This document summarizes a sermon about the most powerful words in the world according to the speaker. The sermon discusses the seven words "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" from Philippians 4:13. It breaks down each phrase of the verse individually, explaining what each means and providing biblical examples. The overall message is that through faith in Christ, ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

1. Adapted from a Roger Thomas sermon
http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?
SermonID=80154

2. Magicians perform amazing feats with just a
word— “abracadabra.”
That’s not for real.

4. I want to share with you seven words that are
for real.
They are the most powerful words in the world.
These seven little words, if understood and
believed—really believed, will enable you to
overcome any obstacle, conquer every
challenge, fight off every foe, bear any burden,
and shoulder any sacrifice.

5. Ready?
Inscribe them on your heart.
Weave them into the fabric of your future.
These words will revolutionize your life.
“ .”
KJV

6. ESV
CEV
MSG

7. Let’s unlock the power of these words a
phrase at a time.
—This first word reminds us of the “people of
faith.”
“ .”
Make no mistake about it. God uses people to
accomplish His will in this world. Remember
what scripture says,
ESV

8. Oh, sometimes He uses angels.
He used a donkey to save Balaam.
A huge fish to correct Jonah & ravens to feed
Elijah.
But almost always the Lord of glory calls men
and women to do His bidding.
But not just any men and women. God is
partial to a certain kind.

9. God seeks out ordinary folk to use.
God seldom uses the mighty, the powerful, the
rich, or the influential.
The reason is obvious.
Too often such people are too full of
themselves to be useful to God.
That’s why the Apostle Paul who penned these
words wrote,

10. ESV

11. If that is true, and it is, then these words apply
to you and me as certainly as they did to the
Apostle Paul.
“ .”
, not somebody else, not just exceptional
people, not just the rich, the famous, the
powerful, or the talented, not just preachers or
missionaries.
.
But this is just the beginning.

12. These next two words reveal the perspective
of faith.
“ .”
It is a fact of human nature.
We seldom accomplish more than we think we
can.
People who think can’t, can’t!
Henry Ford said, “Success begins with I can.
Failure with I can’t!”

13. The late Charlie Jones used to tell salesmen
about the lad who was sitting sadly under a
tree by the road as a master salesman drove
by.
The boy sat by a scruffy looking little puppy
under a crudely scrawled sign reading, “Puppy
for sale, cheap!”
The look on the kid’s face was enough to tell
the salesman he wasn’t having much luck.

14. The man stopped his car and walked over. The
boy told him his plight.
His dog had pups and his dad told him he
could have the money if he sold this last one.
But nobody was interested.
The salesman offered some advice. “You need
to think positive. You have to believe that you
have the best product in the world. You have to
make it look good. You have to make people
believe this is the best dog ever.”

15. The boy listened intently as the man told him
everything he needed to know about
salesmanship.
Finally the salesman moved on to his
appointment.
An hour later he was on his way to his next
appointment.

16. The boy with the puppy was still there. But this
time he was dressed in his best duds. The dog
had been washed and brushed. There was a
big bow around his neck.
The sign now read, “World’s greatest dog for
sale. $10,000 dollars!”
“Oh, no,” the salesman thought to himself,
“What have I done?”
Unfortunately he didn’t have time to straighten
out the youngster.

17. Later that day the salesman happened down
the same street.
He had almost forgotten about the lad.
As he drove by he noticed that the sign was
still there.
The boy and dog were gone, but across the
$10,000 sign was scrawled in big letters
“SOLD!”

18. The man couldn’t believe his eyes. He had to
stop and find out what really happened. He
walked up to the house and asked for the lad.
The boy came to the door with a big smile on
his face. “Tell me, son. You didn’t sell that
scrawny pup for any $10,000?” “I sure did,”
replied the boy. Then he hesitated and added,
“Sort of. I traded him for two $5,000 cats.”

19. It is amazing what you can do when you don’t
know you can’t.
David didn’t know Goliath was too big to stop.
Caleb didn’t know the Promised Land couldn’t
be conquered.
Joshua didn’t know Jericho’s walls were too
strong.
Elijah didn’t know his enemies were too many.

20. Faith is more than positive thinking.
But it is never less.
God has never accomplished anything through
folk who say “I can’t!”
He has moved mountains, toppled kingdoms,
and turned the world upside down with
ordinary folk who say “I can!”
I can! Not I might, I should, I could do, if.

21. —That’s the potential of faith.
“ .”
That’s a mighty big promise.
But no bigger than other promises in the Bible.
How about these “ ”?
ESV

24. ESV
ESV
ESV

25. Paul penned these words from personal
experience.
He knew what he was talking about.
He knew Christ was the Lord of all
circumstances, not just the good ones.
I sure some of you may recall some extreme
situation that has taken place in your life &
you're thinking, "Thank God for that? Yeah,
right!" Well, think about this: The Apostle Paul
had some terrible situations in life that could
have turned him into a sour & bitter old man.
But they didn't! Listen to some of his words.

26. ESV

27. Remember Paul wrote, ESV
How could any good come out of those terrible
things?
We can’t see the future results stemming from
some terrible event. God can!

28. We need to practice thanking God in every
situation.
ESV

29. Christian author Max Lucado writes: In God
Came Near I've told how our oldest daughter
fell into a swimming pool when she was two
years old. A friend saw her and pulled her to
safety. What I didn't tell was what happened
the next morning in my prayer time. I made a
special effort to record my gratitude in my
journal. I told God how wonderful he was for
saving her.

30. As clearly as if God himself were speaking,
this question came to mind:
Would I be less wonderful had I let her drown?
Would I be any less a good God for calling her
home?
Would I still be receiving your praise this
morning had I not saved her?
Is God still a good God when he says no?

31. Make a mental list of how God has provided
for you in the past.
Use that as the basis for recognizing how he
will provide for your needs in the future.
Instead of complaining or worrying, take your
requests directly to the Lord.
With all this in mind listen to the context of our
key verse.

32. ESV

33. Some of you know this by experience.
Some of you have suffered loss.
Many of you have faced problems, confronted
temptations, wrestled with habits, and
struggled to make decisions.
It wasn’t easy.
Some who knew you probably thought you
wouldn’t make it.
But you did.

34. And because of it, you know the power of
these words.
“ —not just the easy
things, not just the things that everyone else is
doing, not just the things I have always done
before— .”

35. But our last phrase is the key.
This final phrase reveals the true power of
faith.
I want to make this clear.
This phrase is not about the power of positive
thinking.

36. This is not some kind of pull yourself up by
your bootstraps slogan.
It isn’t a promise that you can do anything if
you dream big dreams and reach for the stars.
Nonsense.
The power, the secret, is not in you.
The power is in Christ.
KJV

37. Paul said it elsewhere,
ESV
As Jesus reminded his disciples,
ESV

38. The Old Testament prophet declared,
ESV
It’s not about us!
It’s all about HIM!

39. Unless Jesus Christ is in you, unless he is the
Lord of your life, you have no promise of God’s
power.
There is no guarantee of personal or spiritual
success.
Even if you do get ahead in this world, it won’t
matter in a hundred years.
As Jesus warned his disciples,
ESV

40. Here and there, now and then, it is “
.”
There they are.
Words packed with big promise. Remember
them.
Believe them.
Most of all live them.
You may be surprised by what happens. Your
dreams may not all come true.
Your problems won’t necessarily all disappear.
But something better could happen.

41. Phillip Brooks, a great American preacher of
another day, explained it like this,
“Do not pray for easy lives,
pray to be stronger people;
do not pray for tasks equal to your powers,
pray for powers equal to your tasks.
Then the doing of your work may be no
miracle, but you shall be a miracle.
Every day you shall wonder at yourself, the
richness of the life that has come to you by the
grace of God.”

42. Say them with me,
“ - - - .”