The Power of Imagination

The power of imagination is one of the greatest gifts God has given us and yet Christians speak disparagingly of it.This is because they mistakenly classify it in their mind with fancy, fantasy, or speculation, and yet all great achievements, say our psychologists, belong first to the imagination.

A young American who crossed the English Channel in a small aircraft which was kept aloft by nothing more than pedal power, shows the power of imagination in action. As he pedaled this kept the propeller turning and in this way he made his way, sometimes just a few feet above the waves across the Channel.

In an interview with a reporter he said, 'I have flown this Channel a thousand times in my imagination. I have seen the water beneath my feet, seen the ships, the clouds, the occasional threat of a storm ... and then heard the cheers of the people as they saw me coming in to land.'

It was essential to his success that he flew the Channel in his imagination, or else (according to his own admission) he would never have flown it at all.

The power of imagination is not to conjure up false or foolhardy things; that is fantasy, but to take things that are capable of achievement, albeit with great effort, and to turn them into reality.

Many psychologists say that the power of imagination is ten times more powerful than the will. They say that if the will is set in one direction and the imagination is firmly set in another, the imagination will ultimately win.

Part of the power of prayer is to harness the imagination and use it to turn ideas into facts. How then do we employ the power of imagination in prayer? Let's say that during your prayer time you become conscious of a number of spiritual deficiencies in your life.

You become aware perhaps that you are lacking in genuine love, or joy - or even peace. Imagination comes to your aid when you see yourself receiving those qualities, and picture them flowing into you straight from the throne of God.

Harness the power of imagination and you will discover that what the will cannot do, the imagination used by the Holy Spirit will bring into your life what you desire.

Link imagination with affirmation and say it as we as see it. There is no doubt that God wants to give you His love, His joy, His peace, and indeed any other fruit of the Spirit of which you may be in need.

You don't have to keep on asking for it, because through the blessings of imagination and affirmation it can flow right into you. Don't say, 'Oh God, please, please, give me the love I need,' but: 'Lord, right now I am being filled with your love.

Lord, right now I am being fIlled with your peace. Lord, right now I am being filled with your joy. 'Some Christians confuse the use of the imagination and affirmation with what is commonly called auto-suggestion.

They are not the same thing. Auto-suggestion as the name implies is self-centered. Using the imagination in the way I have described centers on God. Auto-suggestion is used to trick the mind into believing what may not be true.

The right use of the imagination deals only with truth. We have no right, of course, to use the imagination beyond its proper limits and to expect all our desires to come to pass.

This is why before employing the imagination we must ask ourselves three questions: Is what I am asking for clearly the will of God? Am I sure beyond all doubt that God wants me to have this thing - and have it now?

Is there any uncertainty in my mind about its truth? There are those, of course, who find it difficult to see things in their imagination. They don't think in terms of pictures, and have difficulty in putting their imagination to work.

Let them not despair. Practice a few moments every day developing an Image of yourself in different situations. The proud you becoming humble. The fearful you, holding your head up high.

The resentful you, offering the hand of forgiveness. Just hold the picture there, if only for a few seconds. The discipline of the moments, if observed daily, will, I assure you, be infinitely rewarding.

When imagination is used to picture the realized end of a situation and it is held clearly in the mind's eye, then all the doors of the personality fly open and the power of God floods in.

So see it done. Link the power of imagination with affirmation and new power will flow into your prayers.

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