“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).
Notice the first two words of this verse: “I can.” Of course, in our own strength, we are nothing, but through Christ we can do all things. But if we don’t believe we can do all things through Christ, we can’t. That’s why we must quit saying, “I can’t!” or we will rob ourselves of the strength that Jesus provided for us – strength to do what we need to do in life.
I remember one of my grade-school teachers always saying, “Don’t say you can’t! If you keep saying you can’t do something, you will believe it, and you won’t be able to do it! Instead, say, ‘I can do it!'”
If you don’t believe in the power of God to help you succeed, you will never be able to accomplish anything worthwhile for God. You must believe in what God can do through you because you are in Christ.
My dad, Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin, always told me as a child, “With God, you can do anything and accomplish anything you desire in life.” When the Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ,” the “I can” is based on God, not on you. With God, you can accomplish any task set before you.
You see, when you abandon “I can’t” and replace it with “I can,” you are taking the first step in walking by faith. Then God will help you do what you cannot do in your own strength, ability, and wisdom. God will meet you when you take a step of faith. But as long as you stand still doing nothing, saying, “I can’t!” God has nothing to bless!
Notice the first part of Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things….” Not some things. Not a few things. But you can do all things! You see, you can do all things in Christ, not because of who you are, but because of whose you are. Your confidence and strength come from God, not from you.
Some people never do anything for God because they are afraid of failing. But I would rather be considered a failure for trying than to be a failure because I never stepped out in faith to do something for God.
I tell people who stumbled and failed, “You are only a failure as long as you stay on the ground. Get up, dust yourself off, and go on with God!”
The last part of Philippians 4:13 says, “…through Christ which strengtheneth me.” The secret of your strength and overcoming power is in Christ. It’s not your strength and ability; it’s His. You will be amazed at what can be done when you believe in the power of the One who lives on the inside of you!
Jesus Christ is the Source of your strength. Stop looking to yourself to overcome the enemy or to have the wisdom to know what to do in life! You are strongest in life when you are totally dependent upon God. Your strength comes from obeying God’s Word and doing what God told you to do.
Continually remember that your power source is not limited to what you can do. But with God as your Helper, your power source is unlimited! Therefore, you can say with authority, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me the power!”
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
Rev. Hagin began preparing for his call to ministry—a ministry that now spans 50 years—at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Tampa, Florida.
In his early years of ministry, Rev. Hagin was an associate pastor and traveling evangelist. Later, he went on to organize and develop RHEMA Bible Training Centers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and in other countries around the world.
Kenneth W. Hagin’s array of responsibilities also includes International Director of RHEMA Ministerial Association International. He hosts the annual A Call to Arms® Men’s Conference, and with his wife, Lynette, cohosts RHEMA Praise, a weekly television program, and Rhema for Today, a weekday radio program broadcast throughout the United States. They also conduct Living Faith Crusades, spreading the message of faith and healing around the world.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. Hagin has expanded his speaking schedule beyond his regular pastoral duties. To fulfill the urgent call of God to prepare the Church for a deeper experience of His Presence, Rev. Hagin delivers messages that reveal key spiritual truths about faith, healing, and other vital subjects. He ministers with a strong healing anointing, and his ministry leads the Body of Christ into a greater experience of the glory of God!
Kenneth W. Hagin and his wife live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of the late Kenneth E. Hagin.