Do not say I am only a youth (Jeremiah 1:7)
Has anyone ever told you, “Don’t say that?” Probably. We’ve all been guilty of speaking something we shouldn’t have. Well, Jeremiah experienced someone “calling him” on what he said. That someone happened to be God. He challenged Jeremiah’s self-restricting statement, “I am only a youth.” God had already told him, “Before you were born . . . I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah however focused on his apparent limitations rather than on the word of the Lord. He uttered an “I can’t do that” proclamation that many in the church today would have applauded as true humility. God said though, “Do not say that.”
Remember, those who say “I can” and those who say “I can’t” are both right.
Now is the time for us to take an- other look at what we speak, especially when we declare what we think we cannot do. Our words are either a rudder to direct our lives into God’s prophetic will (James 3:5) or a curse that puts fences around our potential. We must believe before we see (not the other way around). One of the main truths we are to believe is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ . . .”
Declare: I renounce every curse I have spoken over my life through declarations of what I thought I could not do. I will not limit God, but will release Him by joining the Apostle Paul’s positive declaration in saying “I CAN!”
Checklist to Ignite Faith: ___ BR ___ RD ___ DD ___OD ___ NF
Weightlifters build muscles by pressing
against resistance. Faith muscle is increased
the same way by pressing against
old thought patterns.
This is something I think about on the regular especially during the season when I coach. Telling my players the difference between I can or I can't is a big deal when it comes to sports. But I've also had moments where I need to "practice what I preach". Especially when it comes to the things God has called me to do. Of course failure can be involved, and in my life failure is what always led to " I can't". But when you're in God's will, failing doesn't mean its over, God's uses that to teach and bring us further along our journey with him to the plans he has in store.