They Can Conquer Who Believe They Can: The Power of a Can-Do Attitude for People of Faith

By John Zehring

Virgil, the ancient Roman poet, wrote “They can conquer who believe they can.” That affirmation of positive belief is the inspiration for the title of this book, which encourages you to grow in your can-do attitude. The book leads you to draw upon the deep reservoir of strength you possess within and also the power you receive from beyond yourself. Written for people of faith, it illustrates how the Bible is a can-do book. Jesus taught "...all things are possible to the one who believes." (Mark 9:23). Learn how to increase your holding power and your fortitude in order to thrive in the fullness of life. Discover how to shift the polarity of your attitude to positive thinking. Determine to learn from mistakes and to reduce the fear of making a mistake. Choose to look forward to your future with hope, trusting that the best is yet to come. A can-do attitude radiates power, but what are you going to do with your power? How will you use it? When you use it in service to others and for the good of the whole, you are on the way to conquering the meaning of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Zehring
• Release date: Aug 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463119617

John Zehring

John Zehring has served United Church of Christ congregations as Senior Pastor in Massachusetts (Andover), Rhode Island (Kingston), and Maine (Augusta) and as an Interim Pastor in Massachusetts (Arlington, Harvard). Prior to parish ministry, he served in higher education, primarily in development and institutional advancement. He worked as a dean of students, director of career planning and placement, adjunct professor of public speaking and as a vice president at a seminary and at a college. He is the author of more than sixty books and is a regular writer for The Christian Citizen, an American Baptist social justice publication. He has taught Public Speaking, Creative Writing, Educational Psychology and Church Administration. John was the founding editor of the publication Seminary Development News, a publication for seminary presidents, vice presidents and trustees (published by the Association of Theological Schools, funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment). He graduated from Eastern University and holds graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Rider University, and the Earlham School of Religion. He is listed in Marquis' WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA and is a recipient of their Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. John and his wife Donna live in two places, in central Massachusetts and by the sea in Maine.

Book preview

They Can Conquer Who Believe They Can

The Power of a Can-Do Attitude

for People of Faith

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this eBook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

John Zehring

Copyright 2019 John Zehring

Table of Contents

Introduction

Can-do

Fortitude

Attitude

YES

Rekindle the gifts within you

Fear of making a mistake

The best is yet to come

Soar like an eagle

Nourishment for a can-do spirit

You have help pulling the load

Thank

Use your power

About the author

Books by John Zehring

Introduction

In my writing, speaking, teaching, leading and preaching, I have come to value the power of a can-do attitude experienced by people of faith. I admire those whose personalities radiate a spirit of positivity and confidence. And, I feel sad for those whose lives seem enmeshed in a no-can-do attitude. In-between are all the rest of us, trying our best to be as positive as we can, for we know in our hearts that a can-do attitude is more likely to have a successful outcome. Virgil, the ancient Roman poet, wrote They can conquer who believe they can. That affirmation of positive belief is the inspiration for the title of this book, which is designed as an encouragement and a reminder to hang-on to a can-do attitude no matter what challenges you face.

Notes about this book

Scriptures used in this work come from the New Revised Standard Version, unless otherwise noted.

I have attempted to use inclusive language wherever possible in the words I have written, although I have not altered the author’s reference to God as he. I recognize that the Divine has no gender and for many it may be just as appropriate and accurate to acknowledge God as Mother or Father. Whichever pronoun is used, consider God as a loving parent.

Some of this work is adapted from other books or eBooks I have written, which can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other book sellers.

Now, as you engage They Can Conquor Who Believe They Can, may these encouragements and insights enrich your self-confidence, your can-do attitude, and your faith God in whom our spirits are anchored and who provides you with strength beyond your own to move mountains of possibilities.

John Zehring

Cover photo used with permission, courtesy of Unsplash.

Can-do

The Bible is a can-do book.

Jesus taught ...all things are possible to the one who believes. (Mark 9:23)

Paul wrote I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

God is a can-do God: "God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!" (Ephesians 3:20, The Message)

The Psalmist (18:29) exuded a positive attitude and an inspired self-confidence when he wrote By you I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. That kind of can-do attitude is how David slew Goliath. He believed he could. He said so in Psalm 18 and again when he faced Goliath (2 Samuel 22:30): "By you I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall." This phrase is a hyperbole, which is a dramatic or exaggerated over-statement to illustrate the point that by your God you can embrace the attitude to leap over walls that appear to block your way.

Like the Psalmist, Jesus frequently used hyperbole. In the Gospel of Matthew (17:20), he said For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Now, of course, Jesus himself never physically moved a mountain. A mustard seed too is the tiniest of all seeds to illustrate that with the smallest amount of faith in yourself and in God, you can move mountains of challenges, problems or opportunities. Your faith is sufficient for God to give you the attitude to move mountains, leap over walls, and to believe that nothing will be impossible for you.

Consider some other points where the bible encourages a can-do attitude:

"If God is for us, who is against us?" (Romans 8:31b)

With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

With God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

Is anything too wonderful for the LORD?" (Gen 18:14a)

There have been numerous figures through history as well as today who embrace this attitude:

Virgil, the Roman poet, wrote They can conquer who believe they can. This applies not only to actual battles of war, but to the successful accomplishment of goals today. No one bats a thousand and not every attempt is successful, but believing in the possible far outweighs a negative spirit, which drains away energy. Have you ever been in a group where no-can-do voices act like a sea anchor which holds back forward momentum? A sea anchor is a cone-shaped device hanging from the back of a boat which slows it down and retards forward movement. In churches, as well as other organizations, here are some samples of their voices:

"We tried that once and it didn’t work."

"Let me play Devil’s Advocate here…"

"We don’t have the money…"

"We keep tapping the same people over and over…"

"Our church is not growing"

"This is not the time."

"That is too lofty a goal for us."

"Giving has been decreasing."

"I can think of reasons why that won’t work."

"What if we fail? Wouldn’t it be better not to try than to fail?"

Henry Ford said: "If you think you can or can’t, you are right!" There is so much wisdom and experience packed into that simple statement. If you think you can, you possess the attitude like Jesus’ teaching: ...all things are possible to the one who believes. If you think you can, you are right. Same way: If you think you can’t, you are right, because you predispose yourself to failure, risk, or rejection. How can there be so many people throughout history and today who believe in the power of a can-do attitude? Their life experiences affirm that their can-do belief is worth holding.

Might it just be luck? Are some people simply more disposed to things going their way? Business leader Charles F. Kettering said If I have had any success, it’s due to luck, but I notice that the harder I work, the luckier I get. Golfer