I Can! ~Developing a “whatever it takes attitude”! Part 2

Last week we began our new series with the Scripture: “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).  

We shared that the Greek word translated “strengthens” is the word endunamao and it literally means “empower”.  Therefore you could translate this powerful verse “I can do all things through Christ which empowers me.”  

We shared that most of the time (and understandably so), “Christ’s empowerment” is what is emphasized.  Recently the Lord gave me some revelation that emphasizes a different portion of this powerful verse: “I can”.  Many times we are waiting on “Christ’s empowerment” but He is waiting on our “I Can!” I believe Christ places His strength on those of us who have an “I can do it” attitude!

Let’s review four types of people in life:

  1. Cop-outs…they have no God-given goals and make no decisions
  2. Hold-outs…they have God-given goals but are afraid to respond to the challenge
  3. Drop-outs…they have God-given goals but quit when things get tough
  4. All-outs…they have God-given goals and get them done…whatever it takes!

In this series my goal is to help you become an “All-out”.  

This week let’s talk about how:

10 Keys to Kindling an “I Can” Attitude:

       1. Reject an “I can’t” attitude (Mark 2:4).  

In this passage of Scripture we find four men bringing in a crippled man to a house where Jesus was preaching.  The crowd there was so large they could not go anywhere near Jesus. Most people would have simply quit and returned home.  However, these four individuals rejected an “I Can’t do it” attitude. They proceeded to climb up to the top of the house and tear a hole in the roof, and lowered the crippled man down to Jesus.  The crippled man was miraculously healed! However the miracle began with rejecting an “I can’t” attitude.

Remember this:  Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they will limit you!  

This is my 34th year of ministry and over all these years I have had people talk about their problems.  Many times they will make their problem seem “special”. “Pastor”, they say, “you don’t know what I’m going through.”  Normally they are correct, I don’t fully understand all that they are going through.  However I do understand this:  if you think your problem is special…it will be especially hard to overcome!

Remember this: It is easier to go from failure to success, than excuse to success.

      2. Take the bull by the horns (Phil. 3:12).

This verse tells us, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”  The Greek word translated “apprehended” denotes to “grab a hold on”.  Therefore you could paraphrase this verse, “Grab a hold of what you have been grabbed a hold of for.”  In other words, when it comes to our God-given destiny…take the “bull by the horns”.

I watch a lot of Christians sit on their proverbial porch waiting on God.  However what if God is waiting on you? Remember this: If you want milk, don’t sit in the middle of a field in hopes that a cow will back up to you!

Join us over the next few months as we continue to share wisdom principles from our series: “I Can!” Developing a “whatever it takes” attitude!