Joel Osteen - The I AM Advantage
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I want to talk to you today about «The I AM Advantage». Two of the most important words we can ever say are «I am». They’re just small, ordinary words. And we use «I» and «Am» in different ways all through the day, but when you put them together something powerful happens. Whatever follows the I am will come looking for you. «I am blessed» — blessings are coming. «I am strong» — strength is coming. «I am healthy» — health is coming. This is great when we use it in the positive, and we declare good things over our life. The problem is it works in the negative as well. «I am unattractive» — unattractiveness comes. «I am lazy» — laziness comes. «I am unlucky» — bad breaks come.
Whatever you put after the «I am» you’re inviting into your life. Just imagine you’re sending it an invitation. «I am talented» — you just invited talent to come. «I am disciplined. I am focused. I am a masterpiece» — you’re inviting things that are making you better, moving you towards your destiny. But how many times are we inviting things we don’t want? «Joel, I’m just ordinary» — you’re inviting ordinary. «I am poor, I am broke, I am so in debt» — you’re in inviting lack, struggle and not enough. Or «I am weak, I am tired, I am lonely» — you’re inviting the very things you’re trying to get rid of. Pay attention to what you’re sending invitations to. The good news is: you get to choose what follows the «I am». No more «I am limited. I am out of shape. I’m at a disadvantage». Do yourself a favor, cancel those invitations. Quit sending out what you don’t want.
«Well, Joel, I’m just telling it like it is. It’s the truth. I am sick, I am broke, I am undisciplined». The scripture (Joel 3:10) says, «Let the weak say I am strong». God didn’t say, «Let the weak say I am weak», «Let the insecure say I am not enough», «Let those who have made mistakes say I am unworthy». God says, «Use the I am to declare who I say you are». The circumstances may say you’re sick, the medical report doesn’t look good, but don’t go around saying «I am unhealthy and I am going down, I am so worried» — you’re prophesying your future. Change what follows the «I am». How about «I am healthy. I am strong. I am an overcomer. I am armed with strength for this battle». You declare that and healing starts coming, strength, vitality. Instead of «I am limited. I’m at a disadvantage. I’m not up to par», turn that around, «I am equipped. I am empowered. I’m anointed. I am well able». Look at what you’re inviting: power, favor, anointing, the goodness of God.
The scripture says with our words we can bless ourselves or we can curse ourselves. Sometimes it’s not the enemy holding us back, we’re holding ourselves back. We’re using these negative I am’s and we may not even realize it. Pay attention to what follows the «I am». What are you saying about yourself? One reason the «I am» is so powerful is it’s one of the names of God.
Moses had been hiding in the desert because of a mistake he had made, he had to flee from the Egyptians. After 40 years God came to him in a burning bush and told him to go deliver the Israelites from slavery. That’s what he was originally called to do. He thought he had missed his purpose. He told God how the Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to him, and how the Israelites wouldn’t follow his leadership. He had all these excuses. He finally said (Exodus 3:13–14), «'God, if I go, the Israelites are going to ask me, „Who sent me?“ what should I tell them your name is? ' God said, „You tell them my name is 'i am'“. He could have said, „My name is Jehovah. My name is Yahweh. My name is the Most High“, but out of all the names he could have chosen he simply said „Tell them 'i am' sent you“. Every time we say „I am“ we are saying the name of God, that’s why what follows the „I am“ has so much power.
When you say I am healthy, you are saying in effect „God, I believe that I’m healthy“. That statement has the authority of the Creator of the universe. It’s not just being positive, „Let me speak some nice affirmations over me“. When you use „I am“, it’s backed up by the Most High God. You may be struggling, you have some things coming against you, but when you declare „I am blessed, I am victorious, I am more than a conqueror, I am the head and not the tail“, you’re not just hyping yourself up — the power of the living God is behind those I ams. You could be worried about your children, stressed over your job, upset over people at work, but instead of giving life to all that defeat, you declare „I am peaceful. I am calm. I am secure. I am confident“.
When God hears those „I ams“ declaring what he said about you, angels go to work, forces of darkness are broken, morales set into motion. His power is backing up the „I am“, that’s his name. But imagine how God must feel when he has created us in his image and crowned us with his favor, put the enemy under our feet, called us more than conquerors, but he hears us using the „I am“ to devalue who we are, to criticize ourselves, to speak mediocrity. It’s like using his name in vain. „I am not talented enough. I’m not really smart enough. I am not attractive enough“. No, God calls you a masterpiece. He put in you everything you need to reach your destiny. I can hear God saying, „Don’t put my name on that. Don’t use my authority for something I didn’t call you“.
A few years ago someone created a fake brand on the internet under Victoria’s name. Was this skincare line. Had all this product, made all these promises, used her picture. They showed her on talk shows, telling how amazing it was. It was all fake, we had nothing to do with it. People had come up, „Victoria, I bought you skincare products, we love it“. We had to tell the authorities, „Take our name off of that. It’s not us, it’s a scam“. In the same way, when God hears us saying, „I am weak. I am addicted. I’m dysfunctional, Joel, it’s been in my family a long time. I am unworthy. I don’t deserve to be blessed. I am not able. I don’t have the training“, God says, „That’s not who I am, that’s a scam. Don’t use my name like that. That’s the enemy trying to get you to use the I am in the wrong way“.
When you use „I am“ to describe who you are or to describe your circumstances, you need to make sure it’s in agreement with who God says you are. Don’t use his name in vain. I know normally that means cursing, talking bad, but how about not using his name to speak negative over yourself, to contradict who he says you are?
I had a friend in high school, he was a good guy, very smart and talented, and great in sports, but he was always putting himself down. I have never known anyone to be more negative toward themselves. I don’t think he even realized he was doing. Or he just trying to be funny or self-deprecating, but all through the day he would say things like „I am so stupid“ in front of the whole class. „I am so fat, I’m so clumsy“. The problem with saying that is it’s going to catch up to you. We played basketball, and he’d miss a shot, running back down the court he would say it over and over „I am an idiot. I am an idiot. I am an idiot“. I thought to myself, „You’re not a idiot, you just missed a shot“. We all miss shots.
Quit cursing your future, quit using the „I am“ in vain. Some people have developed this habit of being against themselves. They become trained to speak the negative „I ams“ and they don’t realize they’re cursing their future. You can’t go around speaking negative about yourself and reach your destiny. As long as you have the wrong „I am“ it’s going to limit your potential.
David said in Psalm 141:3, „God, put a watch over my mouth“. That’s a great prayer. „God, don’t let me speak another negative thing about myself“. You have enough people in life against you, don’t be against yourself. Most of us don’t go around criticizing other people, you don’t go to your friends or that person sitting next to you and say, „Man, you don’t look good today. You sure are overweight. Your personality really gets on my nerves“. You may think that, but you don’t verbalize it. I hope you don’t. You’re not going to say something to put them down. We’re disciplined when it comes to not devaluing others, why are you devaluing yourself? You don’t criticize your friends, why are you critical towards yourself? You don’t speak defeat over your children, you tell them how beautiful they are, how talented, how proud you are to have them, why don’t you start being good to yourself?
Don’t say another time „I am unattractive. I am not likable. I’m too short. I am clumsy. I am slow“. Zip that up. When you criticize yourself, you are criticizing God’s creation. You might as well look up and say, „God, you didn’t do a very good job on me“. The fact is God calls you a masterpiece. He made you in his own image. He didn’t make you in a dog’s image or a lion’s image or even an angel’s image. You have the DNA of Almighty God. You look like the Creator of the universe. You have royal blood flowing through your veins.
When God made you he liked you so much, he threw away the mold. You are one of a kind, a prized possession. But the trick of the enemy is to get you to go through life feeling inferior, like you’re not enough, speaking negative „I ams“. He knows if you go around discounting yourself, you will never see the masterpiece you were meant to be. When you say „I’m not valuable, I’m not that talented, I am ordinary“ — that’s dishonoring to God. You are using his name, the „I am“ to contradict who he says you are.
You may feel those ways, but you have to learn to turn it around. In the face of insecurity, feeling inferior, you need to say, „I am worthy. I am valuable. I am a masterpiece. I am talented. I am crowned with favor“. That’s what causes God to go to work. That’s using his name the right way. The circumstances may say one thing, it’s tempting to talk about that, but you have to get in agreement with God. „I may be struggling with this addiction, but I am not an addict, I am not dysfunctional. I am not a product of my environment. I am free, I am whole, I am clean, I am victorious“.
See, sometimes the reason we’re stuck is we keep using our „I ams“ to describe the situation, but you need to use the „I am“ to change the situation. „Business may be slow, my bank account may have gone down, but that’s not who I am. I am blessed, I am prosperous, I am under the open windows of heaven“. Whatever follows that „I am“ is going to come looking for you. „I am average“ — average comes looking. How about „I am exceptional“? Exception comes looking, favor, new levels. „I am unworthy, I don’t measure up“ — unworthiness comes, shame, guilt. Try a different I am — „I am forgiven. I am redeemed. I am restored. I am the righteousness of God“ — that’s what brings hope, that’s what brings life and cause you to get back up and go again.
When my father went to be with the Lord, I knew I was supposed to step up and pastor the church. But I didn’t feel qualified. I’d been behind the scenes for 17 years doing the television production, and I’d never trained to be a pastor, never ministered. Plus my father was a great pastor, so strong, this big personality, and I thought I don’t have any of that. My „I ams“ were negative, „I am intimidated. I am unqualified. I am lacking“. And the fact is that was all true, I wasn’t making it up, that’s how I felt.
But the scripture says, „Let the weak say I am strong“. Not „Let the weak describe the situation“, „Let the weak talk about how you feel“. No, „Let the weak declare what God says“. If I would have kept the wrong „I ams“ I wouldn’t be up here today. All these thoughts told me I couldn’t do it, but all through the day I wouldn’t say what I felt, that was tempting, but I put a watch over my mouth. I did my best to only say what God says about me, „I am strong. I am anointed. I am equipped. I am favored“.
You know what started looking for me? Courage, strength, power, anointing. I discovered ability I never dreamed I had, talent came out that I didn’t know was in me. Don’t let negative „I ams“ keep you from your greatness. You can’t reach your destiny speaking defeat over your life. Whatever follows that „I am“ make sure it’s uplifting, encouraging, empowering, that is what God says about you.
See, some people get up in the morning, look in the mirror and the first thing they say is „Man, I am so old looking. I am so wrinkled, and I am so out of shape“. Next time you do that, just imagine you’re sending out invitations, „Oldness, you are cordially invited into my life. Wrinkles, this is your formal invitation, I’d love to have you. Unattractiveness, ugliness, homeliness, I’d like to personally…“ you better start canceling those invitations. Some of you, they’ve already shown up… No I’m just kidding…
But instead of all those negative „I ams“, starting the day off down on yourself, get an agreement with God. If you’re going to use his name, put what he says behind it. „Father, you said my youth is being renewed like the eagles, so I declare: I am young, I am strong, I am goodlooking, I am vibrant, I am a masterpiece“. When you say that, you’re going to get stronger, fresher, younger, more vitality. Whatever is following the „I am“ you’re calling in. Pay attention to what you’re speaking over yourself. Do you want what you’re inviting?
David said in Psalm 139:14, „God I praise you because you have made me in an amazing way. What you have done is wonderful“. Notice David’s „I ams“. He was saying not in arrogance, but in praise to God, „I am amazing. I am wonderful. I am a masterpiece“. Most of us think just the opposite, „Nothing amazing about me, nothing wonderful, I got these flaws, I’m impatient, I don’t have a very good personality“. We’re speaking against who we really are. We’re using the name of God, the „I am“ to devalue ourselves, to push down the greatness he’s put in us. Have you ever said, „I am amazing, I am beautiful, I am talented, I am successful“?
I know people that say that to others, they have no problem complimenting their friends, „You look amazing today. That was an incredible presentation. You did outstanding. You played awesome in your game“. They speak the blessing over others, but they never do it to themselves. And it’s good for people to tell you „You’re great, you’re kind, talented, beautiful“, but there’s a whole other level of impact when it comes out of your mouth.
Your „I am“ is one of the most powerful tools to reach your destiny. When was the last time you said, „I am amazing“? You’re not bragging on you, you’re bragging on what God has done. And I don’t mean out in public, go around announcing, I’m talking about in private. In your quiet time you need to be able to say, „Lord, thank you that I am amazing. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am attractive. I am strong. I am talented. I am disciplined. I am powerful. I am favored. I am victorious“. Because you’re in agreement with God, the power of his name is backing you up. The God who told Moses „Tell the people 'i am sent you'“, when he hears you declaring what he promised, in the unseen realm things are set into motion. God begins to bring about what he says about you.
In the scripture, God told Jeremiah that he knew him before he was formed in his mother’s womb, and that he was going to become a great prophet, that he would speak to nations and make a great difference with his life. But Jeremiah was young, he didn’t have the training, and no one in his family had done anything significant. He said in verse six, „Oh sovereign God, I do not know how to speak. I am too young“. Notice his „I ams“ — „I am not able. I’m at a disadvantage. I am too young“.
God could have said, „No, Jeremiah, you can do this, I’m going to help you. Take this step“. He could have just encouraged him and tried to talk him into it, but God knows the power of the „I am“. He knows if we’re speaking against ourselves it will keep us from rising higher. God answered him back and said, „Jeremiah, say not that you’re too young“. God was saying in effect, „Don’t put that negative 'i am' with my name. That’s not who I called you to be. I didn’t say you’re too young, not able, afraid. I said you will speak to nations“.
Like Jeremiah, God not only knew you before you were formed in the womb, but he’s already called you to accomplish your assignment, to go further than you think possible, to overcome obstacles that look too big. When he called you, he put in you everything you need to fulfill your destiny. There will be these times where you don’t feel qualified, you don’t have the experience, you don’t come from an influential family. All these circumstances seem like you should shrink back, stay where it’s comfortable. But God is going to call out of you things you didn’t know were in you. He’s going to take you further than others in your family have gone.
If you’re going to see these new levels, you have to have the right „I ams“. You’ll be tempted to make excuses, devalue yourself, come up with the reasons it’s not possible. That’s judging your future based on what’s happened in the past, but God is about to do a new thing, something that you’ve never seen. He’s about to show out in your life in an uncommon way. Now, don’t let negative „I ams“ hold you back. By faith you have to declare who God says you are. „God, if you say I’m a giant killer, then I’m going to get an agreement and say what you say: I am a giant killer. God, if you say I’m a prophet to speak to the nations, I’m not going to use my 'i am' to tell you I am too young. My new I am is: I am well able, I am equipped, I am anointed for this assignment“.
Don’t tell God all the reasons you can’t do it, „I am addicted, I am broke, I am limited, I’m too young, too old, too short, too tall“ — all these negative „I ams“. God is saying to us what he said to him, „Say not you can’t do it. Zip up that negative. That’s going to keep you from your destiny“. God would not have called you to do it if you were not well able.
Verse 9 says, „The Lord reached out and touched Jeremiah’s mouth, and said, 'I have put my words in you'“. God could have reached out and touched his heart, touched his head, but God touched his mouth. He was saying, „From now on you’re going to speak my words“. What’s held many people back are these negative „I ams“. They’ve been speaking against themselves their whole life, devaluing who they are. It’s pushed down their gifts, kept them from dreams, limited relationships. Often we don’t realize we’re doing it, this how we were raised, we’ve always been against ourselves.
I believe today, like God did for Jeremiah, he’s touching your mouth. He’s going to help you stop cursing your future. You’re going to feel a power, a strength to not speak defeat over your life. When you start to, the Spirit of God is going to rise up and remind you to zip it up. Say not that you’re too young. Say not that you’re not qualified. Say not you missed your chance. Say not that you’ll live addicted. What God has spoken over you will override what the enemy has told you. No force of darkness can stop what God has purposed for you. Now do your part and use that „I am“ to declare what God says about you.
This is what Jeremiah did: he changes „I am“ from „I am too young“ to „I am victorious. I am an overcomer. I am empowered“. God touched his mouth, said in verse 18, „Jeremiah, I have made you like a strong fortified city. You will stand up against any opposition. They will fight you, but they will fail, for I am with you“. When you have the right „I ams“ the Most High God will show up. People may come against you, but the „Great I am“ is backing you up.
Are negative „I ams“ keeping you from your destiny? Have you been speaking against your future and maybe don’t realize it, using one of the names of God to declare defeat, to speak mediocrity? This is a new day. God has reached out to touch your mouth. He’s going to help you speak faith-filled words. When you get the right „I ams“ you’ll be amazed at how your self-image begins to improve, you feel good about who you are, faith begins to rise up. You take on new dreams where you normally shrink back.
You don’t live stuck, thinking you could never get well, never break the addiction. You know that’s only temporary, that God is fighting your battles. They came against you, but like Jeremiah, they will fail, for God is with you. Now, pay attention to what follows the „I am“. That’s what you’re inviting into your life. No more inviting lack, defeat, struggle. Let’s invite some new things. Let me help you to get started. Will you say this after me?
I am strong. I am healthy. I am valuable. I am forgiven. I am amazing. I am exceptional. I am a masterpiece. I am blessed. I am successful. I am young. I am favored. I am powerful. I am victorious, in Jesus name, amen and amen.