Spiritual Success Comes In "Cans”

SPIRITUAL SUCCESS COMES IN “CANS”

Phil. 4:13

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR:

1. JOKE #1: LAWYER’S REVENGE

a. A lawyer's dog, running about unleashed, beelines for the local butcher shop and steals a roast off the counter.

b. The butcher went to the lawyer's office and asks, "if a dog, running unleashed, steals a piece of meat from my store, do I have a right to demand payment for the meat from the dog's owner?"

c. "Absolutely," the lawyer responded. The butcher immediately shot back, "Good! You owe me $12 for the roast your dog stole from me this morning."

d. The lawyer, without a word, writes the butcher a check for $12. A few days later, the butcher, browsing through his mail, finds an envelope from the lawyer. The contents read "Consultation fee: $50.00.

2. JOKE #2: THE PSYCH’S DIAGNOSIS:

a. A man went to a psychiatrist and said, "Doctor, I have seen two other psychiatrists. They told me I am cursed with an inferiority complex. I would like for you to examine me and tell me what you think.

b. After many tests the doctor said, "Sir, I have good news and bad. The good news is, you DON’T have a complex. The bad news is, you ARE inferior!"

B. THE WONDERFUL TRUTH

1. That (illus) is exactly what the devil wants you to believe; that you are inferior to others and that others "CAN" live effectively for Jesus, but you "CAN'T."

2. Phip. 4:13 is a verse that shatters every negative or derogatory thing anyone has ever said to you: it says, "I CAN do all things through Christ which strengthens me!"

3. We all have secret fears:

a. Of what people think;

b. Of failure;

c. Of making a fool of ourselves -- and these figures can affect our lives.

4. When I was in third grade, I was in the play, "William Tell." I was the bad guy. I was petrified with fear that I might forget my lines.

5. Guess what happened? The thing which I feared came upon me!

C. GOD’S GOAL

1. But God wants us to be able to say with Paul, positively, "I CAN do all things through Christ Who strengthens me!"

2. Let's consider Paul's revelation for moment. The title of this message is, "Spiritual Success Comes In ‘CANS.’"

I. THE SCOPE OF THE PROMISE: “ALL THINGS”

A. YOU CAN ENDURE ALL THE TRIALS OF LIFE

1. No matter how big or severe your trial, whatever problems or difficulties come your way -- our God is able to make us overcomers in all of them!

2. Paul was thrown in many prisons, tortured and beaten frequently, faced death often, yet he could say, "I can do all things…." This was an amazing admission. None of us have faced what he did; if he could say it, so can we!

3. You say, "Yes, but Pastor, I'm not Paul. I don't have that kind of grace." Well you don't have it today, because you don't need it today. On the day you need extra strength, God will supply it.

4. That's why God said, "As is your day, so shall be your strength." We may:

a. Lose loved ones;

b. Lose our possessions;

c. Face hopeless/ insurmountable situations,

5. But God has said, "My grace IS sufficient for you..." Nothing shall overwhelm us, because "Greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world." Our God is bigger!

B. YOU CAN PERFORM ALL DUTIES

1. Nothing that is placed before you to do shall be impossible for you! If like Moses, you are called to humble the greatest nation on earth, you will be able to do it.

2. If you’re called to witness to a difficult person, you SHALL BE EQUAL TO THE TASK. You say, "I'm not a good speaker." Neither was Moses, or Jeremiah, or Gideon.

3. "Whom God calls, He qualifies." He will make you sufficient for what He calls you to do.

4. Whether you're calling is as Mothers, dads, grandparents, employees, to hold public office, or positions in the church, You can do all things!

C. YOU CAN OVERCOME ALL TEMPTATIONS

1. There are many different kinds of temptations -- outward, mental, emotional. Some are tempted to yield to depression or despair. We all have our weak points -- our Achilles’ heel.

a. I remember the story of the truck driver eating in the diner when three hoodlums on motorcycles came in. One took the truck drivers hamburger, another drank his coffee, and the third one wolfed down his pie.

b. Quietly, the truck driver got up from the table and left the diner. One of the bikers said, "He's not much of a man, is he?"

c. The waitress replied, "He's not much of a driver either. He just ran his truck over three motorcycles!"