What's Wrong with Positive Thinking?
Just recently I came across a article on the Internet titled, "Is There Any Power In Positive Thinking?" by which I find it quite interesting. It wasn't that I was curious nor did I have any interest in the topic in and of itself, but the overwhelming infiltration of how that it has influence the church, the media, and people throughout the world. The acceleration of false doctrine is at an alarming speed by which the worldly idea of the power of positive thinking has in fact gone unchallenged and unabated. The reason for such onslaught of false teaching in the professing church today is that of biblical ignorance and lack of spiritual discernment. There is also both spiritual "indifference" and callousness when it comes to sound biblical doctrine (2 Tim. 4:2-4). Those who are committed to biblical fidelity are the very ones who suffer at the hands of false spiritual leaders who are unfaithful in preaching sound doctrine. It appears that they are reaping the benefits of financial blessings, personal comfort, and security. False spiritual leaders work off the backs of hardworking people who are unaware of their schemes and tactics so as to rip them off while their eyes are wide open. It is the responsibility of an God-honoring ministry to expose unethical teachings and practice of false teachers in the professing church today (2 Cor. 4:1-2, 3-4).
Throughout this short article I will begin to ask the question "What is positive thinking?" As I begin to read the article on GotQuestions.org that it gives a clear definition of what is positive thinking? As of quote it defines positive thinking: "The act of reviewing thought processes in order to identify areas that need improvement, and then using the appropriate tools to change those thoughts in a positive, goal-oriented way." End quote. Even though the definition in and of itself is a very "loaded" but there is a necessity to explain clearly in order that the average person can understand the true definition of what is positive thinking. Well I will begin with the first part of the definition of what is positive thinking: "the act of reviewing thought processes in order to identify areas that need improvement..."
What is the act of reviewing thought processes? For example it is similar to getting an evaluation as to a person's work performance. That is the protocol of an employer who evaluate the employee concerning a person's work performance at work. The employer or manager over a period observe an employee work habits, attendance, and working relationship with fellow employees. So it is just as applicable to positive thinking: "the act of reviewing thought processes.." Many times people are challenge as to the way they think as they observe sphere in life. People's thought processes can cross wires with the way they think. Circumstances, what people go through personally, and the things they experience in life can hamper the way they think: how they view God, self, others, and the world around them. It is always important for people especially within the church today to reformed the way they think so as to think critically about matters pertaining to life and godliness. We as individuals must always made right decisions that can adversely impact our lives on a day-by-day basis. What a person believes is the framework of how they will live their lives. If and when those beliefs are inconsistent with what is true reality than the "thought processes" begins to breakdown by which it leads to a bad end. Wrong beliefs carries enormous consequences. The old adage, "Tell me what a man believes and I will tell you what he will do."
Within the "world" of positive thinking that people are challenged to constantly put in check about their "thought processes" so as to always think positive thoughts and anything that seek to go against the power of positive thinking must be denied at all cost even those who they consider being too negative. It is about renewing, renovating, and reconstructing the "mind" into the world of positive thinking. What is so striking about the positive thinking movement is that it seeks to "renovate" people thought processes by which the heart is not renewed by the regenerating power and work of the Holy Spirit (Tit. 3:5). The Holy Spirit brings about a change within the hearts and mind of people who are 'born again'; not the reconstruction through the power of positive thinking. Our minds are renewed by the Word of God so as to have the mind of Christ. To have the mind of Christ is to demonstrate such humbleness and humility; to think positive thoughts is centered upon Self by which it put people in the driver's seat by which to create their own world. In so many words they are the sovereign of their own destiny through which they determine what will happen; not what is God's divine will for their lives. The danger of the power of positive thinking is that of its 'indoctrination' based upon a certain way people ought to think. To think otherwise is to disrupt the whole process of thinking "New Thought" or positive thoughts. It is a way to in building a person's high self esteem by which to lift a person from the bootstrap of such low self esteem. Self esteem theology is associated with the power of positive thinking. The self-generating, self-determinism of positive thinking is at the heart of narcissism: that of seeing itself in the position of power by which to elevate itself over the 'negative' world surrounding it. It is unbiblical worldly idea that has nothing to do with the 'mind' of Christ. It is Self-centered; not God-centered. It is prideful, self-conceited, and arrogance.
Why is there room for improvement when it comes to reevaluating the thought processes of those who need to think in terms of what is 'positive' thinking so as to do away with negative low self-esteem? People who have 'negative' emotions and thoughts are encourage to stop thinking negative thoughts and to usher into the 'new' phase of thinking positive. How is it possible for people to think positive when they are burden down by the load of their own personal sins? The world in and of itself have tarnished their minds and hearts along with this whole idea of thinking positive thoughts. For people to just think positive without their minds and hearts being 'renewed and regenerated' by the power of the Holy Spirit is just like beating the wind by which to not be able to beat the wind. The problem with the "New Thought" movement is that it deny the reality of sin: that is sin is a myth. It does not look into the root and cause of what really happen concerning the Fall of Man by which it ruin the whole human race (Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:21). When Adam disobeyed God's holy command that the hereditary of sin corrupted the very core of people's being: that of their mind, will, and emotions. The 'mind' impacted by power the seduction by the power of positive thinking have in fact have "viruses" that is needful to delete the 'virus" of misinformation. We live in a world where there is so much "misinformation" by which the power of positive thinking is very much apart of the theological "quicksand." (2 Tim. 3:13)
There is no need for people to improve that of their "thinking" in order to fit within the 'mold' of the thinking positive but that the regenerated (i.e. "truly saved") mind must to "renewed" the God's Word. We must have the "mind" of Christ by which to demonstrate humbleness and humility; not the vain babblings and repetition of thinking positive thoughts. (Matt. 11:28-30; Col. 2:8) The psychological 'rehearsal' of thinking positive thoughts on a constant and repetitious basis is insanity that borders on cognitive disassociation. It is non-thought, non-rational, and non-sensical. It is brainless but clueless.
The reality of people changing what they think changes one's circumstances is far fetched from what is true reality. It gives people a false sense of faith and hope. Such 'faith and hope' rooted in the macrocosm of what it may appear to be by which there is no anticipation of what it is. Our faith and hope is in the Person of Jesus Christ by which to anchor the souls of men but the faith and hope of the power of positive thinking is only cosmetic by which it has in fact infiltrated contemporary evangelicals within this new millennium. The goal of the positive thinking movement is to "renovate" the mind by which the "heart" has not been renewed by the regenerating power and work of the Holy Spirit. Once a person is saved their minds are "renewed" so as to be in conformed to the character of Christ. The extent by which our minds are be "renewed" is by God's Word (Rom. 12:2).
So the question, "What's Wrong with Positive Thinking?" is to summarize the falsity of this philosophical movement is that (1) originated with New Thought metaphysics (1 Tim. 6:20). The Gnostic tendencies and orientation of this movement is 'Mind over matter' by which the 'vehicle' of the power of positive thinking is to elevate a person's thinking above the abnormality of such negative thought. There are two opposite side of the pole: that of positive thoughts and negative thoughts. It is similar to Faith theology understanding of the positive and negative confession of faith by which both positive thoughts and negative thoughts are bedfellows. In so many words positive thoughts and positive confession are twins. The antithesis of also of both positive thoughts and positive confession are negative thoughts and negative confession. Positive thoughts simply suppose to generate the 'willpower' of people new goals and aspiration. There is nothing wrong with having goals and objectives in life but the God of creation must be at the helm of everything man seeks to accomplish in life. The problem with positive thinking is Man at the center of everything but which the Sovereign God is not even in the picture of the self-determinism of the "New Thought" practitioner. (2) The supposedly "unique" doctrines of the "New Thought" movement is that of deification, divine nature, Mind cure, and Harmonalism. In so many words Man is God, possesses God's divine Omnipotence, people controlling their thoughts, and the All-Encompassing Spirit indwells all of humanity, plant life, and animals. "New Thought" metaphysics is paganism in Christian clothing. (Matt. 7:15ff) And (3) the practice of "New Thought" in the form of positive thinking is that of New Ageism, witchcraft, and shamanism. Such superstition of practice runs contrary to what is taught clearly in the Bible (Rom. 12:2).
Rev. Darryl Miller is president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. He is the bestselling author of his book "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" Darryl is the Host of "Darryl Unplugged Podcast" which airs regularly @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."
Why is there room for improvement when it comes to reevaluating the thought processes of those who need to think in terms of what is 'positive' thinking so as to do away with negative low self-esteem? People who have 'negative' emotions and thoughts are encourage to stop thinking negative thoughts and to usher into the 'new' phase of thinking positive. How is it possible for people to think positive when they are burden down by the load of their own personal sins? The world in and of itself have tarnished their minds and hearts along with this whole idea of thinking positive thoughts. For people to just think positive without their minds and hearts being 'renewed and regenerated' by the power of the Holy Spirit is just like beating the wind by which to not be able to beat the wind. The problem with the "New Thought" movement is that it deny the reality of sin: that is sin is a myth. It does not look into the root and cause of what really happen concerning the Fall of Man by which it ruin the whole human race (Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:21). When Adam disobeyed God's holy command that the hereditary of sin corrupted the very core of people's being: that of their mind, will, and emotions. The 'mind' impacted by power the seduction by the power of positive thinking have in fact have "viruses" that is needful to delete the 'virus" of misinformation. We live in a world where there is so much "misinformation" by which the power of positive thinking is very much apart of the theological "quicksand." (2 Tim. 3:13)
There is no need for people to improve that of their "thinking" in order to fit within the 'mold' of the thinking positive but that the regenerated (i.e. "truly saved") mind must to "renewed" the God's Word. We must have the "mind" of Christ by which to demonstrate humbleness and humility; not the vain babblings and repetition of thinking positive thoughts. (Matt. 11:28-30; Col. 2:8) The psychological 'rehearsal' of thinking positive thoughts on a constant and repetitious basis is insanity that borders on cognitive disassociation. It is non-thought, non-rational, and non-sensical. It is brainless but clueless.
The reality of people changing what they think changes one's circumstances is far fetched from what is true reality. It gives people a false sense of faith and hope. Such 'faith and hope' rooted in the macrocosm of what it may appear to be by which there is no anticipation of what it is. Our faith and hope is in the Person of Jesus Christ by which to anchor the souls of men but the faith and hope of the power of positive thinking is only cosmetic by which it has in fact infiltrated contemporary evangelicals within this new millennium. The goal of the positive thinking movement is to "renovate" the mind by which the "heart" has not been renewed by the regenerating power and work of the Holy Spirit. Once a person is saved their minds are "renewed" so as to be in conformed to the character of Christ. The extent by which our minds are be "renewed" is by God's Word (Rom. 12:2).
So the question, "What's Wrong with Positive Thinking?" is to summarize the falsity of this philosophical movement is that (1) originated with New Thought metaphysics (1 Tim. 6:20). The Gnostic tendencies and orientation of this movement is 'Mind over matter' by which the 'vehicle' of the power of positive thinking is to elevate a person's thinking above the abnormality of such negative thought. There are two opposite side of the pole: that of positive thoughts and negative thoughts. It is similar to Faith theology understanding of the positive and negative confession of faith by which both positive thoughts and negative thoughts are bedfellows. In so many words positive thoughts and positive confession are twins. The antithesis of also of both positive thoughts and positive confession are negative thoughts and negative confession. Positive thoughts simply suppose to generate the 'willpower' of people new goals and aspiration. There is nothing wrong with having goals and objectives in life but the God of creation must be at the helm of everything man seeks to accomplish in life. The problem with positive thinking is Man at the center of everything but which the Sovereign God is not even in the picture of the self-determinism of the "New Thought" practitioner. (2) The supposedly "unique" doctrines of the "New Thought" movement is that of deification, divine nature, Mind cure, and Harmonalism. In so many words Man is God, possesses God's divine Omnipotence, people controlling their thoughts, and the All-Encompassing Spirit indwells all of humanity, plant life, and animals. "New Thought" metaphysics is paganism in Christian clothing. (Matt. 7:15ff) And (3) the practice of "New Thought" in the form of positive thinking is that of New Ageism, witchcraft, and shamanism. Such superstition of practice runs contrary to what is taught clearly in the Bible (Rom. 12:2).
Rev. Darryl Miller is president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. He is the bestselling author of his book "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" Darryl is the Host of "Darryl Unplugged Podcast" which airs regularly @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."
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