Tag Archives: I am that I am

January 10, 2023 · 5:49 AM

The Great I Am

I’ve grown up hearing the different names of God in church. I’ve even been to churches where they’ve had banners up proclaiming those names in bright colors with beautiful artwork. Jehovah Jireh my provider. Jehovah Rapha my healer. Jehovah Nissi my banner of victory. The Old Testament people would write a descriptive name for God after He did something miraculous for them. It was a way to remember and share with others that God could do anything they needed. When the writers of the Old Testament recorded these names, these names endured for generations giving hope and encouragement along the way. These names are ways for you and I to use as we pray and believe.

There was one name though that God gave Himself that was always tough for me to understand growing up. In Exodus, as God was speaking to Moses through the burning bush, Moses began to disqualify himself from God’s calling. He started giving God excuses as well as to why he couldn’t lead Israel out of Egypt. He didn’t think they would believe him if he told them God sent him. He wanted to know what name he was supposed to tell them if they asked what His name was. God responded, “I Am that I Am”. I always wondered if Moses was as confused as I was until I began to learn what that meant. God was saying He is who we need Him to be and will be who we need Him to be as the other names suggest. In this case, He would be their deliverer.

Jesus used that same phrase many times. “I Am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6) telling us why He came. He also said, “I Am the Bread of Life” (John 6:41) revealing He is our sustainer. In John 8:12 He said, “I Am the Light of the World” letting us know that we have light in our darkest times. He told the disciples, “I Am the Gate for the sheep” (John 10:7) to encourage us that nothing can get to us without passing through Him. He also said in John 10:14, “I Am the Good Shepherd” meaning He would lead us and guide us. When Lazarus died, He said, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25) to prove He has power over death. Finally, He said, “I Am the True Vine” (John 15:1) to tell us that if we remain attached to Him, He will be our source. God is who you need Him to be in this very moment. Call out to Him and ask Him to be who you need Him to be. He has not forsaken you, forgotten you or abandoned you. Call out to Him today. He is the Great I Am.

Photo by Vera Cires on Unsplash

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August 13, 2013 · 8:00 AM

The Great I Am

Last week a friend posted on Facebook, “Please say a prayer for my family right now.” I happened to look just as it was posted. My day was beginning, but I knew inside something was going on that was serious. I stepped out into the hall and not knowing what to pray for simply prayed, “God, this family needs you right now. They need you to be the Great I Am. If they need you to be their healer, be their healer. If they need you to be their protector, be their protector. Whatever they need you to be, I ask that you would be. Right now they need you to be their very present help in a time of need. Be their I Am of what they need.”

With that, I had to return to my work. I continued to lift them up throughout the morning. As I did, I kept thinking of that Initial prayer. I haven’t really prayed that before. Something began to click as I thought back to Moses in the wilderness. God had asked him to go lead the Israelites out of their captivity in Egypt. He protested to God in Exodus 3:13, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me to you,’ they will ask, ‘What’s His name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God responded, “Say this to the people of Israel: I Am sent me to you.”

He went on to say other names to tell them too, but that one has always stood out partly because I never really understood. I always thought, “What did God mean by ‘I Am’?” I believe He meant that He is who they needed Him to be. They needed Him to be their deliverer that day. They needed Him later to be their guide. Still later on, they needed Him to be their provider. I like how the Amplified version records what God said. He said, “I Am who I Am and I will be what I will be.”

Today, wherever you are, whatever you’re facing, God is who He is and will be who He will be to you. If you need a fortress from your circumstances, He will be that for you. If you need peace, He will be your peace. If you need hope, He will be your hope. If you need healing, He will be your healer. If you need help, He will be your very present help in your time of need. If you need provision, He will be your provider. If you need strength to face the day, He will be your strength.

I can tell you that my friend needed God to be healer for a family member. Her father in law had what looked like a stroke. During the time of everyone praying, God became his healer. There are no more signs of the stroke or effects. God came down in that situation as He said He would and restored him to who he was before the stroke came. If God did that for him last week, He can meet your need this week. He still listens to our prayers and is still the Great I Am.

Who do you need Him to be for you today? I’ll pray with you.

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