The Great I AM

When Moses encountered "the Angel of the Lord who appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush" (Exodus 3:2), he was given instructions concerning the mission that the Lord had called him to. Before Moses departed, he asked, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, what is His name?’ what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you...This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations." (Exodus 3:13-15) 

I AM that I AM is the common English translation of the response that God revealed to Moses when he asked for His name. I AM in the Hebrew language is usually translated in English Bibles as "I AM...I WILL BE...I SHALL BE." Some translations render this name as "I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE." The King James version of the Bible reveals God saying "I AM" 508 times in the Old Testament and 211 times in the New Testament. Although they may be repeated, such as, "I am the Lord" or "I am God," nevertheless God reveals Himself as I AM throughout His Word. Other examples of this are, "I am the Lord who heals you." (Exodus 15:26) "I am Almighty God." (Genesis 17:1) 

Taking this a step further, we also see, "For I am the Lord, I do not change" (Malachi 3:6) from the Old Testament, and "Jesus Christ (God in flesh) is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) from the New Testament. So, why are these things so very important for believers to fully comprehend? Simply put, because far to many of God's children, who love Him and serve Him are living under the weight of a Christianity that has been and is still being taught that God is no longer "I AM" but is now, I was or I may be. What is meant by this statement? I am not trying to be  condescending or condemning, but the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11)

Although Paul says, "we are not ignorant of his devices" this does not insinuate that every believer is not ignorant of Satan's devices. Unfortunately, many believers are ignorant of his plans and schemes. Paul also tells us, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1) What are deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons? Deceiving spirits are evil spirits that cause someone to accept as true or valid that which is false or invalid. Those who fall prey to such deceptions, obviously do not know it. The doctrines of demons are doctrines blatantly contrary to Scripture. Again, because these doctrines are deceptive, they are easily accepted. 

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul is speaking to us emphatically, not to be ignorant of Satan's deceptive plans, which purpose is to bring apostasy, departing from the faith, through doctrines that are contrary to God's Word. Some good examples of these erroneous doctrines that have been accepted in many sectors of the church, come from teachers that say the age of miracles has past; that God is able to heal, but it may not be His will in certain circumstances; that sickness is God's will for His children. What a deceptive scheme. Satan has worked quite hard to hide the truth from all people, especially believers, concerning these things. Satan has broadcasted these unscriptural, deceptive and illogical doctrines so much, that it has almost succeeded in reducing Almighty God from I AM to I was or I may be. 

Let us now look at how this plays out in the lives of believers by looking at some Scriptures concerning Israel's condition under Egyptian rule. "And the Lord said, (to Moses) I have surely seen the oppression (affliction; shatter; troubles; misery; poverty; illness; depression) of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows (great pains and suffering)" (Exodus 3:7) Although this was prior to the giving of the Law, Israel was in covenant with God through the covenant that God established with Abraham. For the sake of time, let's skip forward to God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt and see what took place. Keep in mind their condition mentioned above. "He (I AM- God) also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble (lacking physical and mental strength as a result of age or illness) among His tribes." (Psalms 105:37) Under the Abrahamic covenant, Israel went from poverty to wealth, and from lacking physical and mental strength as a result of age or illness, to health as they exited Egypt. God also promised Israel, "...I will fulfill the number of your days." (Exodus 23:26)

Next, look at what David also recognized under the same covenant concerning I AM, "Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." (Psalm 103:1-5) "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation." (Psalm 91:14-16) 

Now let's look at the Scriptures concerning what God the Father worked in Christ for all, especially for believers. "But now He (Jesus) has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) Notice that Jesus is the, "Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." Question? How is it that those under a lesser covenant could have so much available or given to them by I AM than those under "a better covenant, which was established on better promises" by the same I AM? The reality is, Old Testament prophets and kings as well as angels have desired to look into this age of grace. What strange doctrines confront believers who are under this better covenant established on better promises that have absolutely no Scriptural evidence that the age of miracles have past and that the sick are not to look for better promises than those under a lesser covenant. 

We know, according to Scriptures, God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) But, is God more willing to show the mercy of forgiveness to the lost, than He is to His own children? Is He willing to show more mercy and provide better promises to those under a lesser covenant than He is to His own Children who through the meritorious work of Christ are under a better covenant with better promises? Absolutely not! The fact is, our Heavenly Father loves His own children and His promises to all believers are greater than those under the old covenant. Not only is He able, but He is completely willing in all circumstances to heal, deliver, preserve, rescue, save, provide, make whole and give long life His children. So, let us shed ourselves from all doubts as to who God is and know without doubt that  He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. For He is and will ever be, I AM!!!

It's Your Decision

Without a doubt, the Book of Romans is the greatest legal document ever given to man. Not only does it reveal the condition of every person who does not know God, but it also gives a clear, concise description of the legal and vital position of everyone who confesses the Lordship of Jesus Christ and receives Him as Savior. However, once confession is made unto salvation, every person becomes responsible to act in faith and receive all that God has provided through Jesus Christ. In other words,  understanding the difference between living by law and living by grace. The reality is, many people who have been filled with the Holy Spirit, and who say that the Holy Spirit dwells in them, do not actually live in the Spirit, but live according to the flesh much of the time.

We need to see that on the cross, Jesus, by the Father's will, made Himself one with man's fallen, satanic nature, and through His death as man's substitute, had in fact executed man's fallen nature. God never had, nor does He have, any plan for the rehabilitation of man's fallen nature. In every sense of the word, God's plan for man's old fallen nature is execution. He can do nothing with man's old nature except to kill it. Therefore, our rebellious, fallen, satanic nature was executed when Christ died on the cross so that it should no longer have the power to dominate and control us.

God forgives our past sinful acts when we come to Him in Christ, but this is only the beginning. He deals with the old nature, and He brings forth a new nature in its place, which is called the new creation,  (2 Corinthians 5:17), the new man. (Ephesians 4:20-24) This is actually the nature of Jesus Christ reproduced in us by faith through the Word of God. (James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:23) The agent who produces the new birth is the Holy Spirit, who also transforms the believer into the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Romans 6:1-2)

The Apostle Paul assumed that everyone born again is living in the grace of God, and is dead to sin, so he is saying, "If you continue to live in sin, you are contradicting yourself. If you are dead to sin, you shouldn't talk about living in sin." Paul continues, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin." (Romans 6:3-7)

Our old man was crucified with Christ! The tense here signifies that this is an actual historical event that took place in the past. When Jesus died on the cross, our old man died in Him. It happened nearly twenty centuries ago. Why was this done?  "...that the body of sin might be done away with..." not renovated, not fixed up, but done away with, rendered ineffective, no longer able to control and dominate us, "...that we should no longer be slaves of sin." PTL!!! Next, Paul tells us, "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:11-13)

Now it becomes the believers responsibility to accept by faith and act upon these wonderful liberating Words. You must refuse to accept the dominion of sin over you and the members of your physical body, but instead yield yourself, your soul (mind, will and emotions) and your body to the Holy Spirit. Although not the conclusion of the whole matter, Paul tells us, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:14) Do you believe that? If you do not believe it, you will not experience it. If you believe that you are going to continue sinning, you will continue sinning. However, if you do believe that, then you understand the last part of this verse, "...for you are not under law but under grace." Knowing this to be true, you will indeed walk in the Spirit, be led by the Spirit not fulfilling the works of the flesh.  

Every believer must come to the place of a firm personal decision to no longer give into the flesh, but yield to the Holy Spirit, to be led by Him. He is the way of escape from continuing in the slavery of sin. Consider this; what good is it to have your past sinful nature and acts forgiven, if you are still controlled by the old fallen, satanic nature? The Holy Spirit will help every believer if you set your will to yielding to Him. He will not force you, it's your decision. Think about this way, every time you make a decision to do the wrong thing, you become more and more the slave of sin, but, every time you make a decision to do the right thing, you become more and more the slave of righteousness and live in the freedom that the Father has provided humanity through Jesus Christ. 

Finally, God made a proposal to Israel which I believe applies today for all believers, "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days..." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) Jesus said it this way, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...