As you continue to inject God's Word into your heart, it will produce a very positive mental attitude in you. Again, I want you to realize that I am not dealing with just the "power of positive thinking." But if you start thinking about God's Word, you cannot help but think positively.
Somebody said, "Well, why doesn't every Christian think this way?" Because some are putting the wrong thing in their heart. I said, "Put God's Word in your heart." I didn't say anything about putting religious tradition in your heart.
Traditions of men make the Word of God of no effect.
Somebody else might say, "Well, why doesn't every Full Gospel person have a right mental attitude?" The reason is that some of them put the wrong things in their heart. I said, "Put the Word in your heart."
Some "Full Gospel" people have just as many religious traditions in their church as others do—men's traditions, religious ideas, or denominational doctrines. I am talking about the pure Word of the Living God. The pure Word of the living God will create a very positive mental attitude.
A right mental attitude is very important when facing what Peter described as "a trial by fire." If you enter into a trial with a negative attitude, you are going to lose. You won't expect to come out victoriously.
At this point, somebody might be thinking: "What are you trying to do, prepare us for trials?" Well, that is not a bad idea. But don't misunderstand me.
I am not telling you that you have to go through trials. Some Christians think that God sends trials to perfect us. The trial is not what perfects you. It is what you do with the Word of God in the midst of a trial that perfects you.
Many Christians have been beaten in trials that Satan brings against them and it is evident that there is a need for much teaching on this. So, if you want to ask if I am preparing you for a trial, the answer is yes! Thank God, there is a way that you can endure (overcome), and it is through the Word of God.
I have discovered some things about Satan, and I am eager to share them with you. Paul said that we are not ignorant of Satan's devices. I discovered that the more you learn about how the devil operates, the more advantage you will have over him.
Once I was in a seminar in the northwestern part of the United States. As I sat in my room going over the Word and meditating the things that I was going to be preaching in that meeting, Satan began to bring up things to intimidate me.
Since this was our first seminar in this city, I didn't know how successful our meeting would be. Some people had taken what used to be a nightclub and converted it into a Christian restaurant. We were to conduct our meetings in what was formerly the dance hall.
Finally it was time for our first service and only a handful of people showed up. I thought, "What is going on here?" At about eight o'clock, a couple walked in. The person who was in charge said, "Oh, we have had a struggle here. I tell you, there isn't anyone in this city who believes anything."
I thought, That's good news! Then I was told, "There has been a foul up in the advertising, and it didn't get out." I thought, "That's two good reports that I have received since I've come in."
That was intimidation from Satan. I did not receive it. I went in there and preached just as though the place was full. The worst thing that I could have done was walk off. That would have destroyed my faith.
Stick To The Plan
God told me to go in there and preach. He did not tell me to preach only if the place was full. He told me to preach! We started right on time, and the anointing of God came on me and we had a great time!
Between services when I was in my room, I would think about Satan trying to intimidate me and I would start laughing. He would bring this thought to me: You came all the way from Fort Worth, Texas and you brought three men with you. You could have done this meeting by yourself.
I said, "I'm not moved by what I see," and then I would start laughing again. I thought, "There is something to this. Here I am laughing at what looks like destruction. Evidently, I must have discovered a truth.
I started looking in the Word of God and I found out what I had gotten hold of, praise God! I started praising God in that situation. I realized that Satan was trying to intimidate me.
Here is what the Lord taught me: Satan's avenue is fear, the fear of failure, the fear of insecurity, the fear of not having the needs met, the fear of not being accepted, the fear of nobody showing up, and the fear of the meeting being a flop.
You can apply this to anything that you are doing. I began to realize that threats and intimidations are not realities until they are acted upon. They are not in manifestation form until you act upon them.
Satan will intimidate you through words, actions, or signs. He will give you a sign or indication to back his intimidation. But none of those things can become reality or come into manifestation form until you act upon them.
Watch what I am saying. Satan tried to intimidate me with these words: "This meeting is going to be a flop, Jerry. You should not have come here. Nobody will turn out for this meeting. You are wasting your time." I was hearing those words.
Satan is limited when he can't get you to act on his threats through fear.
Excerpt permission granted by Jerry Savelle Ministries
Dr. Jerry Savelle was an average, blue-collar man who was struggling and needed God's help. While he considered himself a "nobody," when he became a believer God told him not to worry about it because He was a master at making champions out of nobodies. God has since taken Dr. Savelle from being a constant quitter to a man who knows how to stand on the Word of God until victory is experienced. Because of the life-changing combination of God's faithfulness and Dr. Savelle's "no quit" attitude, his life is totally different than it was thirty-eight years ago.
