I can, I will, I am, is our declaration against intimidation
and inadequacy (infirmity) which Satan uses to overwhelm us
whenever he is able. It's my variant on the familiar
statement of confidence and victory by Julius Caesar: “veni,
vidi, vici” translated, I came, I saw, I conquered.
The Attack
Intimidate – the use of fear to control behavior
Inadequate – not sufficient to meet a need; lacking
the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
The Lord is always growing His people up by giving us
opportunity to face new challenges and bigger things. This
is when it is most advantageous for the enemy to
intimidate. He will bring the feeling of inadequacy,
saying, “You are not qualified...You don't have the
resources...You are not able.” He works to induce us to
fear - even the smallest amount - and from there he can
build fear upon fear
We have to establish right now; the enemy is a
liar...always. Never does he tell the truth. He will bring
to us lying thoughts and lying emotions.
Under this influence, I will evaluate my circumstances
naturally and think, “I can't do this.” Or, perhaps I will
simply feel fearful and unable (infirm).
That is the work of the enemy! Why? The man or woman who
performs the will of God is a threat to the enemy and a
power to be reckoned with in the earth. Satan opposes God's
people in an effort to cause them to fall short of the will
of God. Our Father intends for us to be empowered to
perform His perfect will, overcoming all opposition.
Consider this familiar scripture in entirety and with a bit
of context:
2 Timothy 1:6-7
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which
is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has
not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and
of a sound mind.
To whom is Paul addressing this instruction? Timothy. What
is Timothy doing? Growing up; he is taking his place in the
kingdom, he is carrying out the “work”, he is bending his
faith and his knowledge to the purpose of God in his life.
Paul's admonition is two-fold (and it is good!): “Timothy,
you have a big task ahead of you. There are two things you
need to remember, above all: 1) You have a Gift within you
which you must keep active by stirring and 2) Do not EVER be
moved by fear, because fear does not come from God.”
Let us now take a short tour of the three clauses of this
creed. In each, watching for the empowering factor: the
Spirit of God operating in us.
I can – God's ability surpasses my inability
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Why can I correctly say, “I can” - without any exception -
regarding God's purpose for my life?
Am I strong enough? Perhaps not, but God has strength
enough for the both of us. Am I wise enough? Perhaps not,
but God has wisdom that is higher than mine.
The principle is that God's ability has surpassed my
inability, and Paul's revelation and teaching on this
subject is what we just read: “Christ strengthens me.”
The empowering factor: Christ --> “Anointed One” -->
Anointing --> Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:38
...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing
all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
My ability (my “I can”) is related directly to how I
perceive the role of the Holy Spirit in my life and whether
I allow Him to operate or not (through faith and stirring).
It is not my experience (though that can help), not my
wisdom, not my resources...it is the empowering factor - The
Holy Spirit in me.
Acts 19:1-6
1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that
Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to
Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether
there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of
repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on
Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the
Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and
prophesied.
There was a new factor in their natural lives, a new power,
just like in Acts 10:38.
This phrase keeps echoing in my head: Have you received
the Spirit when you believed?
Yes, I believe in God, yes I believe in the Holy Spirit, but
have I RECEIVED Him, have I stirred what is in me, have I
activated my faith and allowed the Spirit to be the
empowering factor?
I Will – In God's kingdom, victory is a choice
Isaiah 8:11-13
11 For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and
instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this
people, saying:
12 “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’
Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy,
Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.
13 The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread.
When you get right down to it we either choose to fear God
or we fear everything else. The latter weakens me and
drains all my strength, but the choice to fear God
[reverence God] it is an empowering choice.
Zephaniah 2:8-11
8 “I have heard the reproach of Moab,
And the insults of the people of Ammon,
With which they have reproached My people,
And made arrogant threats against their borders.
9 Therefore, as I live,”
Says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,
“Surely Moab shall be like Sodom,
And the people of Ammon like Gomorrah—
Overrun with weeds and saltpits,
And a perpetual desolation.
The residue of My people shall plunder them,
And the remnant of My people shall possess them.”
10 This they shall have for their pride,
Because they have reproached and made arrogant threats
Against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be awesome to them,
For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth;
People shall worship Him,
Each one from his place,
Indeed all the shores of the nations.
And everyone said, “Sweet!”
When I choose NOT to give in to fear, God defends me.
I Am – I appeal to the higher authority of the
finished work of Jesus Christ
It is too late to stop me now, because Jesus finished His
work of redemption, He has set in place everything that is
necessary for my sanctification and my presence with Him in
His heavenly kingdom (glorification).
John 17:4
I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the
work which You have given Me to do.
Again in John 19, when Jesus was on the cross, He said, “It
is finished”.
Here is the revelation that Paul taught regarding this
concept:
Colossians 2:8-15
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and
empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according
to the basic principles of the world, and not according to
Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the
head of all principality and power.
“You are” as in, “I am”
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision
made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of
the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him
in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through
faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together
with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having
wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against
us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the
way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed
principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them in it.
When the enemy says, “You can't, you will fail”, We say,
“I am: it is too late, I am already doing it. It is
finished.”
If it is finished, then I already have what I need to live a
life of extraordinary victory!
I can: The Holy Spirit becomes the empowering factor
in my life as I believe and stir up (activate) the gift in
me. Did you receive the Spirit when you believed?
I will: My victory is my choice. I must choose God's
ways above man's ways and to reverence (fear) the Lord more
than any man or devil. The choice to fear God is the
empowering choice.
I am: My victory is done. It's too late, I am
already doing it because Jesus' work on my behalf is a
finished work.
Galatians 2:20
I have
been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave Himself for me.