The Biblical "I Can Do"

Philippians 4:13

A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick


Perhaps you remember reading the story to your children, like I did to mine. It's the story called "The Little Engine that Could." The plot is a bit fuzzy, but the climax of the story is when the little train pulls its oversized load to the top of the hill, finding strength to keep going by repeating the words, "I think I can; I think I can; I think I can." Because it thought positive thoughts, it accomplished the impossible.

There's also the "Fraidy Cat" story, a cute one about a kitten that was frightened by every little thing. Its mother took it to the wise owl who presented it with a paper cut-out which he called the "Courage Heart." Wa-la! No more fear in fraidy cat.

Motivational speakers abound for both youth and adults, enthusiastically reminding us that it's all in the mind. If you think you can do it, then surely you will. This gets brought over into the Christian world by use of one of the most popular and best loved memory verses in the Bible, a verse which could well be adopted for the New Year.

(KJV)"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13) "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (NIV)

Why is this verse so popular? No doubt because it carries such a positive message. It's a "can do" message, very much in line with the optimism of what we know as the American spirit.

Two American Pastors have brought this to our attention: Norman Vincent Peale who preached for many years on the theme of "positive thinking," and on the other coast, Robert Schuller, founder and Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral who promoted a similar idea, "possibility thinking."

Norman Vincent Peale is the name most associated with the idea of positive thinking. Born just prior to the beginning of the 20th century in a rural Ohio town, he grew up helping support his family by delivering newspapers, working in a grocery store, and selling pots and pans door to door. He was a reporter on the Findlay, Ohio, Morning Republic prior to entering the ministry. At age 34, Peale accepted a call to Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan where he remained for 52 years and where he became one of the most popular and influential preachers of the twentieth century.

His list of accomplishments is impressive:

    Pastor of a church which grew from 400 to over 5,000.

    A weekly radio program, "The Art of Living," aired for 54 years on NBC;

    Sermons mailed to 750,000 people a month;

    Co-founder of Guideposts Magazine, designed as a forum for people to relate their inspirational stories, now with a circulation of over 4 million;

    Many inspirational books including "The Art of Living," "A Guide to Confident Living," "The Tough-Minded Optimist," and "Inspiring Messages for Daily Living";

    A movie of his life entitled "One Man's Way" produced in 1964.

However, no doubt his best known accomplishment was the famous book, "The Power of Positive Thinking"; published in 1952, it has sold almost 20 million copies in 41 languages.

Norman Vincent Peale died on December 24, 1993, at age 95.

Here's a sampling of his famous quotes:

    "First thing every morning before you arise say out loud, 'I believe,' three times."

    "Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities - always see them, for they're always there."

    "Throw back the shoulders, let the heart sing, let the eyes flash, let the mind be lifted up, look upward and say to yourself, 'Nothing is impossible!'"

    "The first step is to fill your life with a positive faith that will help you through anything. The second is to begin where you are."

    "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our successes or failure."

    "What seems impossible one minute becomes, through faith, possible the next."

    "Start each day by affirming peaceful, contented and happy attitudes and your days will tend to be pleasant and successful."

Much of what Peale taught can be summed up in his book title, "You Can If You Think You Can" in which Peale combines inspirational stories with his own in a specific program for positive thinking, weathering adversity, solving problems, and overcoming negative feelings. (Simon & Schuster)

Following in Peale's footsteps three decades later was Robert Schuller, who in 1926 was born into a hard-working and religious Iowan family. Schuller, like Peale, was brought up in the Reformed Church in America and entered the pastorate in 1951 at Hope Church in Chicago, which over the next four years grew from 38 to 400 members.

Schuller's accomplishments are also very impressive:

    Founded and continues to pastor the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA. In 1955, with a budget of $500, Schuller rented the Orange County Drive-In Theater for Sunday mornings. He then went from door to door inviting people to come to his church, and asking them what type of church they would like to attend. Between 1959 and 1980 the $20 million Crystal Cathedral was built, a vast golden edifice with 10,000 windows, huge video screens, and a 10-foot tall angel hovering from the roof on a rope of gold. The congregation has over 9,500 members.

    Preaches on a weekly "Hour of Power" television service to up to 20 million viewers in more than 180 countries, taking in more than $50 million a year.

    Receives between thirty and forty thousand letters a week and has a mailing list of over one million people.

    Has authored more than 25 books, several of them national best sellers.

Of course, a healthy, positive mental attitude is beneficial in helping each of us move ahead in our daily activities. However, as popular and influential as these preachers have been, the message they promote falls short of true Biblical Christianity. Theirs is a "positive thinking, positive self-esteem" teaching which skirts the reality of sin and the need for salvation. For them, the gospel is merely a replacement of a negative self image with a positive one.

In fact, according to this kind of teaching, it is wrong to say that people are sinners because that will injure their self-esteem. There is no need to recognize personal sin, no need for repentance, and no need for the crucifixion of self. Actually, the self is to be exalted, not crucified!

So, is this the same thing Paul is trying to get across when he writes, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength"?

We think not. Paul's affirmation in his letter to the church at Philippi is a Christian message. This is not humanism, it's not just right thinking, it's not just mind over matter like that repeated in the mantra, "I think I can; I think I can."

Paul's message is very clear, it's through Christ that what was thought to be impossible now becomes possible. But note this, if it is "in Christ", it will be consistent with the character and purposes of Christ.

However, someone might be anxious to point out that the word "Christ" is not in the original Greek text. The most literal translation of this six word verse would be, "All things I can do through the one giving me strength." So who is this "one"? When we get to heaven we can check with the Apostle to find out for sure what he meant. What do you think he'll say? Your uncle? Your boss? Your pastor? No, I'm confident he'll say he was clearly talking about Christ. After all, the little preposition "en" is very reminiscent of his oft repeated expression "en Christo." Christ is the one who lives within us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and it is He who provides the strength we need.

What I think is important to point out is that in this verse there is a balance, there is a partnership. There is the "I can do", and there is the "through Christ." I have a part to play in meeting the challenges, facing the difficulties, overcoming the temptations, and living up to the high standard of holiness imposed by God's Word. Thankfully there is a partner, so that I can say, "I can do all things through Christ." But depending on His strength doesn't allow me to abdicate responsibility and effort.

Some people emphasize one part, the "I can" - these are the humanistic "positive thinkers" like Peale and Schuller. Other people emphasize the other part, the "through Christ", seemingly operating with the notion that He does it all, there's nothing they need to do.

Of this phrase, "en Christo", Biblical scholars explain that it is as "instrumentality" so that it means "by means of" - "I can do all things by means of the strength of Christ in me". In other words, I am the instrument, He is the power.

Let's take the example of a person trying to lose weight. They might pray, and genuinely believe when they pray, "Lord help me to get thin." But if that's all they do, they will probably deduce that God is not hearing their prayer. We all understand that there's a part we have to play. Some time ago I read about a girl who was watching her mother who, although claiming to be on a diet, was pouring rich, dark, chocolate syrup in a large cereal bowl. When the daughter reminded her mother about her diet, the mother quickly defended herself by saying, "I am on a diet. Can't you see? I left out the ice cream."

When we pray, there often is something we need to do. While there certainly are miracles, most of what the Lord accomplishes in our lives, He doesn't do without our involvement. However, the other side is that, what we do accomplish is with His strength, the "I can" is by faith in the ability that "Christ" provides. I have the ability through Him who provides the ability.

You see? One depends upon the other - the "I can" depends on the "Christ in me", but also the "Christ in me" depends on my determination and my participation.

So then, is this verse a motivational speech? Yes, to the extent that very often we get caught up in self pity. This verse reminds us that it's time to stand up to the difficulties rather than slink down feeling sorry for ourselves.

When Paul uses the words, "can do" and "strength", what abilities might he be referring to? It is apparent that the message has to do with endurance. He just finished saying, "I can make it through poverty or plenty," as if to say "I can handle it all. I can make it through when I have nothing, and when there is abundance. I'm going through with the power that Christ offers."

Secondly, it has to do with overcoming temptation. Those who are in poverty are tempted to covet, steal or cheat to get ahead. On the other hand, those who live with abundance have to fight the temptation to depend on their money. (I know some might say, "I sure would like to have that problem.")

When we get saved, we're not left to be on our own; He says, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age." He gives us the strength to do what He's called us to do.

"I can do all things" is a kind of autonomy, or self-sufficiency, but can only be used when we understand that Christ is in us. (II Corinthians 3:5)

Very clearly, for Paul, another companion verse would be Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."

When we identify with Christ at the cross, then we receive into our spirits the life of Christ, the "I" is no longer "I" but rather Christ in me. To the extent that we believe in Him, He lives in us.

Do you have Christ living in you? If you do, then you can say, "I can do all things through Christ."

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