Florence Scovel Shinn The Power of the Spoken Word

“And he overcometh and keepeth my works to the end, to him I give power and dominion over the nations.” Overcoming means to conquer all doubts, fears and negative vibrations. One man with perfect peace and perfect poise, filled with love and good-will, could dissolve all negative vibrations. They would melt away like snow under the sun. Jesus Christ said: “ All power is given unto me to bring heaven upon earth.” Let us give thanks that this is now coming to pass – for evil is unreal and lives no stain. This God-power is within you, your superconscious mind. It is the realm of inspiration, revelation and illumination. It is the realm of miracles and wonders. Quick and seemingly impossible changes take place for your good. A door opens where there were no doors. Supply appears from hidden and unexpected channels, for “God has weapons ye know not of.”

To work with God-power you must give it right of way and still the reasoning mind. The instant you ask, Infinite Intelligence knows the way of fulfillment. Man’s part is to rejoice and give thanks, and act his Faith. A very well known woman in England told of this experience: She was asking, with great feeling, for a realization of God. These words came to her “Act as though I were, and I am.” It is exactly what I say, over and over again – only active Faith impresses the subconscious, and unless you impress the subconscious, there are no results.

I will now give you an example to show you just how the law works. A woman came to me whose heart’s desire was her right marriage and happy home. She was very fond of a certain man, but he was a most difficult person. After having shown her every attention and devotion, he suddenly changed, dropped out of her life. She was unhappy, resentful and discouraged. I said “Now this is the time to prepare for your happy home! Buy little things for it as if you hadn’t a minute to spare.” She became quite interested in shopping for her happy home, when all appearances were against it. “Now,” I said, “you will have to perfect yourself on the situation and become immune to all resentment and unhappiness.”

I gave her this statement: “I am now immune to all hurt and resentment: my poise is built upon a rock, the Christ within.” I said, “When you are immune to all hurt and resentment, this man will be given to you or his equivalent.” It took many months, when one evening she came to see me and said, “I have only the kindest and most friendly feelings for this man. If he isn’t the Divine selection I would be happy without him”. Not long after, she happened to meet the man. He was so sorry for the way he had acted. He begged her to forgive him. Not long ago after, they were married and a happy home came into manifestation. It had built itself around her active Faith.

Your only enemies are within yourself. The woman’s enemies were ‘hurt’ and ‘resentment.’ They are indeed ‘serpents and scorpions.’ Many lives have been wrecked by these two enemies. Linked with God-power, all opposition vanished from this woman’s life. Nothing could by any means hurt her.

Think what that means, to have a life free from all unhappy experiences. It is done through making a conscious contact with God-power every instant.

Many times in the Bible, the word ‘power’ is mentioned. ‘Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.’

A person with a rich consciousness attracts riches. A person with a poor consciousness attracts poverty. I have seen people in this Truth, rise out of lack and limitation by linking with the God-power within, not depending on the external, trusting in God gives you irresistible power, for this Supreme Intelligence only, knows the Way of fulfillment. ‘Trust in Me and I will bring it to pass.’

All our knowledge of Truth can bring us is to know that God is the only Power. One Power, one Presence, one Plan.

When you have the fixed idea that there is only one Power in the universe, God-power, all appearance of evil will disappear from your world. In getting a demonstration we must acknowledge only one Power. Evil comes from man’s own ‘vain imaginings.’ Withdraw all power from evil and it is powerless to hurt.

I will give you an example which shows the working of the law. I was in a restaurant with a friend who spilled something on her dress. She was sure it would leave a stain. I said, ‘We’ll give it a treatment.’ I made the statement, ‘Evil is unreal and leaves no stain.’ I said, ‘Now, don’t look, leave it to Infinite Intelligence.’ In about an hour we took a look and there was not the slightest stain.

What is true for a little thing is true of a big thing. You can use this statement for past misfortunes or mistakes, and somehow or other, under Grace, the effects will disappear, they will leave no stain.

Many people are using personal-power instead of God-power, which always brings unhappy reaction. Personal-power means forcing personal will. I will give you the example of a woman I knew a long time ago. She married a man who worked on a newspaper drawing a comic strip. His drawing demanded a knowledge of slang, which he used on every occasion. She decided he should cultivate his mind and read the classics. He wouldn’t talk anything but Plato and Aristotle. He wanted the food cooked the way they cooked, and eat the simple food they ate. Her life had become a nightmare. After that, she never tried to change people. The only person to change, is yourself. As you change, all the conditions around you will change! People will change!

When you are undisturbed by a situation it falls away of its own weight. Your life is out pictured by the sum-total of your subconscious beliefs. Wherever you go, you take these conditions with you.

‘I am strong in the Lord and the Power of His might.’

‘I am backed by unnumbered of hosts of power.’

Power means dominion and dominion means control. Man controls conditions by a knowledge of Spiritual law. Suppose your problem is lack or limitation. Your urgent need is supply. Link with this God-power within, and give thanks for your immediate supply. If you are too close to the situation, if you are filled with doubts and fears, go to a Practitioner for help, someone to see clearly for you.

A man told me while at a Truth Center at Pittsburgh he heard people talking about me and he said, ‘Who in heck is Florence Scovel Shinn?’ Someone replied, ‘Oh, she wrote The Game of Life, if you write to her she’ll get you a miracle.’

He said he promptly wrote to me and got a demonstration. Jesus Christ said, ‘When two of you agree, it shall be done.’ Do not hesitate to ask for help if you cannot see clearly your good.

Jesus Christ saw clearly for the people he healed. He did not tell them to heal themselves. Of course, you can reach the state where you do not need any help, when you have the fixed idea that God’s Power is the only Power and that God’s Plan is the only Plan.

We cannot take blessings from Infinite Intelligence, they must be given us. Man’s part is to be a grateful receiver. ‘Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’ ‘Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of my hands and hath put all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, yea and beasts of the fields.’ This is God’s idea of man, but man’s idea of himself is one of limitation and failure. It is only in a big moment, that man seems to rise to his power and dominion.

It isn’t until we face a situation of lack, that we suddenly express the power which has already been given to us. I have known people who are usually nervous and anxious to become poised and powerful when confronted by a big situation.

‘Hear, Oh! Israel! Ye have no need to fight, stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord.’ People often ask, what does it mean to stand still, to do nothing at all? ‘Standing still’ means to keep your poise. I said to a man who was tense and anxious, take it easy and see the salvation of the Lord. He replied, ‘My, that has helped me a lot.’ Most people are trying too hard. They carry their burdens and fight their battles and are, therefore, always in a turmoil and never get, what we call, a demonstration. Stand aside, and see the salvation of the Lord. We might paraphrase the Scriptures and say, ‘Hear! O! Israel, you will never win this battle by fighting – leave it entirely to Me, and it will be given you.’

Following the magic path of intuition you escape all complications and friction, and make a beeline to your demonstration. Remember we are told not to despite the day of small things. It is a great mistake to think that anything is unimportant. I was going to a shop to buy two articles. In my vicinity are two shops, an expensive one and one where all the things are a little cheaper, but the articles are exactly the same. The reasoning mind said, ‘Go to the cheaper place’ but intuition said, ‘Go to the expensive place.’ Of course, I followed that magic path. I told the clerk what I wanted. He said: ‘The two articles are today sold for the price of one, because they are advertising one of the products.’

So intuition led me to the right place and price. The difference in price was only fifty cents but intuition always looks after our interests. If I had been trying to get something cheap, I would have gone to the other shop and paid twice as much. Learn to handle the little thing and you will be ready to handle the big things.

Studying closely the Scriptures, we find, God’s gift to man is power. The things and conditions automatically follow. God gives man power to get well. He gives man power over the elements. He gives man power to heal sickness, and to cast out devils.

‘They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings and eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.’

Let us realize that this invisible power is within reach of all. ‘Whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord, shall be delivered!’ So we find the Word links man with omnipotence. This Supreme Intelligence is more than equal to lifting every burden and fighting every battle.

Many people have lost what they prized most dearly in life. That is because invariably the fear loss. The only weapon you can use against your lions is your Word. Your word is your wand, filled with magic and power. You wave your wand over your lion and transmute him into a kitten. BUT the lion will remain a lion unless you walk up to him. You may well ask, ‘How do we walk up to lions?’ Moses said unto his people, ‘Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show to you this day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again, no more forever! The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.’ What a marvelous arrangement!

Infinite Intelligence knows the out. Infinite Intelligence knows where the supply is, for every demand. But we must trust it, keep our poise, and give it right of way. So many people are afraid of other people. They run away from disagreeable situations, so of course, the situation runs after them.

‘The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?’ The 27th Psalm is one of the most triumphant Psalms! It is also rhythmic and musical. The writer realized that no enemy could harm him, for the Lord was his light and his salvation. Now remember, your only enemies are within yourself. The Bible is speaking of the enemy thoughts, your doubts, fears, hates, resentments, and forebodings. Every negative situation in your life is a crystallized thought, it has been built up out of your own vain imaginings! But these situations cannot stand the light of the truth. So, you face the situation fearlessly, saying: “The Lord is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear?”

Jesus Christ was the greatest of metaphysicians and gave us definite rules for controlling conditions through word and thought. ‘Thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies.” First of all, you must be wiser than your enemy thoughts, the army of the aliens. You must answer every negative thought with a word of authority. The army of aliens will chant: “Business is dull and money is scarce.” Immediately you reply, “My supply comes from God and now appears like mushrooms overnight.” There are not hard times in the kingdom. You may have to keep this up for a quite a while, like the song of the katydids- ‘Katy did-Katy didn’t’, and so on. Finally you win out, for the truth must prevail and you have put to flight the army of the aliens. Then, when you are off your guard, the army of the aliens begins again; “You are not appreciated, you’ll never be a success.” You answer immediately: “God appreciates me, therefore man appreciates me. Nothing can interfere my divinely designed success.” Finally the army of the aliens is dissolved and dissipated because you do not give it your attention. You have starved the aliens out. Starve out the fear thoughts by not giving your attention and acting your faith.

The lion draws his fierceness from your fear. Stand still like Daniel, and you too shall hear the rush of angels sent to take your part.

The mission of Jesus Christ was to wake people up. ‘Awake thou that sleepeth.’ People were asleep in the Adamic dream of opposites. Lack, loss, failure, sin, sickness and death seemed realities to them. The story of Adam is, that he ate of tree of illusion and fell into a deep sleep. In this sleep he vainly imagined good and evil.

Bernard Shaw, in his book Back to Methuselah, says: “Adam invented murder, birth and death and all negative conditions.” It was the development of the reasoning mind. Of course, Adam stands for Generic Mind. In the Garden of Eden stage, man functioned only in the superconscious. Whatever he desired or required was always at hand. With the development of the reasoning mind came the fall of man. He reasoned himself into lack, limitations and failure. He earned his bread by the sweat of the brow, instead of being Divinely provided for.

Jesus Christ’s message was to bring people back to the “fourth dimension,” the Garden of Eden consciousness. In the 14th Chapter of John we find the summing-up of all His teachings. He called it, “The Gospel,” which means “Good Tidings.”With amazing simplicity and directness, He told the people that if they asked, believing, they would receive; attributing the power always to the Father within. God is the Giver, man the receiver! This Supreme Intelligence supplies man with all that he desires or requires! This was certainly a doctrine to wake people up! He proved His statements with miracles and wonders.

One of the most dramatic miracles was the healing of the man who had been blind from birth. The opponents of Jesus questioned the man, hoping to find something against Him. But the man would only say: “One thing I know; whereas I was blind, now I can see.” Perhaps you were blind to your good, blind to your opportunities, blind to your intuitive leads, blind to appearances, mistaking friends for enemies. When you are awake to your good, you know there are no enemies, for God utilized every person and situation for your good. Hindrances are friendly and obstacles steppingstones. One with God, you become invincible.

This is a very powerful statement; “God’s invincible Power sweeps all before it. I ride the waves into my promise land.” Riding the waves, they take you to your destination, free from the undertow of negative thinking, which would pull you down. Your thoughts and desires are always taking you somewhere. Prentiss Mulford says: “The persistent purpose, that strong desire, that never ceasing longing, is a seed in the mind. It is rooted there, it is alive! It never stops growing! There is a wonderful law involved in it. This law when known, followed out and trusted, leads every individual to mighty and beautiful results. The law followed with your eyes open, leads to more and more happiness in life; but followed blindly with your eyes shut, leads to misery!”

This means that desires are tremendous vibratory forces and must be rightly directed. Take this statement: “I only desire that which Infinite Intelligence desires through me. I claim that which is mine by Divine right, and under Grace in Perfect Way!” You will then cease to desiring the wrong things, and the right desires will take their place. Your dreary desires are answered drearily, your impatient desires are long delayed or violently fulfilled. It is important never to lose sight of this. Many unhappy situations have been brought about through dreary or impatient desires.

I will give an example of a woman who was married to a man who wanted her to go somewhere with him every evening. It wore her out and night after night she wished impatiently that she could stay home and read a book. The desire was so strong it commenced to bud. Her husband went off with another woman. She lost him and his support – but she had the time to stay home and read a book. Nothing ever comes uninvited into your life.

Prentiss Mulford has also some interesting ideas on work. He said: “To succeed in any undertaking, any art or any trade or any profession, simply keep it ever persistently fixed in mind as an aim, and then study to make all effort toward it play or recreation. The moment it becomes hard work, we are not advancing.”

As I look back on my experiences in the art world, I see how true this is. From the academy of Fine Arts of Philadelphia, came eight men, all of about the same age, who became distinguish and successful artists. They were called ‘The eight’ in contemporary art. NO one of them was ever known to work hard. They never drew from the antique; they never did anything in an academic way. They simply expressed themselves. They painted and drew because they love it- for the fun of it. They simply expressed themselves. They tell an amusing story of one of them who became a very well-known landscape artist, taking many medals and honorary mentions at exhibits. He had a one-man show in New York City, at one of the big galleries, and was seated reading a paper. An enthusiastic woman rushed up to him and said: “Can you tell me anything about the wonderful man who painted these adorable pictures?” He replied: “Sure, I am the guy that painted the damn things.” He painted for fun, he didn’t care whether people liked his pictures or not.

Whereas I was blind, now I can see, my right work, my perfect self-expression. Whereas I was blind, now I can see clearly and distinctly the Divine plan of my life. Whereas I was blind, now I can see, that God’s power is the only power and that God’s plan is the only plan. The race thought is still with a belief in insecurity. “Awake, thou that sleepth!” God is your eternal security of mind, body and affairs. “Let not your heart be troubled, neither be afraid.” If you were wide awake to your good, you could not be troubled and fearful! Walking up to the truth, that there is no loss, lack of failure in the kingdom of reality- loss, lack and failure would disappear from your life. They come from your own vain imaginings.

The following is an example, illustrating the working of the law. A number of years ago, when I was in London I bought a wonderful fountain pen at Asprey’s. It was Japanese and was called a Namike pen. It was quite expensive and they gave me, with it, a guarantee that it would last thirty years. I was very much impressed, because every summer, on the 5th of August, they wrote me asking me how the pen was getting along; one might have thought I had bought a horse. It was no ordinary pen and was very satisfactory. I always carried with me and one day I lost it. I immediately commenced denying loss. I said; “There is no loss in the Divine Mind, therefore I cannot lose the Namike pen. It will be restored to me or its equivalent.” No shops that I knew in New York City carried these pens and London was a long way off, but I was charged with Divine Confidence, I couldn’t lose the Namike pen. One day, going along Fifth Avenue in a bus, my eye caught a sign on a shop for the fraction of a second. It seemed to stand out in the light. It read, “Oriental Craft Shop.” I had never heard of it, but I had a strong hunch to go in and ask for a Namike Pen. I got off the bus and went into the shop and asked. The saleswoman replied, “Why yes, we have quite an assortment – they have been reduced to $2.50.” I praised the Lord and gave thanks. I bought three, and told the above story at one of my meetings. They were soon sold out as people rushed to get them. This was certainly an amazing working of the law – but, it was wide awake to my good. I did not let any grass grow under my intuitive lead.

The Truth student knows he must prove the Principle in his everyday affairs. “Acknowledge me in all your ways and I will direct your paths.” “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do, he shall do also, and greater works than these, shall he do, because I go unto my father.” What wonderful Faith Jesus Christ had in man! He held the vision of the race to come. The man made in God’s likeness and image, (imagination). “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” If ye shall ask anything in my name I will do it. He explained to the people that they were under a system of gifts. God was the giver, man the receiver. “Believest thou not that I am in the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works.” He told people to “seek the kingdom,” the realm of perfect ideas, where all things would be added unto them. He woke them up!

Whereas I was blind, now I can see, there is nothing to fear for there is no power to hurt. I see clearly before me the open road of fulfillment. There are no obstacles on my pathway.”

As we follow closely the story of Jehosophat, we see he advanced making an affirmation: “Praise the Lord, His mercy endureth forever.” He had nothing to say about the enemy or his lack of strength. He was given the Lord his full attention, and when he commence to sing and praise, the Lord placed ambushments against his enemies and they were smitten. When you make your statements of Truth your enemy thoughts are vanquished, dissolve and dissipated, therefore, all adverse appearances disappear. When Jehosophat and his army came toward the watchtower in the wilderness, they looked into the multitude and behold they were dead. The watchtower in the wilderness is your high state of consciousness, your fearless faith, your place of safety. There you rise above all adverse conditions, and God’s battle is won.

“When Jehosophat and his people came to take away the spoils of the enemy, they found among them both riches and precious jewels, more than they could carry away, and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.” That means, when you let God fight the battle for you, great blessings came out of every adverse situation. “For thy God will turn the curse into a blessing, for the Lord thy God loveth thee.” The ingenuity of the spirit is amazing. It is pure intelligence and books no interference with its plans. It is very difficult for the average person to ‘stand still,’ which means, keep your poise, and let the Infinite Intelligence run the situation. People like to rush into the battle and try to manage things themselves, which brings defeat and failure. “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord will be with you.” That means, not to run away from the situation, walk up fearlessly and face the lion in your pathway, and the lion turns into an Airedale. The lion takes his fierceness from your fear. A great poet has said “Courage has genius, magic and power in it.”

Daniel was unafraid and the lions’ mouth were closed. Kind Darius called to Daniel while he was yet in the lions’ den, asking him if God could save him from the lions, and Daniel answered, “O! King live forever! My God hath sent his angels and shut the lions’ mouth that they have not hurt me.” We have in this story the subdued attitude of the lions as a result of Spiritual power; the entire group changed from ferocity to docility, and Daniel looking away from the beasts to the light and might of spirit, which saved him completely from the lions. Scarcely a day passed without some sort of lion appearing on man’s pathway, the lions of lack, limitation, fear, injustice, dread or forebodings. Immediately walk up to the situation of which you are afraid. If you run away from it, it will always be right at your heels.

Many people lose the things they prize or love because they are continually fearing their loss. They do everything possible on the external to insure protection, but back of it all is the devastating picture of fear. In order to hold the things you prize and love, you must know that they are divinely protected, therefore nothing can harm them. I give the example of a woman who was very fond of a man who was good-looking and popular with women. She decided to prevent his meeting with one particular woman of her acquaintance because she was sure the woman would make every effort to cut her out, to use a slang expression. One evening she went to the theatre and there he was with the woman. They had met at a card party. Her fears had actually attracted the situation. I knew a woman who had sever children. She knew they were all divinely protected and they all grew up safe and sound. One day a neighbor rushed in and said, “You had better call your children, they are all climbing up and down trees – they are going to kill themselves!” My friend replied, “Oh they are only playing tree-tag. Don’t look at them and nothing will happen.” Like Daniel she turned her back to the situation and let God take care of it.

The average person is resenter, a resister, or a regretter. They resent people they know and people they don’t know. They resist everything from daylight saving up. They regret what they did or what they didn’t do. It is very wearing to be with people. They exhaust all their friends. It is because they are not living in the wonderful NOW and are losing all the tricks in the game of life.

It is heaven to be unafraid and to live fully in the NOW; that is, to be fearless in using what we have, knowing back to us is the abundance of the spheres to draw upon. We know that fearless faith and the spoken word release this supply.

The power of the word was known in Egypt thousands of years ago.

When read in the Bible, “behold I make all things new!” By your words of Truth we can make new our minds, bodies and affairs. When all fear is obliterated we live magic lives. Like Jehosophat we go forward fearlessly singing: “Praise the Lord, his mercy endureth forever.” In our watchtower of high consciousness, we stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

Christianity is founded on faith. Faith gives one a sublime assurance of one’s good. One may be surrounded by adverse appearances, but this sublime assurance impresses the subconscious mind, and a way open for the manifestation of health, wealth and happiness. There is an endless, invisible supply for every man. “Before we called we are answered.” This supply is waiting to be released by faith and the spoken word. We find that Jesus Christ taught an exact science.

At the World’s fair there was a panorama of New York City in the Edison Building. At dusk when the city was being lighted up the buildings showed a myriad of lights; the man explaining the exhibit said: “The city is lighted by the power of electricity at the turn of a switch – the turn of a hand.” Edison was the man who had faith in the laws of electricity. He knew what could be with it if it were harnessed and directed. It seemed to have intelligence of its own. He created dynamo through which it would work, after years of patience and loving absorption in his work. Now this power lights the world, for it is harnessed and directed.

Jesus Christ taught man to harness and direct thought. He knew that fear was as dangerous as uncontrolled electrical forces. Words and thoughts must be handled with wisdom and understanding. The imagination is man’s workshop, and an imagination running wild and building up fear pictures, is just about as safe as riding a bucking bronco.

We were born and brought up in an age of doubt and fear. We were told that the age of miracles was over and to expect the worse. An optimistic person was laughed at. A bright remark was – “A pessimist is a person who lives with an optimist.” “Eat the speckled apples first,” was thought the height of wisdom. They did not seem to realize that by following this advice they would never catch up with the good apples, for they would be speckled too by the time they were reached.

What a beautiful world this would be if all anxiety and fear were blotted out. These twins, anxiety and worry, have made men slaves and are destroyers of health, wealth and happiness. There is always one way of getting rid of fear – and that is, to transmute it into faith; for fear is the opposite of faith. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” These words ring down through the centuries. Jesus Christ taught that the Father within man could be absolutely trusted to guide, protect and provide when man believes it possible. Jesus Christ demonstrated this God-power over and over again in order to convince his followers. Out of the invisible supply he brought the loaves and fishes; He raised the dead; and took money from the fishes’ mouths. He told them, “Great things shall ye do, for I am going.”

We know he was teaching an exact science, the science of mind, the power of thought and the power of the word. We must have faith, for faith registered in the subconscious mind. When an idea is once registered in the subconscious, it must objectify. That is the reason Jesus Christ told people that if they believed (which is having faith), all things are possible.

How are we to get rid of this anxiety, which we might call ‘anti-faith’? The only way to neutralize it is to walk up to the things you are afraid of.

There was a man who had lost all his money. He was living in very poor quarters and all the people around him were poor and he was afraid to spend the little he had. All he had was about five dollars. He had tried to get work but everyone had turned him down. He awoke one morning to face another day of lack and disappointment, when the idea (or hunch) came to him to go to the horse show. It took about all he had but he was fired with the idea of being with rich and successful people again. He was tired of his limited surroundings. He fearlessly spent for a ticket to the Horse Show. There he met an old friend, who said: “Hello Jim,! Where have you been all this time?” Before the show was over the old friend gave him a wonderful position in his firm. His hunch and fearless attitude toward money put him in a new vibration of success.

Form the habit of making giant swings into faith. You will receive marvelous returns.

As has already been noted, we look with amazement at the people in the circus performing their remarkable feats. These people have the faith that they can perform these acts, and see themselves doing them. You cannot accomplish anything you cannot see yourself accomplishing. These difficult feats are all a matter of poise and balance. Your success and happiness depend upon your poise and balance. Trusting God is like walking a slack wire. Doubt and fear cause you to lose you balance and fall off into lack and limitation. Like the circus performer – it takes practice. No matter how many times you fail, try again. Soon you will acquire the habit of poise and balance. Then the world is yours. You will walk joyfully into your kingdom. The circus performers all seem to love their work, no matter how difficult. The band plays, the people applaud and they smile, but remember they were trained without the music and applause.

Rhythm, harmony and balance are the keys to success and happiness. When you are out of rhythm you are out of luck.

In the 4th chapter of Philippians we read: “Be careful (or anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplications, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” This is certainly a wonderful arrangement, all in favor of man. Man, free from worry and fear, ask with thanksgiving, and his good is given him.

“Ask, believing, thou shalt receive!” We know that our beliefs or expectancies are impressed upon the subconscious and carried out. We might say, if you ask, not believing, you will not receive. Faith creates expectancy.

This Infinite Intelligence upon which man draws his supply is called, by Jesus Christ, “your Heavenly Father.” The Father within, He described as a kind, loving parent desirous of pouring all good things upon His children. “Fear not, little flock, ‘tis your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” He taught that God’s law was simply a law of love and good-will. “Love your neighbor as yourself” – “Do unto others as you would be done by.” Any violation of the law of love causes a shot circuit. “The way of the transgressor is hard.” God is immutable law – “I am the Lord (law), I change not.”

Divine ideas are immutable, not subject to change. What wonderful words – “Immutable not subject to change.”

A woman came to me filled with tears and forebodings. She said for years she had been pursued by the fear that even if she should receive the desire of her heart, something would happen to spoil it. I gave her the statement: “The Divine Plan of your life is a perfect idea in Divine Mind, incorruptible and indestructible, and cannot be spoiled in any way.” A great load was lifted from her consciousness. For the first time in years she had a feeling of joy and freedom. Know the Truth gives you a sense of freedom, soon then comes the actual freedom on the external.

This Supreme Intelligence is what man becomes when he speaks the word. This Supreme Intelligence awaits man’s direction, but it must have right of way, it must not be limited.

Divine activity in your body brings health. There is only one disease – congestion, and one cure – circulation. Congestion and stagnation are the same thing. People say they ‘have got into a rut.’ A new idea will take them out of a rut. We must get out of the rut of negative thinking.

The word enthusiasm in the dictionary is defined, ‘to be inspired or possessed by a god.’ Enthusiasm is divine fire and kindles enthusiasm in others. To be a good salesman you must be enthusiastic about the articles you are selling. If you are bored with your business on uninterested, the fire goes out, and no one else will be interested.

A woman came to me for a success in business. She said “I have a shop but it is usually empty. I do not bother to open until late in the day, what’s the use?” I replied, “There is indeed no use so long as you feel the way you do. You are keeping people away. Become enthusiastic over what you have to sell. Be enthusiastic about yourself. Be enthusiastic about the God-power within you, and get up early to open your shop and be ready for the big crowd.”

By this time she was all wound up with divine expectancy. She dashed down to her shop as early as possible and people were waiting outside and poured all day.

People often say to me, “Treat my business.” I say, “No, I will treat you, for YOU are your business.”

Your quality of your thought penetrates every article for sale and all the conditions connected with it. Jesus Christ was divinely enthusiastic about the message He had to bring to the Father within each man. He was enthusiastic about faith. He told the people that whatsoever they “ask in His name” would be given them. It was a message of asking and receiving. He told them just how to comply with spiritual law. “Ask, believing, thou shalt receive.” “When ye pray believe ye have it.” “Why are ye fearful, oh, ye of little faith?”

After two thousand years his divine fire is rekindled in the consciousness of all Truth students. We are having a Christian renaissance, a new birth, a revival of Christianity. He taught a universal principle, without creed or ceremony. We see members of all religions, denominations, coming into this Truth movement. It does not take them away from their churches. In fact many clergymen are now teaching what the metaphysicians are teaching; for Jesus Christ is the greatest of all metaphysicians, because he proved his principles and brought miracles to pass. He sent forth his disciples, “To preach the Gospel and heal the sick.” For about three hundred years his message survived, then his divine fire was lost and the words, “Be thou healed,” were no longer spoken. Creed and ceremony took their place. Now we see people flocking to these Truth Centres to be healed, blessed and prospered. They have learned to ‘pray aright’ and have understanding faith.

A woman told me of an answered prayer. Her son wrote her that he was going to southern California on a business trip in his car. She read in the morning paper of a flood, and she immediately spoke the word of divine protection. She had a great feeling of security, she knew he would be protected. She soon heard from him, saying some business had interfered with his leaving, so he was detained. If he had left when he had expected, he would have been in the flood district.

We become more divinely enthusiastic about our answered prayers, which we call ‘demonstrations,’ for it means that we have demonstrated the truth and have been set free from some limitation.

The 24th Psalm is one of the most enthusiastic of the many Psalms of praise and thanksgiving.

“Lift up your heads, oh ye gates and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.”

The gates and doors symbolize man’s consciousness. As you are lifted up in consciousness, you contact the super-conscious, the God within, and the king of glory comes in. This king of glory lifts your burdens and fights your battles, solves your problems.

The average person has a difficult time LETTING the king of glory come in. Doubt, fear and apprehension keep the doors and gates locked against your good.

A student told me of a situation which she attracted by negative thinking. She had been invited to a gathering of old and value friends. It was of the utmost importance for her to be there. She was so anxious to go, she said to herself repeatedly, “Oh, I hope nothing happens to interfere.” The day of the reception arrived and she awoke with a terrific headache. At one time she had been subject to these headaches, going to bed for several days, be she had not had one for many years. Her doubts and fears had attracted this disappointment. She called me up and said, “Will you please speak the word that I will be well by evening to go to the reception?” I replied, “Why, of course, nothing can interfere with God’s perfect plan.” So, I spoke the word. Later, she told me of her miracle. She said in spite of the way she felt, she prepared to go. She cleaned her jewelry, got her dress ready to wear, and attended to every detail, though she felt scarcely able to move. Very late in the afternoon, she said she had a peculiar sensation as of a fog lifting in her consciousness, and she was perfectly well. She went to the reception and had a wonderful time. I believe that the healing might have come more quickly had she not said, “I want to be well by tonight.” We are continually limiting ourselves by our words, so not until night was she perfectly well. “By your words you are justified and by your word you are condemned.”

I knew a man who was the centre of attraction wherever he went, because he was always enthusiastic about something. Whether it was about shoes, clothes or a haircut, he enthused others into buying the same things. He did not gain anything material by it, he was just naturally enthusiastic. Someone has said, “If you want to be interesting to others, be interested in something first.” An interested person is an enthusiastic person. We often hear people say: “Do tell me what you are interested in.”

Many people are without vital interests and are hungry to hear what other people are doing. They are usually the ones who keep the radio turned on from early morning till late at night. They must be entertained every minute. Their own affairs do not hold enough interest.

A woman once said to me: “I love other people’s affairs.” She lived on gossip. Her conversation consisted of, “I was told, I was given to understand, or I heard.” It is needless to say she is now paying her Karmic debt. A great unhappiness has overtaken her and everyone knows about her affairs. It is dangerous to neglect your own affairs and to take an idle curiosity in what others are doing. We should all be busily engaged in perfecting ourselves, but take a kindly interest in others.

Make the most of your disappointments by transmuting them into happy surprises. Transmute all failure into success. Transmute all unforgiveness into forgiveness; all injustice into justice. You will be kept busy enough perfecting your own life, you won’t have time to run other’s affairs.

Jesus Christ aroused the enthusiasm of the multitudes by performing miracles, healing the sick and raising the dead. “And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did for them that were diseased.” As we read this we feel the enthusiasm of the multitudes, which surrounded him. With him all things are possible, for he knew that he and the Father were, indeed, one.

With divine enthusiasm I bless what I have and look with wonder at their increase.