Dr. Peale says if you meticulously, faithfully, lovingly follow Jesus Christ, you need never be defeated by anything, because He will give you sustaining support. Dr. Peale tells the story of meeting a man in a wheel chair. He wore a tee-shirt that read “ Nothing is going to happen to me today that we can’t handle together.” NVP asked, “Who’s we?” The man responded, “It’s my heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I’ve had it rough, but have never been defeated by anything, because the Father and Son are with me.” Dr. Peale tells us that the most powerful force isn’t just faith, its faith in Jesus, God, the Bible and the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Peale tells us Positive Thinking and successful living fit together like a hand in a glove. It is most difficult to live a successful life thinking negatively. He says, “I define successful living as to be a whole, well organized, well controlled human being.” The Bible tells us that what we are is determined by the brain, in the heart and our essence. Dr. Peale concludes To send out negative thoughts is to do a very dangerous thing. You activate the world around you negatively. On the contrary, send out positive thoughts and you will activate the world around you positively and you will draw back to yourself positive results.

Dr. Peale tells of an eagle that was shot and injured in Florida. It fluttered to the ground and sat by a highway. God was watching over this eagle because an expert in Florida wildlife passed by and took the eagle and cared for it. One day it will be let go to soar again. Dr. Peale says we have eagles built into us and we suffer through difficulties and disappointments. Then the Lord speaks to us saying, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” When we face what we think may be facing the worst thing that could ever happen to us we should say to ourselves, “How can I take this worse thing that’s happening to me and make it the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Dr. Peale tells us that amazing things can happen to people. People get renewed, they make 180 degree turns and are different people. He shares several stories about people who have done just this, including one about a young fellow who disliked himself. He came to Marble Church and felt the dynamic atmosphere, saw the happy faces. It made his come back until he had an experience of Jesus, which changed his thought process. He came to like himself through Christ.

Dr. Peale says you are a miracle. The body is a miracle, every part of it, the hand, the foot, all the parts and especially the mind. He shares the story of a man that was a failure until he heard the scripture, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” This man decided he would empty out the thoughts that were not in Jesus’ mind and strive to have in him the quality and kind of character of mind that is in Jesus. Dr. Peale says, “When you have the mind of Christ in your mind, you become a believer, in Jesus, in the Bible, in our country, in yourself.”

Dr. Peale says we have a disease in this country called “The Three L’s,” these are, Lack, Loss and Limitation. People will tell you what they Lack, what they’ve Lost and how Limited their abilities are. But if you have faith in God in your life, nothing can defeat you.

Dr. Peale says, “You and I were not born to worry, God sent us into the world worry free.” He explains that worry comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word “wingman which means to strangle, worry can strangle us. He explains that to prevent yourself from becoming a worrier, become a greater person of prayer and dedication and commitment to Jesus.

Dr. Peale says that faith works wonders because he has known people who really had it tough and their faith held them up. He shares the stories of several of these people including James Y. Brown, former Governor of Kentucky and Capt. James Cook. He concludes that faith helps people do great things in the world. Dr. Peale says, “Whatever your problem is, apply faith to it.”

NVP says all faces cast in the image of God are beautiful. He wonders what his listeners are thinking about. It would be wise he says to open their eyes to opportunity rather than trouble or despair. He says, “If you open your eyes to opportunity for energy, vigor, fullness of life, He’s there to give it to you because He promises you life and breath and every good thing.”

Dr. Peale says that you can know what your life will be like in the future by what you think about. You can think yourself into anything. He shares the stories of Senator Max Cleland and Robert Johnson to illustrate this truth.