Next, positive living comes from positive prayer. Prayer is the “power line” to heaven. Paul tells Timothy that he wants “men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer,” [1 Timothy 2:8]. In that same section of 1 Timothy 2, Paul says, and he urges, “that requests, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for everyone,” [1 Timothy 2:1]. Paul also instructs the church at Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing,” [1 Thessalonians 5:17].

And we must pray with the right attitude. This means praying in faith, Hebrews11, and verse 6. Also, from James 1, beginning with verse 2, James writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him; but when he asks, he must believe, and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” Prayer is our lifeline, and prayer is necessary to positive and joyous living.

Also, positive living comes from positive renewal. This is really the challenge of daily living, I suppose, in some regard. We turn over to Romans, the twelfth chapter and read verses 1 and 2. Paul says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s Will is—His good and pleasing and perfect Will.”

All that we are—all that we have—belongs to God. And we must set our minds on things above where Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. In other words, we should think on heavenly things. And we must renew our minds. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:23 to “be made new in the attitude of your minds.” And once again (we referred to this passage earlier, but we’ll look at it in its complete context), Philippians 2, beginning with verse 5, Paul says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

Finally, positive living comes also from positive affirmations. We also get what we say, as well as what we think. I talked about this a number of weeks ago. It had to do with “positive self-talk”—the things that we say to ourselves, those conversations that continually go on in our mind. And we talked about how those things needed to be good things, and positive things, and things that lift up and build up. And I said then, and I’ll say again, that we need to practice repeating promises from God’s Word.

A salesman wrote “I am a good closer” 700 times so that he might implant and impact that thought on his mind. [A salesman who is a good closer is a salesman who is able to speak about a product, and close or complete the sale.] Experts say that to really commit something to memory, and really let it have an impact on your mind, it should be repeated at least 20 times.

Things that we might say to ourselves, things that we might commit to memory and say over and over and over, and impress upon our minds, that would become part of this positive self-talk, would be things like, “All things work together for good for me.” “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” Those are the kinds of things that we can commit to our memory, and then we can repeat them over and over again. And there is power in repetition. Paul tells us, in Philippians, chapter 4, verses 7 through 9, that there are some things that we should think upon. Beginning in verse 7, he says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

I challenge you to affirm these truths often and commit them to memory. God’s Word is powerful. As the Hebrew writer says, “the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart,” Hebrews 4 and verse 12.

So, in conclusion, let’s remember that each of us chooses how we’ll think and what we’ll think. And the end result of how we think and what we think will be how we act, how we live. And this choice is a constant one which we must regularly make. And we choose our actions because of the thoughts that we have chosen.

Once again, let me ask you, “How much joy is there in your living?” Are you a “POW” [Product of Our World] in the negative sense? If you are, you can escape today. It’s something within your control and your ability to do. And you can experience the great joy of positive living; and brethren, I believe very strongly, and I know you agree with me, that of all the people in this world, we should be the most joyous—we should be the happiest people—because we know God, and His Son, and we realize and understand what He’s done for us, and we’ve accepted Him in obedience, and we look forward to the hope of eternal life.

If you need some assistance in changing your outlook on things, let me just remind you of the points that we have made this evening: The joy of positive living, I think, can be enhanced by positive programming, by right thinking, by right doing, by positive prayer and by positive affirmations. I trust that each of us will strive to be as joyful, to be as happy, to be as glad as we can be in this life as citizens of the great kingdom of God, and as His children.