The Power of “I Am”
Whatever follows the “I am” will eventually find you.
When you say, “I am so clumsy,” clumsiness comes looking for you. “I am so old.” Wrinkles come looking for you. “I am so overweight.” Calories come looking for you. It’s as though you’re inviting them. Whatever you follow the “I am” with, you’re handing it an invitation, opening the door, and giving it permission to be in your life.
The good news is you get to choose what follows the “I am.” When you go through the day saying, “I am blessed,” blessings come looking for you. “I am talented.” Talent comes looking for you. You may not feel up to par, but when you say, “I am healthy,” health starts heading your way. “I am strong.” Strength starts tracking you down. You’re inviting those things into your life.
If you’re going to fulfill your destiny, you have to shake off the negative voices. Shake off the thoughts that are telling you, I am unable. I am unqualified. Don’t invite weakness. Don’t give intimidation an invitation. You may feel unqualified, but before you were born, God equipped you. He empowered you. You are not lacking anything. God has already stamped His approval on you. People may try to push you down, but when you know God has approved you, you realize, I don’t need other people’s approval. I’ve been equipped, empowered, and anointed by the Creator of the universe!
Let me give you some “I am”s to speak over your life. Read over these declarations every day. Get them down in your spirit. Meditate on them. They may not all be true right now, but as you continue to speak them, they will become a reality.
Be Positive or Be Quiet
One voice will point out that you’ve reached your limits. You’ve gone as far as you can. You don’t have what it takes. The other voice is clear and matter-of-fact: “You are well able. You can do all things through Christ. Your best days are still out in front of you.” Now, here’s the beauty. You get to choose which voice comes to life.
The way you do it is by what you speak. When you verbalize that thought, you’re giving it the right to come to pass. If you mope around saying, “The problem’s too big. I’ll never get well,” you are choosing the wrong voice. You have to get in agreement with God. The other voice may seem louder, but you can override it. You can take away all of its power by choosing the voice of faith.
I Am Blessed: A Magnet for Blessings
In the same way, when you keep God in first place, just like that heat-seeking missile finding a target, God will send blessings that chase you down, favor that overtakes you. Out of nowhere, a good break comes. Suddenly your health improves. Out of the blue, you’re able to pay your house off. Unexpectedly, a dream comes to pass. That’s not a lucky break. That’s not a coincidence. That’s the commanded blessing on your life. Like a magnet, you’re attracting the goodness of God.
I Am Free: Your Seventh Year
Nothing you’re saying may be true at the time. This is what faith is all about. Too often we’re announcing and declaring the wrong things. “I’ve been single so long. I’ll never meet the right person. Prices are so high. I don’t see how I’m ever going to make it.” That’s announcing defeat and declaring mediocrity. You have to change what’s coming out of your mouth. Start announcing freedom from anything that is holding you back. Freedom from loneliness. Freedom from depression. Freedom from addictions. Freedom from constantly struggling.
I Am Valuable: Know Who You Are
too many times we don’t realize who we are. We focus on our weaknesses, what we don’t have, the mistakes we’ve made, and the family we come from. We end up settling for mediocrity when we were created for greatness. If you’re going to break out of average, you need to remind yourself, “I have the DNA of the Most High God. Greatness is in my genes. I come from a bloodline of champions.”
I Am a Masterpiece: See Yourself as a Masterpiece
Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s masterpiece.” That means you are not ordinary. You didn’t come off an assembly line. You weren’t mass-produced. You are one of a kind. Nobody in this world has your fingerprints. There will never be another you. If you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to see yourself as unique, as an original, as God’s very own masterpiece.
I Am Content: Living Content
Being unhappy, frustrated, and wondering if something is ever going to change is not going to make it happen any sooner. When we’re discontent, we’re dishonoring God. We’re so focused on what we want that we’re taking for granted what we have. The right attitude is, God, I’m believing for a new house, but in the meantime I’m happy with the house I have. I’m believing to get married, but in the meantime I’m content being single. I’m believing for a better job, but I’m happy with the job I have right now.
I Am Secure: Be Comfortable with Who You Are
If a neighbor moves into a new house, instead of being inspired and happy for them, we’re intimidated into thinking, That’s making me look bad. I’ve got to keep up. If a coworker gets a promotion, we feel as though we’re falling behind. We know we don’t measure up when a friend tells us they’re going to Europe on vacation, and we’re going to our grandmother’s twelve miles down the road.
If we’re not careful, there will always be someone or something making us feel we’re not up to par. We’re not far enough along. As long as you compare your situation to others, you will never feel good about yourself, because there will always be somebody more talented, more beautiful, more successful.
I Am Focused: Redeem the Time
Time is one of the most valuable commodities that we have. It’s more valuable than money. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. The Scripture tells us to redeem the time. That means don’t waste it. Don’t live this day unfocused, undisciplined, and unmotivated. We have a responsibility to use our time wisely. We’re not always going to be here.
Just like you spend money, you are spending your life. You’re either investing it or you’re wasting it.
I Am Determined: Finishing Grace
Friend, you have the grace to finish. Quit talking defeat and start talking victory. “I can do all things through Christ. I am full of wisdom, talent, and creativity. I will pass this course.” When you say that, finishing grace will help you do what you could not do on your own.
Even in simple things. You start cleaning your house. Five minutes later, you think, I don’t feel like doing this. I am so tired. This is so boring. Instead, turn it around and tell yourself, “I am strong in the Lord. I am full of energy. I am healthy. This is no match for me.” If you will tap into this finishing grace, you will vacuum your house as though you’re on a mission from God—vacuuming up dirt, coins, socks, children, anything else that gets in your way.
I Am Patient: Trust God’s Timing
Maybe you have been praying about a situation for a long time and don’t see anything happening. You could easily be discouraged. But what if God were to pull back the curtain and allow you to see into the future, and you saw that on February 12 at 2:33 in the afternoon, you were going to meet the person of your dreams? You wouldn’t be discouraged. You would be excited. You would start working out and go buy some new clothes. Why? You know the big day is coming.
Here’s where it takes faith. God promises that there are set times in our future, but He doesn’t tell us when they will be. Your set time may be tomorrow morning at 9:47. You’ll get the phone call you’ve been waiting for. Your set time may be October 25, two years from now. You’ll get a good break, and that will thrust you to a new level.