I CAN Part 1 Philippians 4:12-13 Philippians 4:12-13 (New Life Version) I know how to get along with little

and how to live when I have much. I have learned the secret of being happy at all times. If I am full of food and have all I need, I am happy. If I am hungry and need more, I am happy. I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength. Philippians 4:12-13 (AMP) 12 I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. 13 I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christs sufficiency]. Intro: I CAN be an Overcomer! In order to be an overcomer, the requirement is, is that you must be facing some thing that has to be overcome. The good news is, the Bible says In all these THINGS we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Rom. 8:37 I CAN is not about ME at all its about Christ! I CAN do all things THROUGH Christ which strengthens me. The challenges and circumstances of life: 1. Remind us of our weaknesses and our need for total dependence on God; and also 2. Gives us an opportunity to be stretched beyond our normal capacity. You never know the potential you have in you until theres a demand made upon it. Circumstances that must be overcome also stretch your faith. Muscles are strengthened when we exercise them; the same is true with our faith. The more we hear and live out the word of God in the midst of our circumstances, the more our faith will continue to grow. Circumstances can either cause our faith to grow or they could cause us to lose our faith. The Bible is filled with those who faced great challenges and overcame them. Were going to look at the principles in those stories and apply them to our lives, so we can be overcomers as well. 1. Overcomers Are Distinguished From Others Because Of Their Mindset

To be an overcomer, you must first change the way you think. Oliver Wendell Homes, Mans mind, stretched to a new idea, never goes back to its original dimension. That means, once youre convinced of something in your mind, you wont go back to the way you use to think. When you KNOW God has brought you through it before then you KNOW he can bring you through it again. Many of us are too preoccupied with the defeats of the past, that we cant see the victories in our future. We dwell on the problems of the present instead of the possibilities of the future. Our (unrenewed) minds automatically go to why it cant happen or why it wont work --- were pre-programmed to the negative. We must renew our minds from why it cant happen to why cant it happen; from why it wont work to why wont it work The pessimistic mind is the enemy to potential. You WILL NOT be a victim, you WILL NOT be defeated, you WILL NOT suffer through life maintaining the status quo, you WILL overcome! You must climb out of the mental ruts of life: 1. The Rut Of Self-Pity (Why does it never happen to me), 2. The Rut Of Downward Comparison (Im doing better than), 3. The Rut Of Hopeless Change (Things will never get better), 4. The Rut Of Religious Copouts (It must just be Gods will), 5. The Rut Of Apathy (Why should I even bother) 2. Overcomers Respond To The Challenge, Not The Problem Theres a Problem, Challenge, and Response. The problem is what youre facing, the challenge is the opportunity that comes from the problem, and the response in the hinge that that will swing the outcome one way or the other. My Problem: Unemployment My Challenge: Finding A New Job My Response: Negative Im bitter about my last job, angry at my boss Positive I see this as an opportunity to get a better job and to watch God provide. So, I use my faith to forget the past and believe for the future My Problem: Trouble In My Marriage we just dont talk anymore/always fighting

My Challenge: To Improve communication and love like Christ loves. My Response: Negative Point fingers, argue, and isolate myself Positive What can I do to understand you better and how can I change so that Im investing into the relationship The challenge is the opportunity to respond and to prove what youre made of. So, we must respond to the challenge that lies ahead, because, we are WELL ABLE to take on this challenge and overcome! 3. Overcomers Dont Allow Themselves To Be Shaped By Circumstances, Criticisms, Or The Opinions Of Others The ship is built to go through the storm, as long as the storm doesnt get into the ship. Dont become your negative circumstance, that isnt you. You cant define your life by your trouble. They mythical They They say, what will they think. Dont let they change you and shape your life. THEY didnt create you THEY didnt call you THEY didnt destine you THEY didnt die for you THEY didnt save you THEY arent your judge THEY arent your source THEY arent your strength and THEY arent the ones we should live our lives to please. Galatians 1:10 Do I seek the please men or God? If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant. 4. Overcomers Live By What Gods Word Says, Not By What They See, Hear, or Imagine To Be True Faith comes by hearing the word of God, fear/unbelief come by hearing any other word. You must plant the word of God in your heart and let it grow in you. When negative words come into your lives, you must have enough awareness to cast them down and enough Word in you to replace them. You fight LIFES LIES with the TRUTH OF GODS WORD.

Theres FACT then theres TRUTH: FACT Im unhappy TRUTH God will give you fullness of joy FACT Im uncertain about the future TRUTH The God of Hope will fill you with all hope in believing FACT I feel like a nobody TRUTH Jesus thinks youre to die for! FACT Im lonely TRUTH Hes a friend that sticks closer than a brother FACT Trouble in my marriage TRUTH God can heal and restore the broken relationships FACT Ive messed up, I feel unworthy TRUTH Im the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus FACT Im struggling TRUTH Im blessed! FACT I have a need, I dont know how Ill make it TRUTH He will supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ We dont live by our feelings, we dont live by how it looks, we dont live by how we think it is we live by every WORD that proceeds out of the mouth of God WE MUST RECEIVE THE WORD OF GOD AND OWN IT! THATS MY WORD! Conclusion: How Will You Respond? We all face great opportunities disguised as impossible situations, but you can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens us! Strength comes from the joy of the Lord, Joy is found in his presence, you get in his presence through worship, worship puts your eyes on God and takes them off your circumstances. Mary magnified the Lord in her mind (soul). She made God bigger in her mind than her circumstances. It doesnt matter how big God is or how big your circumstances are.. it matters how big you see each one of them.