Overcoming Adversity Part 1 - Why the power of positive thinking isn't that powerful | Mark 11:20-26
Timestamp
00:00 - Livestream starts & Introduction
08:29 - Why the power of positive thinking isn't that powerful - overcoming adversity part 1.
09:42 - When overcoming adversity - the power of positive thinking is king, right?
14:08 - Why Positive Thinking is Limited
15:15 - Where positive thinking fails...in our core beliefs
18:16 - Mark 11:12-14
18:59 - Mark 11:20 - 26
22:12 - Does God answer our Prayers?
23:45 - To overcome adversity, you have to start at the root
26:50 - What is at the root of your adversity?
32:42 - Worship: The Reckless Love of God with Lyrics
44:02 - Catch up
49:36 - Close
Have you ever faced a problem?
Have you ever faced a problem? A big problem? Of course, you have, we all have, right? it is a pretty common occurrence for us.
And if you are like me you will have read books, watched videos, enrolled on courses from gurus on how to do this - and they all have one thing in common when overcoming adversity, the power of positive thinking is king. Positive mental attitude. Positive Thinking. However, you want to phrase it - these are the keys to Spiritual Growth according to those that know. So we work hard on having a positive attitude.
It's all good advice. All very positive. But there is a problem. The power of positive thinking isn't always that powerful.
A bit controversial?
The problem with positive thinking
When I was researching for this message, I wanted to know what people thought about the power of positive thinking. And I didn't just want to know what the cliched sayings told me, or the beautifully designed Instagram quotes, no. I wanted to see both sides.
“When beliefs and experiences don't match, we become confused, frustrated, and disappointed. This is why positive thinking is so limited. It often seems forced or inauthentic and it only works when we have the experiences we desire.”
— psychologytoday.com
In other words - if the problem doesn’t change, our positive thinking fades over time. We get beaten down by our experiences as time goes on. We learn to accept where we are and even try not to think about it. Ever done that?
“The problem with positive thinking or affirmations is that they operate at the surface level of conscious thinking and do nothing to contend with the subconscious mind where limiting beliefs really live.”
— melodywilding.com
This, I think, is a really interesting statement. Positive thinking and positive affirmations operate on a surface level but it doesn't get down into our core beliefs which is necessary for transformational change.
Let me say, being positive is not bad, and it can be helpful. I would consider myself as a positive person - but, positive thinking has it’s limitations when Overcoming Adversity. And it’s important to recognise that right here at the start. There has to be a deeper work in us and this has to be more than just trying to think positively.
So what does work? What will help us? Well in today’s passage, Jesus is going to give us His secret sauce if you like, his methodology for overcoming adversity.
Before we read today's passage - let's remind ourselves of the context -
“The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.”
So, Jesus curses the fig tree, that was part one, today it is Fig Tree, the Sequel and to give you a bit of heads up, next week will be Fig Tree, the Trilogy...but more on that later...let's look at the Sequel first and carry on reading...
“Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Jesus curses the fig tree
Ok, so look at what has happened. Jesus curses the fig tree, and the next day - the disciples see that the tree has withered. Which tells me it wasn’t withered the day before. In other words - the disciples didn’t see any instant result from Jesus cursing the tree.
Let me say that again - when Jesus spoke, they didn't see an instant change.
Feel like God is not answering your prayer?
Think about prayer. If you pray, you want to see instant results - especially when we have to overcome adversity, right? We don't like pain and we want an instant solution. We don't like waiting for anything any more. And that can come through in how we pray.
But often there isn't an instant, visible change. Does that mean God is not answering the prayers? Is God somehow ignoring us?
Well, Jesus had the 'same problem', Jesus spoke and there seemed to be no visible change but that doesn't mean nothing is happening, even though we don't see it...and there is an insight as to why this is in this verse - look at what it says about the tree -> it had dried up from the roots.
In other words, something started happening right then, but nobody saw any physical change right there and then.
Work on the root level
And maybe, for you, God is doing something at the root level. You might not see it but that doesn't mean He is not working. For example. you may be asking God for money, to meet a financial need but God may be doing that through dealing with a root issue as to why you don't have any money right now.
What this passage is showing us, what Jesus and the Bible are trying to highlight to us here in the 21st Century, is a truth that we often don't want to hear -> you have to deal with the root first. We all know this to be true, especially if you have ever had to deal with weeds in your garden, right? If you don't take the time to get the roots - the weed will grow right back. And it is the same for us - and that's the point of this lesson.
The problem with that, of course, is you don’t always see an instant benefit. Just like the disciples didn’t see anything when Jesus cursed the fig tree...but just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it is not going to have an effect. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean that something isn’t happening.
A classic example of this, for me, was my weight. I’ve always struggled with my weight as it is really easy for me to put it on. Mainly because it is really easy for me to eat an entire packet of biscuits and not think twice about it. I tried one diet after the next and I’d lose weight, gain it, lose it, gain it etc. We even have a name for this - yo-yo dieting. But it is not until I dealt with the root of the issue that I actually got to permanently fix the problem. And let me tell you - that didn’t happen overnight. It has taken a number of years.
So what is at the root of what you are facing? If you take the time to understand that, you can really experience some huge breakthroughs in your life.
But how?
Well, Jesus is now going to tell us his principles for overcoming obstacles and overcoming adversity, but overcoming them permanently - digging things out by the roots and not just at a surface level. In essence, a positive attitude is great when the foundations are right, but it doesn’t deal with those foundations...so let’s get that sorted, let’s get in a root level!
Make sure you stay connected as this is part one of our Mini-Series on Overcoming Adversity. Next week, we are going to get into what works and why!