Derek Prince - The Importance Of A Positive Attitude
Romans 12:21 says: Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil by good. So we have two options and only two. We can overcome, or we can be overcome, but there’s nothing in between. And when we’re confronted by evil, there’s only one thing that’s strong enough to overcome evil and that is good. We cannot take a negative attitude; we cannot simply say it’s not my problem. We have to actively practice that which is good. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil by good. And Romans 8:35 and following says: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
That’s pretty negative teaching, isn’t it? Some people object to negative teaching, they say: Brother, be positive. But the negative is also true. People who sell phony shares in the stock market are very positive but they’re dishonest. I believe as Christians we have to face the negative. We cannot close our eyes or avert our heads. There is trouble ahead. I believe there’s much more trouble ahead than most of us can even comprehend at the moment. But that doesn’t mean we have to be pessimistic. What is Paul’s comment? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. What is all these things? There’s a list. Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword. And then Paul says in all these things we are more than conquerors.
I once asked the Lord what it meant to be more than conqueror, and I felt the answer He gave me was this: To be more than a conqueror means that you go into a trouble, overcome it and come out of the trouble with more than you went in with. You’ve taken spoil. 1 John chapter 4, I have only two more Scriptures. 1 John 4:4: You are of God, little children, and have overcome them [all the forces of evil] because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Actually, it’s incredibly stupid of the devil ever to think that he could take God on. I mean, we can’t absorb the stupidity. The God who created the whole universe and keeps it in perfect order, and some created being challenges this God.
It was an American philosopher who said about the devil: He’s a consummate ass. I’m not using empty words, I’m just pointing out it’s the height of stupidity what the devil has done. But, He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. I’d like you to say that after me because I think you need to say it. He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Say it again: He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Now, if you would like to do this, find somebody near you, turn to them, look them in the eyes and say: He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. All right? Amen.
All right. You know why I do that? It’s because it’s pretty easy to look up to God and not be embarrassed. But when you’ve got to look somebody right between the eyes and say it, that gives you some idea of whether you really mean it. One other Scripture and we close, Revelation 21:7. Revelation 21:7: He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. I have searched the New Testament; I cannot find any promise there except for those who overcome. And you only have two options: either overcome or be overcome. So we, all of us, each of us, has to make up our mind. I can overcome, greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world, but I have to make my mind up. I have to meet the conditions.