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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13 NKJV

This verse is our foundational understanding and attitude when it comes to all of the gifts of the
Spirit - ³I can do, therefore, I do, bless God forever!´  is the personal pronoun, meaning Paul as
the writer, but implicit of all who actively believe on the Lord Jesus ( John 14:12 ).
 implies permission as well as ability.  is the works of the Lord - ³He that believeth on
Me, the works that I do, shall he do also...´  

John G Lake was known for wearing fine suits of clothes. In the morning, when he was dressed,
he would stand in front of a mirror, and declare, ³God dwells in those suit of clothes ( Christ in
you Colossians 1:27 ), and wherever those clothes go, God goes with them.´

You and I must declare ³I can do all things!´ What are the ¦¦
? Simply, all that God
asks you to do. If God says, ³Go heal Mrs. So and So,´ you respond, ³Hallelujah! I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me!´ If God says, ³Prophesy!,´ you respond, ³Bless God
forever, I can do...!´ When God speaks, our response is ¦¦
 


   


How do we receive strength?

The key to receiving strength is to so position ourselves that the Lord can pour His strength in to
us. Daniel 11:32 tells us that the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
The Lord patiently waits until we position ourselves to receive His power.

A few years ago I helped Dr Jack Tuls establish a Bible school in Ndele, in the Central African
Republic. As I sat in the door of the school one day, I watched as young girls carried water in
jerricans on their heads from the local well. I thought about the tap water at home. I said, ³Lord,
how long until these people live the way I live?´ His response was immediate. ³How long does it
take My Spirit to move? I¶m waiting for them!´

Do you need power? God is waiting for us to position ourselves so that we can receive His
power. The word µstrengthen¶ gives us the key. In the Greek text of the New Testament, it is the
word  , which means to put power in, to be empowered.   is one
of the rare words in the Greek New Testament that is only used seven times. We will look at
several of the seven usages so that we begin to understand how to be empowered.
The first is in Acts 9:22.

22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus,
proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Acts 9:22 NKJV

³Increased...in strength´ is the word  . Now, there are Greek texts that add the
words ³en tou logos´ meaning, µin the Word¶, after the word µstrength¶ in verse twenty two.
Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God.

Every where I go, I encourage the people to read the Word and speak in tongues. Why? Because
the Word and the Spirit empower God¶s people. God¶s people are like dried up skeletons without
the Word. They are so weakened that they can be blown about with every wind of doctrine. We
are to be rooted and grounded upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, through the Word of God. The Holy
Spirit empowers us through the Word!

  is used in the active, middle and passive voices in the Greek text:

- the active voice means the subject does the action.

- the passive voice means the subject is acted upon.
- the middle voice means the subject allows himself to be acted upon.

The word is passive in Acts 9:22, meaning the Holy Spirit used the Word of God to strengthen
Paul. It happened without any effort on Pauls part. He just received it. Are you receiving the
Word of God? Paul simply opened his heart and let that love and grace flow in through the words
of the Old Testament, as the Holy Spirit revealed Jesus to him. Jeremiah said that God¶s words
were in him like a burning fire. They did the same thing in Paul!

The next great usage that we want to study is in Ephesians 6:10.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Eph 6:10-11 NKJV

³Be strong´ here is our word  . It is used in the middle voice and the imperative
mood, meaning it is a command. It could literally be translated ³...allow yourselves to be
strengthened in the Lord...´ How do I allow myself to be strengthened in the Lord?

We are always so used to µdoing¶ something. We exercise and eat the right foods, with proper
rest, to become strong physically. We work hard and save our money, with wise investments, to
become strong financially. We work hard, plan and prepare to become strong in every area of
life. And then we move this hard work over in to the Spirit. We work and work and work at
being spiritual! Yet, do our works make us more spiritual? No!

Have you ever watched a river flow? Does a river have to µwork real hard' to flow? No, I think
water is about as lazy of an element as there is. It goes wherever it is drawn. The more water that
is in the river, the easier it flows. Water can move about anything, if it has enough of it. If you
want to flow with God, you need to receive more water in your river.

Do you see why I tell people to speak much in tongues? Jesus said that out of your innermost
being would flow rivers of living water. This water will move any obstacle in its path, if there is
enough water. This water will move anything - poverty, demons, disease, injury, people that
resist God - that stands in its way, if you allow the river to flow.

Think about it...when God saw the wickedness of man, what did He do? He flooded the earth
with His waters. Nothing stood before the floods of God. What obstacle stands between you and
the will of God in your life? Nothing can resist the floods of God.

Now there is one more great key to positioning yourself to receive the power of God.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the
flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He
said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest
upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in
distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:7-10 NKJV

µWeak¶ and µweakness¶ here is the 
  , literally meaning µstrengthlessness¶.

Remember how we talked about how hard we work? We work hard because we are driven by
our own ambitions and desires. In Christ we have no selfish ambition, to drive us. We are like
that lazy, old river, just moving where we are drawn. Drawn, not driven. When we stop striving
in our own strength, we will receive the power of God.

When your heart breaks for lost people, you are being drawn. Because you love Jesus, you are
not driving yourself to reach a goal, you are drawn to what moves His heart. When your heart is
enflamed to reach out and touch someone with His power, miracles are going to happen.

Speak in tongues much, and fill your heart with God¶s word, and go and do what your heart is
drawn to do. This is the secret to I CAN DO!

Practical Application: Confess Philippians 4:13 every day, throughout the day. Remember this is
the attitude of one who is to walk by the Spirit and operate the Gifts.