We who are believers have already been taught the world’s philosophy to believe “I am empowered” … “Nothing is beyond me if I work hard enough” … “I can be anything and anyone I want to be”…. “With a proper education, I can go far” … “If I make the right choices all will be well”, etc. And on it goes…the idea that we each empower ourselves. We say within, “I am empowered”. We see quotes such as, “I am the master of my fate, the captain of my destiny.”
All sounds good, yet, in reality, along life’s way, we realize that this just really isn’t so. We may not get this or that job or promotion. We may not be good enough to make that team. We may not have the money to go to that special school. We may not have the eye of that man or woman we are attracted to, etc. Soon, our own weaknesses are known, and felt, and it grieves our spirits. We stop trying, we grow discouraged, etc.
The whole idea and philosophy fed us: that WE are Empowered…sets each one of us up “for a fall”. And I see this now that I am older, but wish I knew it when I was young. It would have saved me a great deal of torment over my own failures and inadequacies, my own disappointments, my own missed goals, and my disillusionment.
You see, it is the whole “I” focus, that is out of whack. “I want to do this”…”I can do that”…”If I just make the right choices I can reach my goals” etc.
And even the opposite, is worse and more painful… When I say, “I can’t do that” or “I could never obtain that!”
Again, “I” is the focus…the vantage point…and it is NOT where true empowerment comes from. I am not the source of any empowerment, and neither are you. It’s not about “I”, or me, me, me… We do not shape our own fates or direct our own destinies. That is GOD’S PART of our existence. And His part is also to empower us… to enable his perfect will for our lives to BE POSSIBLE to be lived out.
The word EMPOWER has two meanings:
1. give (someone) the authority or power to do something.
2. make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.
So now for the truth:
If we all come to realize, as Believers in Christ, that we are created and designed to be “I Am” empowered…THEN is when the limits can come off. We are empowered to be fruitful. We are empowered to resist temptation. We are empowered to have fresh new beginnings. We are empowered to do God’s will, even though it looks hard to live a godly life. We are empowered to tell others of Jesus. We are empowered to do well at the work of our hands, as we center ourselves in His Will.
As believers, we are empowered by the great I AM…we do not empower ourselves.
You see, when Moses asked God who he was, God said, “I Am that I Am” …. and to Abraham he said face to face, “I Am the Lord”.
When Jesus walked the earth as God in the flesh, he revealed himself as I AM many times:
“I AM the bread of life” (John 6:35,48,51)
“I AM the light of the world” (John 8:12)
“I AM the door of the sheep” (John 10:7,9)
“I AM the good shepherd” (John 10:11-14)
“I AM the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25)
“I AM the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)
“I AM the true vine” (John 15:1-5)
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58
(Note: Jesus claimed he was Deity by saying this, and that he existed before Abraham was even born, and before he was even born in the flesh.)
“If you believe not that I AM, ye shall die in your sins” John 8:24
“I AM he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I AM alive forevermore, Amen; and I have the keys of hell and of death.” Rev 1:18
Revelation repeats over and over, “I Am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, first and the last…”
Whatever our need is, the Lord can say “I AM that” …
in other words, I AM _____________________ (you fill in the blank with what you need).
Do I need peace? Jesus says I AM your peace. God said his name was Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace. You are empowered to walk in peace!
Do you need direction? Jesus says I AM the good shepherd. God said, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with my eye.” You are empowered to know God’s direction step by step.
So, now that you have taken a glimpse of some of these, I AM statements of scripture, perhaps you will realize that to focus ON HIM, and to seek to be empowered BY HIM, is a way better approach than trying go it on your own.
He is God! God has no limits! Whereas you and I do! Why would we want to try to empower ourselves, when Jesus is for us, not against us?
Galatians 6:3 says, “For if anyone thinks he is something… when he is nothing…he deceives himself.” You see, Jesus himself said he was dependent on the Father (i.e., empowered by Father God), and we, ourselves, are dependent on the Son. (We are empowered by Jesus Christ.)
Jesus himself said in John 5:30, “I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is righteous because I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.” So too, it is the same way for us.
Without Christ, we can do nothing, and we are not to seek out our own will, just as Christ did not seek his own.
We are to follow Christ as Christ followed Father God.
YES, WITH THE LORD, and not on our own, WE ARE EMPOWERED!
Phil 4:13 is perhaps scripture’s most prominent verse on Christ’s empowering us. This is what it says: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
And this is also a favorite of mine: Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Walking with the mindful awareness that God in Christ is abiding with you, you are EMPOWERED by the great I AM.
It is a matter now of keeping mindful awareness that it is not that “I am empowered” but the fact that you and I, who are children of God through Christ, are “I AM” empowered.
Focus on His Ability, not yours… and exchange your weakness for His Strength. Until you and I do this, we will be paralyzed to do what God asks us to do.
WE ARE “I AM” EMPOWERED.
He is our sustenance (bread).
He is our shepherd (guide).
He is our refuge and shield (protection).
He is our vine (bears the fruit and is our source of supply).
He is our redeemer (saves us through faith, not we ourselves through works).
He holds eternity in his hands. And all that goes on between now and then is under his sovereign control.
He will empower you to do HIS WILL… so embrace the reality that you ARE EMPOWERED by the great I AM.
Keep the distinction in your mind, and always keep awareness, that it is HE who empowers YOU, and not you yourself. You’ll be saved many disappointments, for sure, as you go along life’s way.
BE EXPECTING THEN, GREAT THINGS IN STORE!
THE LORD, INDEED, EMPOWERS HIS SAINTS TO DO HIS WILL.