something like that in my own life. At one point, business was booming. I had a great attitude. Things looked strong. Then my position was eliminated. I was let go. It led to near financial ruin. I didn’t lose that job because of a bad attitude. But God used that loss to drive me to my knees—to deepen my relationship with Him.
The Message Bible in 2 Corinthians 12:7 - describes Paul’s thorn in the flesh experience this way: “Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees.” - It wasn’t something I caused. But God used the circumstance to shape me. I went to the Lord in prayer and He re-framed my attitude about my circumstance. What disappointment is God using in your life right now to draw you closer to Him? To transform you more and more into the person He designed you to be—to shape you in the image of Christ?
A great attitude doesn’t always result in the outcome you want.
But a faith-filled attitude will always yield a harvest of blessing—sometimes here, sometimes in eternity, but it comes. You cannot out-give God.
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We serve a positive God. A God of the possible. The Exodus is a picture of us. Israel left Egypt—their slavery—during Passover to head toward a better life, toward home - their "promised land". Jesus is our Exodus and our - personal Passover Lamb. His blood over the doorposts of our hearts frees us from our slavery to sin and death.
In both stories, doubters die and believers go on in. Does attitude matter? You bet it does!
Attitude shapes a life. It shapes a destiny. And it starts with what and how you think—
Have an attitude of gratitude, an attitude of faith In Jesus Christ!
Proverbs 18:14 (AMP) says, “The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness, But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?”
Jesus warned us: “In this world you will have trouble.” Not maybe. You will.
“But be of good cheer,” He said. “Take heart. I have overcome the world.”
I remember a little framed plaque hanging on the office wall of my first boss. It was a poem written by Walter D. Wintle - he wrote ...
“Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster one,
But sooner or later the one who wins
Is the one who thinks they can.”
Romans 8:31 asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” - Don’t miss that "God is for you." - The Cross proves that. The empty tomb proves that.
So let me bring this home with a simple call to action.
1. Take Time to Identify one area in your life - that you are holding onto a "negative attitude" about. (Where have you been talking yourself out of what God may want to do? A job? A relationship? A calling? A health battle?
2. Bring That area to God in prayer - and ask Him to change your perception and expectation. You could pray something like this: “Lord, I give You this situation. I don’t know how it will turn out, I don't even know why I'm going through this - but I choose to believe You are for me. I know Lord that You will be with me and will work this all out for my good and the good of all involved.”
3. Take one faith-filled step this week. - Send the résumé. Make the call. Start the class. Begin the plan. Apologize. Forgive. Serve. Ask - & Try Try again.
The Holy Spirit is the wind. Your life? - the boat. Your attitude is how you set your sails. Will you set them for fear, doubt, and defeat? Or will you set them for faith, expectation, and obedience? - Today, choose to agree with God. Plan great things for Him. Expect great things from Him. Hoist your anchor - raise the sail and see where He wants to take you. Life is meant to be an exciting adventure - let Him be the captain of your life - and with an attitude of gratitude - He will bless you so!
Blessings,
Bob
HOPE Blog ... Pastor Bob DeFelice
Sometimes random - sometimes not - some things I think - measured against scripture.
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
~ 2 Timothy 2:15
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
~ 2 Timothy 2:15
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