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Keep A True Lent
Chapter 10
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[Keep A True Lent]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
The Affirmative Word
Chapter 10
CHRISTIAN metaphysicians have discovered that man can
greatly accelerate the formation of the Christ Mind in
himself by using affirmations that identify him with the
Christ. These affirmations often are so far beyond the
present attainment of the novice as to seem ridiculous, but
when it is understood that the statements are grouped about
an ideal to be attained, they seem fair and reasonable.
When one understands the power of words spoken in spiritual
consciousness the results are in fulfillment of divine law.
The affirmation of any good statement of Truth puts us in
conscious contact with the Christ Mind and quickens and
releases the light and energy stored up in the subconscious
mind; then the process of redemption begins.
Should we pray in words that imply faith in a sure answer
to our prayer, or should we ask meekly, leaving the answer
to the will of God? This proposition confronts most of us
at various times. Our mind wavers between the two
attitudes, and the answer is always weakened by the
wavering whether we realize it or not.
Whichever way we decide to pray, we quote Scripture to
fortify our position and usually find
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enough to satisfy us that we are right. The majority of the
prayers of Jesus are affirmations, according to English
translations, which are not always in harmony with the
original text. For example, the great Lord's Prayer, which
we so universally use, in the original is a series of
affirmations. The translators had no conception of the
majesty of the Son of God, and they twisted His prayers of
decrees into a supplication for help. When we realize that
we are the outlet of a mind that seeks an adequate
expression, we shall cease our begging prayers and elevate
our thoughts and words to the high standard set by the
Master.
God created man to express Him in the manifest world, and
we fall short in our mission when we fail to measure up to
our divine authority. Jesus, the Son, affirmed, "All
authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth."
When He prayed things happened, and He expected His
followers to do likewise. We are asked why our prayers do
not always bring things to pass, as His did. The usual
answer is that we have not developed faith or assurance
equal to that of Jesus. But how shall we go about
developing this Christ faith? We have asked for the faith
of Jesus and even declared it in His name, yet it does not
abide with us continually. Why?
The answer is that we have not realized and appropriated
our princely heritage. We have not trained our mind away
from the negative race beliefs but have allowed it to fall
into the popular
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channels of thought, thereby attaching ourselves even more
firmly to human impotency. Here is a point of which every
Christ initiate should be made aware, namely that the
Christ baptism gives us a very decided mind expansion and
infuses into our thoughts and words a power that we did not
before possess: "His word was with authority."
Jesus taught His followers to assert the affirmative in
thought and word. We do not know the exact words He used in
His statements, but judging by the English into which they
have been translated from the Greek, Jesus was very
positive in His assertion of the power of spiritual man,
and especially of those who follow His teaching. He taught
and demonstrated that the word can be used to build or to
destroy. The destructive power was illustrated in the
fruitless fig tree. It was in this connection that He laid
down the laws through which we can bring forth whatever we
desire. What could be stronger in this respect than the
following statement? "All things whatsoever ye pray and ask
for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
The universal life current is subject to the word of man.
This current flows into and through man's body from above
as Spirit through the sympathetic nerves and from below
through the motor nerves as life energy. In Genesis the
flow of this current is symbolically described as "the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil" and "the tree of life."
Jesus said, "Ye are from beneath; I am from
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above." In our present race consciousness we affirm and
identify ourselves with the objective consciousness or tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. By acquiring the ability
consciously to go within and affirm our unity and power in
Spirit we can gain control of the tree of life current and
live forever. Certain occult schools teach the power of the
will to lay hold of the tree of life current and increase
its flow to hundreds of years. But if the objective
consciousness is not redeemed from its thoughts of evil, no
permanent good will be attained. Adam was put out of the
Garden of Eden because of the possibility that he might eat
of the tree of life and live forever in his ignorance and
sin. The regeneration taught by Jesus and carried out in
each soul by the Spirit of truth is the only safe and sure
way to eternal life.
The greatest need of the human family is thought control.
Here is a great truth. However, thought control is weak if
the mastery of the two currents that animate the body is
ignored. Jesus' words were filled with power because He had
mastery of the lower life current through His realization
of the Spirit from above. He said, "The words that I have
spoken unto you are spirit, and are life." He gripped the
current from above and united it with the one from below,
producing a supermind voltage. The most potent point of
contact of these two currents in the body is in the larynx,
the music box of the mind. The voice can be made strong and
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vibrant by one's centering the attention at the nerve
complex in the larynx and affirming, "All power is given
unto me! All power is given unto me!" This not only gives
power to the voice but also changes the negative waters of
life into positive elements of energy. This process was
illustrated when Jesus turned the water into wine at Cana
in Galilee. This early miracle in His experience took place
in His body, forming part of the regeneration. The name
Cana means "place of reeds" and Galilee means "rolling
energy" or momentum, indicating what takes place in the
larynx when words are spoken. When the words are spoken
with spirit, not only conditions without are changed but
the watery cells of the body are transformed from sluggish
action to "wine" or a state of high positive activity. If
thoughts of a destructive character dominate, the body
suffers and eventually disintegrates. Thus we are judged by
our words.
We who have studied the mind know from our experience that
the ills of humanity all have their root in thought and the
failure of man to express his thoughts in harmony with
Principle.
Thought control is imperative, and there is urgent need of
teachers on both the mental and spiritual plane of
consciousness if the race is to go forward in development.
To this end there needs to be more co-operation between the
two planes of consciousness, because they complement each
other. Religion becomes practical and effective in everyday
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life when it incorporates psychology as part of its litany.
Without religion psychology is weak in its fundamentals,
and without psychology religion fails to give proper
attention to the outlet of its ideals. The fact is that
religion, comprehended in its fullness, includes
psychology. Jesus was a profound psychologist.
The fact is that religion cannot be effectively taught in
its scientific aspect without application of the higher
attributes of the mind. Paul teaches this most effectively,
and none other comes anywhere near him in this respect. He
says, "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus." He refers repeatedly to the Mind of Christ as the
model for all Christians. In Hebrews we are told, "I will
put my laws into their mind."
Comparing our mind with that of Jesus, we find many points
in which we can improve ourselves in thought and word. We
may assert that we believe, but do we prove it in our
mental deportment? Every Unity reader may become a disciple
and reap the benefits promised by Jesus if he will assume
the mental attitude of a Christian and practice the power
of words.
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[Keep A True Lent]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
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