Can or Cannot? Our greatest enemy does not come from the outside of us. It is from the inside. Often, the biggest threat is our own mind. It is the way we think. In the way we limit ourselves through our thoughts. In the way we confine ourselves within our own prisons. About 35 years ago I was sent by SIA to the Outward Bound School. In my present state, the school is out of bound for me now, but in those days you would not be taken into SIA as a management staff unless you have either gone through the school or you have served the army. Since I was never in full time NS, I had to go through a 3 weeks course at the school. I was in a batch together with some police cadets. I was then in my early 30s--. those police cadets were18 or 19 years old. I was relatively unfit at that time. Had never really exercised. So, just imagine going through a 3 weeks Outward Bound School with guys who were nearly half your age. Of course, I struggled in keeping pace with them in the physical exercises that we had to go through - runs of 2 km every morning and evening, rowing, canoeing, climbing, going through obstacle courses and so on. However there was one thing I noticed. Though I could not keep up to the pace of these younger people, when it came to tasks that needed mental strengths I was leaps ahead of them. There was an activity where you have to jump from the jetty which is about 30 feet above the water way below. I did it without thinking twice. However for many of these young cadets, they needed much coaxing to get them to do it. Another thing that I noticed. On those long distance runs, it was my mind that kept on getting me to give up. When I realized this, I challenged myself and on the last day I ran 9 km without too much of a problem. Yes, our bodies can take much more than what we think we can. It is in the strength of our minds that we can do more than what we think we can. When we settle the question of the cannot in our minds, the cannot will become can. We have heard about IQ. Also EQ. There is another quotient -- RQ -- it is a very important in life - resilience quotient - the ability to bounce back from setbacks. Whether we are able to handle the issues of life is all in the mind. We are more able than what we think we can. Physically we are. But spiritually we are as well. We can do much more for God if we would give ourselves a chance to do so. God has empowered us to serve Him. He has given us power through the Holy Spirit. We can therefore do more for Him than what we think. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. It is our minds that tell us that we cannot. Get the not of the cannot in our minds and we will find that we can. God expects signs and miracles to be part and parcel of our ministries. Many of us will probably say quietly to ourselves "you sure or not?" Well, Jesus had said "the works you see me do, you shall do - and greater works than this shall you do." Also, the Great Commission given in Mark is very clear. Signs and miracles will follow you. But you say "I am not sure that I can." This was what the disciples thought as well. They had seen Jesus perform the miracles. They had seen him feed the 5000 men not counting the women and children. They had seen him turn water into wine. They had seen him calm the storm. But deep in their hearts they were not too certain that they themselves can perform the miracles. They had to be brought through an experience to show that they can indeed do the impossible. Something that defies all logic. Something that defies all physical laws that we know of. Today we will see Peter doing more than what he thought he could. He walked on water. Peter? Yes, Peter. But he is no god. How could he do what only God can do? That was because he was empowered by God to do the impossible. If we would believe we too can be empowered by God to do it. Our minds stop us from doing more than what we think we can do. In the same way, our minds and our spirits stop us from doing more than what we think we can in the spiritual realm. Today, we will see how we can be used powerfully by God to impact a world that badly needs Jesus. We can do more than what we think. Throw away the not from the cannot in our minds and we find that we can. Please turn with me to Matthew 14:22-33 MT 14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. MT 14:25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. MT 14:27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." MT 14:28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." MT 14:29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" MT 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" MT 14:32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." After feeding the crowd of over 5000, Jesus went up to a mountainside to pray whilst the disciples went ahead of him by boat to the other side. When evening came along, Jesus wanted to catch up with the disciples. He walked across the lake to them. If you have ever seen the Sea of Galilee, you would know that even though it may be the lowest of tide, the lake is still very deep. To walk on water would be a feat only God can do. Jesus is God. He is the Son of Man. But He is the Son of God as well. He is God the Son. There is nothing too difficult for Jesus to do. When the disciples first saw someone walking on the water they thought that they had seen a ghost. For who can walk on water? When Jesus replied they were reassured but they were still not too sure. In the dim of the night darkness, they were not 100% certain. Peter asked "Jesus, if that is really you, ask me to come to you on the water." He then heard a very familiar voice. That of Jesus. Though he could not clearly see Jesus, he nevertheless, saw Jesus in his spirit and heard His voice-- "come." He heard that word "come" and believe it. Jesus has asked that he come. He stood on the word of Jesus. On the word of God. He went forward and was empowered by faith to do the impossible. He did more than what he thought he could. He found that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. Later, as he was walking he was distracted by the winds and waves. His focus was no longer on Jesus but upon his situation. He started to sink. When they came on board, Jesus remarked "where is your faith? Why do you doubt?" Peter can as long as his focus is on Jesus. He can as long as his mind and spirit said he can. When he saw the winds and waves however, his mind starting to ask whether he really can - that is when the cannot started to kick in and he began to sink. Get the cannot out of our minds and our cannot will become can. Keep our focus on Jesus and we can. Know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Many of us will probably not see God visibly. We will not hear him audibly as well. But do we hear the voice of God in our spirits? Jesus says that His sheep will hear His voice and recognize it. When you hear the voice of God, do you recognize it? Do you believe it? If you exercise your faith by doing what God says and do not take your focus off it, you will be empowered by God to do more than what you think you could. When will get the not from the cannot out of your mind you find that you can. I came to the Lord in 1981 in the midst of the charismatic revival. During that period of time, getting people baptized in the Spirit was a regular Sunday activity. At every service, you will see people slain in the Spirit - being healed by the power of God - people manifesting in the middle of a service. At every service, you will also hear two of three people either speaking or singing in the Spirit with an interpretation immediately after. I was young in the Lord then and wondered what all these meant. Later I learnt and began to ask myself several questions. How do people know that it is God whom they hear? Or is it their own imagination. For quite a long while I wasn't certain that I could be used by God in prophesizing. I was just happy serving the Lord in whatever capacity I could. Never at any one time did I think that I would be used by God in the supernatural realm. I never thought about it. I thought that I would never have to. I answered the call of God in 1989 after struggling with Him for several years. As a young pastor I did whatever I could to serve the Lord - never thinking that operating in the supernatural was ever something for me. We took turns to preach and to MC. One day I was doing neither. I was sitting in front as all of us pastors usually do. As worship was going on, suddenly a thought came to my mind. I felt like it was a message from the Lord and that He wanted me to prophesy in service. However, I asked myself "what if it is my own thoughts. I would appear to be a fool." I kept quiet to myself. The pastor Mcing felt the Lord had given someone a message and began to encourage the person to speak up. I kept quiet not knowing what to do. What followed changed my whole philosophy of ministry totally. The pastor MCing all of a sudden said that he feels that the message had been given to a person on the pastoral team. I literally froze. I have been found out. Now everyone will know that I am a fool. I needed to be found out before I would move to minister. So I kept quiet. Then someone else spoke out. The message was exactly the same as what I had received. Later that night in my quiet time I broke down before the Lord. I asked Him for forgiveness for not placing my faith in Him. He had already given the responsibility of the receiving to be upon recipients and not upon the messenger. The messenger's job is simply to speak as he receives from the Lord. And yet I did not act out in faith. At that meeting God knew that someone needed to hear the message. He had chosen me to deliver it. Yet I did not. He chose someone else. But what if there was no one else. Perhaps whilst prayer walking at Chin Swee estate, God tells me to knock on a door. What if I do not obey. Someone could be contemplating suicide. I could be used by Him to prevent a disaster. But what if I take my focus off God. What if I allow my focus to shift to the winds and waves. What if I believe in my distractions more than I would believe God. Yes, we can do more than what we think if we would only believe in God. If we get rid of the cannot from our minds, we can. From that moment on, I decided that if God ever gives me a message, I will pick up the courage to believe that the message is from Him and will speak up. Till this date, I stand ready to be His messenger. From a position where my focus was on to the winds and waves I have shifted my focus on to Jesus by believing that I can indeed be used mightily by God if only I will believe in Him. So, I found that I can hear the voice of God and be His messenger. Then, I heard that some people were saying that God will not only give us words to prophesy but He will at times give us pictures. I thought to myself. Hmm that has never happened to me. I do not think I can do that. I was still a relatively new pastor at that stage. When I say that I am a young pastor people look at me as though I am lying. So it is better to use the words new pastor rather than young pastor. At one time I was assisting another more experienced pastor in deliverance counseling. We were praying for this lady. When we were praying all of a sudden I saw a very ugly lady with long unkempt hair. With a long dress. She was floating towards me. With a knife in her right hand. The picture was so clear, I was stunned. Then the other pastor said "I bind you, you murderous spirit, in the name of Jesus." The image suddenly disappeared. I turned around and looked at my pastor friend. Did he see what I saw? Strange. But it happened. From that moment I did not doubt any further that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens me. If God wants to give me words I will speak them out. If He gives me a picture I will describe it or do whatever He wants me to do with it. From that moment of time onwards, when I pray for people in the altar God will often give me words or a mental picture. Now, sometimes He does sometimes He does not. God is God after all. I cannot be presumptuous in demanding that He does it all the time. I stand ready - willing to believe in Him - willing to say that I can do whatever He wants me to do. That is because over the course of my ministry experience God has removed the not from the cannot in my mind so that I can. Well, pastor, you described God has moved you into the gift of prophecy. How about other areas of ministry - ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit? One Sunday I woke up with a terrible backache - something which happens once in a while due to my flat footedness - I went to service - was not preaching that morning but sat through agonizing. The pastor that day preached on divine healing. He gave an altar call asking for me to go forward to be prayed for. A large crowd went up. As a pastor I went to the front to help pray for the people though I was badly in need of prayers myself. There was this lady. I asked her how I can pray for her. She asked me to pray that her back would not be so painful. I nearly told her to pray for me instead. I went ahead to pray. When I finished she turned around with a smile and said that she felt that the pain had gone away. At that moment I realized that my pain was also gone. I thought to myself - I have never thought that I could be used by God to pray for healing for people. I thought I cannot. In that moment in the altar I had focused on Jesus and did not think of anything else. My mind was just filled with God healing that lady. My cannot became can because the cannot was not in my mind. This led to me praying on all occasions whenever someone needs prayers for healing. I thought that there will be nothing more in this dimension of my ministry. How wrong I was. I was then the pastor of all the people staying on the eastern side of Singapore - a total of about 700 people. Out of this, about 20 to 30 leaders assist me in various capacities. As I interact with this group of leaders I found one common desire - a fair number of them were childless even though they had been married for several years. At that time, we had periodic meetings among the leaders. At one of these meetings, I heard God tell me to pray for them - that they will have children. If my mind told me that this is something beyond me - that I cannot - then I would not even take the step of faith and open myself up to embarrassment by praying for them for such a specific thing. But I clearly heard God in my spirit. I took the step of faith in believing God. I asked the leaders and their spouses to line up and I prayed over them. Months followed and one by one the leaders came to me and said that their wives were expecting. When we remove the cannot from our mind the cannot will surely turn to can. When we believe God enough, we will only have can in our minds. With can on our minds instead of cannot, we will indeed move in the power of God. Several years ago I was very involved with Teen Challenge. One day I was speaking at their chapel. Midway through the sermon as I was preaching I felt the need to pray for one of the staff's wife - that she was pregnant and that she needed prayers - I was not even told that she was pregnant - I was totally unaware of it. So, I said I will do so during altar. Many of the residents responded to the altar call that evening. I totally forgot about praying for this lady. Later that night I was awakened from my sleep - I felt the Lord telling me to pray for her - that the baby within her was in danger. I uttered a short prayer and went to sleep. The next morning I received a call from this lady - she had just been to her gynecologist and was confirmed to be pregnant. How strange I thought. Weeks later we were told to pray for her. On several occasions she was in danger of losing the baby. The pregnancy was a difficult one. Till this day I wonder what would happen if I did not respond in faith to the voice I heard - what would happen if I responded to the human voice or the voice of the winds and waves and said that it is not for me to minister in the realm of the supernatural - it is only when we get rid of the cannot from our mind that we can. Today as we go into Chin Swee, will you get the cannot from your minds so that you can - you can minister in the power of God. If God directs you into specific prayers believe Him. If He asks you to speak to a particular person do so. If He asks you to knock on a door do so. Whatever God tells you to do, choose to do it. From today, let us believe God. Let us get rid of the cannot from our minds so that we can. Let us pray….

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