Last night after a lengthy meeting I got into my truck and happened to notice a voice mail from an old friend in Atlanta whom I hadn’t seen in years. I listened to it and learned that my former next door neighbor and good friend of twenty some odd years had just committed suicide. He left behind a beautiful wife and twin daughters who are in college.
Many years ago when I was forming my first business another friend of mine, Jim Hall, had a sign made for my desk. It simply stated:
Bob Williamson
Dragon Slayer
I still have it today and as I viewed it this morning a smile came to my face as I recalled how Jim had marveled at my “never give up – take no prisoners mentality”. I enjoy keeping little mementoes like that around to remind myself that positive thinking and perseverance is a huge part of success in life.
Today I know more than ever that “positive thinking” is a requirement for success as is perseverance. Negative thinking just bums us out and if we don’t believe we can do something then chances are good that we’ll never do it. Too if we give up at the first sign of trouble we’ll likely never cross the goal line.
The bottom line is that success in life cannot be achieved short of positive thinking and perseverance.
The biggest deterrent to positive thinking is satan. The same holds true with perseverance; he’s a discourager and wants each of us to fail. Back in the early days of my career, Bob Williamson Dragon Slayer would have probably been an appropriate term; however today it isn’t even applicable. I realized a long time ago that alone I cannot do much of anything but screw up. Today it should read Jesus Christ Dragon Slayer. He can slay dragons ’til the cows come in but they kick my butt if I try to take them on alone.
My positive thinking and perseverance today comes from putting my faith in Jesus. Yesterday I met with several people concerning raising money for our ministry. To be honest I drove home discouraged and was engaging in some “stinking thinking” and it seemed like the impossible dream to raise the amount of money needed to accomplish the goals that we’ve set forth.
That was satan whispering those thoughts in my ear. He tells me to just give up. He adds, “Why work yourself silly? Enjoy life, you’ve earned it. Why beat your head against a wall? You’ve put in enough work, let somebody else try to go out and save the world, Have some fun, there are lots of other organizations that will spread the Gospel to every nation . . .
I wonder what satan was whispering to my neighbor, former employee, and twenty some odd years friend Jimmy yesterday morning as he got into his van and sadly put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
In so doing Jimmy gave up on God and instead became Jimmy Dragon Slayer. He tried to solve his problems on his own and now terrible grief has set in for his family and friends that will last a lifetime. I pray they will turn to God instead of themselves to get through it.
The Bible states that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That includes solving the problems that drove my friend Jimmy to take his own life; it includes raising money for a ministry to spread the word of God all over the world; it includes solving that myriad of problems we are all facing today. We must keep the faith, be patient, and never give up on God. He will never give up on us . . .
The Bible is truth. We just need to believe it . . .
Ephesians 1:19
How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God. That power is the same divine power which was demonstrated in Christ when he raised him from the dead
September 18, 2013 – Click here to listen