The words “I am” hold immense power, shaping the reality we experience. What follows these two simple words can determine the trajectory of our lives. “I am blessed. I am strong. I am healthy.” Or, “I am inadequate. I am unattractive. I am a failure.” The “I am” statements we speak have the power to manifest either success or failure, profoundly impacting our future.
The Principle of “I Am”
Throughout the day, the power of “I am” is constantly at work. We make a mistake and think, “I am so clumsy.” We look in the mirror and sigh, “I am so old.” We witness someone else’s talent and lament, “I am so average.” These seemingly harmless statements invite the very qualities we wish to avoid. When we declare “I am clumsy,” clumsiness seeks us out. When we say “I am old,” wrinkles seem to multiply. We are essentially handing an invitation to these unwanted attributes, granting them permission to reside in our lives.
Choosing Your “I Am”
The good news is that we have the power to choose what follows the “I am.” We can consciously invite positive qualities into our existence. When we declare, “I am blessed,” blessings begin to flow into our lives. When we affirm, “I am talented,” opportunities to showcase our gifts appear. Even if we don’t feel healthy, when we say, “I am healthy,” healing begins its work. We summon strength when we declare, “I am strong.”
This is why it’s crucial to be mindful of our self-talk. Avoid statements like, “I am so unlucky,” or “I am so broke.” These pronouncements invite disappointment, struggle, and lack. Instead, choose to invite good things into your life. Declare, “I am blessed. I am strong. I am talented. I am disciplined. I am focused. I am prosperous.” When we speak such affirmations, we beckon these qualities into our experience. Health, strength, abundance, and discipline begin to pursue us.
Transforming Your Self-Image
Many people start their day by looking in the mirror and complaining about their appearance. They say things like, “I am so old,” or “I am so wrinkled.” These words invite aging and fatigue. Instead, try looking in the mirror and saying, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am attractive. I am getting younger.” Speaking these affirmations can renew our youth and vitality.
True beauty isn’t about physical perfection. It’s about embracing who God created us to be with confidence. Whether we are a size 4 or a size 24, we can take what we have and make the most of it. God created each of us uniquely and intentionally. Ephesians reminds us that we are God’s masterpiece. So instead of focusing on perceived flaws, dare to declare, “I am a masterpiece. I am created in the image of Almighty God.”
Embracing Your Uniqueness
David, in Psalm 139, declared, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” David understood his own unique value. He recognized that he was wonderfully made, a masterpiece of God’s creation. This wasn’t pride, but an acknowledgment of God’s handiwork.
Just like David, each of us is an original. God broke the mold after creating us. There will never be another you. Yet, many of us go around thinking, “I’m just average,” or “There’s nothing special about me.” These limiting beliefs can prevent us from reaching our full potential. What if, instead, we adopted David’s perspective and declared, “I am amazing. I am wonderful. I am valuable. I am a masterpiece. I am a child of the Most High God”?
Changing Your “I Am” – Sarah’s Story
The story of Sarah in the Bible illustrates the transformative power of changing our “I am.” God promised Sarah and her husband Abraham a child, but Sarah was 80 years old, past childbearing age. She felt like a failure, ashamed and inferior. However, God knew the promise wouldn’t come to pass unless Sarah changed her mindset. He changed her name from Sarai to Sarah, which means “princess.” Every time Sarah heard her name, she was reminded of her royal identity. This shift in perspective transformed her self-image. She went from feeling like a failure to embracing her identity as a princess, a child of God.
Living Like Royalty
Like Sarah, we may have faced setbacks and disappointments that have chipped away at our self-worth. But God calls us to embrace our royal identity. We must shake off negative self-talk and any feelings of inferiority. We are called to walk, talk, think, and act like the princes and princesses we are in God’s eyes. Instead of declaring, “I am inferior,” we must affirm, “I am one of a kind. I am handpicked by Almighty God. I am valuable. I am a masterpiece.”
Focus on your strengths, not your flaws. Declare, “I am beautiful. I am young. I am vibrant. I am confident. I am secure.” Even if you’ve faced disappointments, refuse to believe that you are washed up. Like Sarah, declare, “I am royalty. I am crowned with favor. I am excited about my future.”
The Creative Power of Words
Words have creative power. They can bless our future or curse it. Proverbs tells us, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” We must choose our words carefully, using them to build ourselves up and invite God’s blessings. Avoid negative self-talk. Instead of criticizing ourselves, we should speak words of life and affirmation.
Romans 4:18 encourages us to “call things that are not as though they were.” This means speaking about the way we want to be, not the way we currently are. If we are struggling financially, instead of dwelling on the lack, we should declare, “I am blessed. I am successful. I am surrounded by God’s favor.”
Choosing Your Destiny
The story of the twelve spies in the book of Numbers illustrates the importance of our “I am” statements. Ten spies returned with a negative report, focusing on the obstacles. They declared, “We are weak. We are inferior. We are intimidated. We are afraid.” Their words invited fear and defeat.
Joshua and Caleb, however, returned with a different perspective. They declared, “We are strong. We are equipped. We are confident. We are more than conquerors.” Their positive “I am” statements empowered them to overcome the challenges.
God responded to the negative report of the ten spies by saying, “I will certainly do to you according to your words.” This reminds us that our words have power. God will often respond to us based on what we declare about ourselves. Avoid negative declarations. Instead, choose to speak words of faith and victory.
Inviting God’s Blessings
Make a list of positive “I am” statements and read them throughout the day. Meditate on them. Even if they don’t feel true in the moment, speak them anyway. Declare, “I am blessed. I am prosperous. I am free. I am talented. I am young. I am beautiful. I am attractive.” Remember, what follows the “I am” will come looking for you. When you invite the right things into your life, the Creator of the universe will breathe in your direction. You will overcome every obstacle, defeat every enemy, and become everything God created you to be.
