Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty (Zechariah 4:6).

God's people should be the most positive, joyful people on earth. This joy should be a byproduct of a healthy, intimate relationship with Jesus. In today's business climate we are barraged with every possible means of becoming more productive business people. Positive thinking and self-help philosophy is promoted as a tool for business people to fulfill their potential and overcome the mountains in our life. God calls each of us to be visionary leaders, but we must be careful that vision is born out of His Spirit, not the latest self-help program. These ideas lead us away from dependence on God to a self-based psychology designed to give us more power, prosperity and significance.

The result is heresy. Our faith in God becomes faith in faith. It is born out of hard work and diligence rather than obedience to the Spirit of God. The problem lies in that these philosophies sound good, and can even be supported by Bible verses. Friend, beware of anything that puts the burden of performance on you rather than God. There are times in our lives when God doesn't want us to climb every mountain. Sometimes He wants us to go around. Knowing the difference is the key to being a man or woman led by the Spirit.

God has called us to affect the marketplace through His Spirit, not by might. Have you tapped into the real power source of the soul? Ask the Lord to reveal and empower you through His Spirit today. Then you will know what real positive thinking is.