Positive Confession vs. Positive Thinking
- The key to translating thoughts into results lies in whether the thoughts are expectations or fantasies. Expectations are based on past experience, represent an investment of the person's time and effort and are of a realistic and obtainable future. Fantasies, on the other hand, represent an unrealistic, perfect future which is visited upon the person without any effort on her part. Expectations result in better outcomes while fantasies have no effect or can even have a negative outcome.
- Positive thinking consists of expectations. It is a set of techniques that must be understood, practiced and mastered. These include analyzing past mistakes, changing behaviors and avoiding pitfalls of thinking, such as generalizing (one failed test means failing at everything) and worrying about what cannot be controlled.
- Positive confession is the belief that a person can, through the careful choice of spoken words, make use of faith as a force to bring about a desired outcome. It is commonly described as making a demand of God by asking for exactly what is desired without equivocation; God is then compelled to grant the request.
- Positive confession is part of the charismatic movement of Pentecostalism. It is taught by word-faith or prosperity teachers, such as Kenneth Copeland, Frederick K.C. Price and Robert Tilton, who teach that a person should not use positive confession for solely selfish purposes, such as building wealth; he should use what he receives from God to help others.
- Positive confession is thought by some to be anything from a serious misunderstanding of the nature of God to sorcery. Further, since it is not based on past experience and entails an investment of time and effort, it therefore falls into the category of fantasy rather than expectation. The efficacy of positive confession cannot be proved because failure can always be attributed to a lack of faith.
