Is it Faith, or just Positive Thinking?
By Jacob Garcia

I have been asked recently, by quite a few people, what faith is, or better yet, how can one differentiate between a conscious thought being put into action by divine intervention and just plain old positive thinking which allows us the ability to take charge of our own destinies, leading into a future founded by good thoughts.

I can only say that human nature allows our thoughts to be influenced by the world. If we give our flesh the opportunity, it will make us do something that, whether at the moment or in the long run, we will sadly regret. It’s true, our thoughts do have a great affect on our decisions, and good thoughts are usually recommended for prosperity and life-long happiness. Now, where exactly does faith fall into all of this? Well, let’s just say that thinking your way out of a locked room isn’t as easy as it sounds. The "power of positive thinking" is greatly lacking, when compared to the wonder-working power of God.

Now the question is: "What is needed or required to access this divine power which holds the keys to the locked doors in my life?" We must seek this power where it may be found. Isaiah 55: 6,8 and 9 says: "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." God alone holds the keys to life’s locked doors.

Have you ever had this great feeling of sureness, the kind that almost convinces you that despite any circumstance or condition, the inevitable would occur? Well that’s part of what is required to say unto a mountain "Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove," only that this sureness must be in Christ Jesus. He is the wonderful counselor and "locksmith" for our needs and desires, should we choose to believe. Jesus said "be not faithless, but believing."

Having faith in God is not said to be the easiest task in the world. Jesus said "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." So if you allow the Lord to have access to your mind, your spirit and your life, you’ll soon see that your thoughts will now not only be positive hopes and dreams for yourself or others, but they will have been divine declarations of faith in the name of Him who blesses those who remain faithful.

So, if you’re still wondering how faith can give you access to what lies behind the locked doors in your life, just know and believe that they can now be opened, because "being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Amen.