From Can't to Can | Rev. Jeff Lee | Sunday, April 26th, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Claiming Your Mountain

Caleb stood before Joshua at eighty-five, muscles taut like cords of oak. Dust clung to his sandals from decades of wilderness wandering. He pointed to Hebron’s fortified hills—land crawling with Anakim giants. “Give me this mountain,” he demanded, voice steady. Forty-five years earlier, he’d defied ten faithless spies. Now, aged yet unbroken, he trusted the same God to crush giants. His strength wasn’t in arms, but in covenant memory. [27:47]

Caleb’s demand wasn’t arrogance. It was raw obedience to a promise God whispered decades prior. While others saw impossibility, he saw inheritance. God rewards those who cling to His word through seasons of delay, turning barren waits into battle cries.

You’ve prayed for breakthroughs that still loom like distant peaks. Giants of doubt shout, “Too late,” but Caleb’s God still owns the hills. What mountain have you stopped claiming because time whispers you’re too worn?

“Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day… if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.”
(Joshua 14:12, KJV)

Prayer: Ask God to reignite your faith for one delayed promise. Name it aloud.
Challenge: Write “Give me this mountain” on a sticky note. Place it where you’ll see it hourly.

Day 2: Fingers Brushing the Hem

Twelve years of bleeding left her gaunt, ostracized, bankrupt. She crouched in Jericho’s dust, clutching a shawl over her unclean face. Jesus’ robe flickered ahead—a blue tassel dangling. No one made space. No disciple noticed her. She lunged, fingertips grazing wool. Power surged. Jesus spun: “Who touched Me?” Trembling, she confessed. He called her “Daughter,” restoring dignity with a word. [42:10]

Her miracle required violent faith. Religious laws said “can’t.” Poverty said “can’t.” Shame said “can’t.” Yet she rewrote her story with one grab at divinity. Jesus didn’t heal her secretly. He forced a public declaration, turning her from outcast to witness.

How many needs do you hide, fearing rejection? Jesus stops for those bold enough to touch Him amid crowds. What lie have you accepted that keeps you crawling when He’s called you to stand?

“And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”
(Mark 5:29, KJV)

Prayer: Confess one area where shame has silenced your need. Ask for boldness to reach.
Challenge: Text or call someone who feels forgotten. Say, “God sees you.”

Day 3: Strength Beyond the Clock

Paul penned Philippians 4:13 from a Roman jail, ankles chained. Guards mocked his “weak” God. Yet he declared, “I can do all things”—not through grit or philosophy, but through Christ’s infusion. The Greek word for “strengtheneth” means “to pour power into.” Paul wasn’t resilient; he was reliant, a hollow reed channeling divine current. [54:39]

This verse isn’t a pep talk for self-made triumphs. It’s a surrender to borrowed strength. The same power that raised Christ fuels believers to endure lack, persecution, and exhaustion. Your “can’t” becomes Christ’s “can” when you stop measuring your capacity.

Where are you striving in human effort? Christ waits to swap your frailty for His force. What task, conversation, or trial today requires His infusion, not your imitation?

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
(Philippians 4:13, KJV)

Prayer: Repeat “Through Christ, I can” before your next difficult task.
Challenge: Memorize Philippians 4:13. Whisper it when faced with a “can’t” today.

Day 4: Seed in the Sanctuary

The evangelist’s call baffled the church: “Paint these walls.” Finances were tight. Yet when he threw $500 into the basket, faith ignited. Members gave—$5, $20, $100—trusting God’s tenfold promise. Days later, over $6,000 piled up. Walls gleamed white, covering past stains, declaring fresh hope. [01:00:09]

This wasn’t about paint. It was about breaking poverty mindsets. God multiplies what we release, not what we hoard. The widow’s oil flowed when jars were provided. Your seed, however small, becomes His harvest when sown expecting resurrection.

What have you withheld—money, time, gifts—believing it’s too meager? God craves your five loaves, not your five-year plan. Where can you plant a seed today, defying “can’t” math?

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse… and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven.”
(Malachi 3:10, KJV)

Prayer: Hold cash in your hand. Ask God where to sow it, then obey.
Challenge: Give $5 (or more) to someone in need before sunset.

Day 5: Ink on an Index Card

Sister Roberts’ card bulged with unfulfilled prophecies—decades-old promises yellowing at the edges. “God hasn’t forgotten,” she insisted, handing it to the young pastor. He tacked it in his office, praying over each line. Revival. Healing. Provision. The card became an altar, a stake in the ground against doubt. [01:22:02]

Unanswered promises aren’t denials. They’re incubators for persistent faith. Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac. Joseph endured pits and prisons before palaces. God’s delays train us to trust His “yes” more than our timelines.

What promise have you buried under disappointment? Dig it up. Write it down. Your ink declares to hell, “This story isn’t over.” Which dormant dream needs resurrection breath today?

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time… though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come.”
(Habakkuk 2:3, KJV)

Prayer: Write one unrealized promise on paper. Read it aloud three times.
Challenge: Place that paper in your Bible. Pray over it daily this week.

Sermon Summary

The sermon exhorts believers to move from a mentality of limitation to one of confident faith. It traces a cultural shift from an ethic of labor and perseverance to a posture of defeat that often infects the church. The text contrasts an older generation that worked "from can to cant" with a present generation that too quickly answers hard things with "I can’t." It summons the conviction that Jesus empowers the weak, and that human inability cannot override divine possibility.

The preacher unpacks the story of the woman with an issue of blood in Mark 5 to show how desperation, persistence, and personal initiative overcame layers of religious, medical, and social barriers. The woman refused the counsel of experts and the crowd and reached out in faith, touching Christ and receiving healing. This biblical example becomes the model for individual and corporate action: personal faith plus bold movement produces breakthrough.

Concrete testimonies reinforce the theme. A call to act in faith led to an unexpected offering to paint a sanctuary, which triggered abundant provision. Other personal stories of provision demonstrate how believing obedience often precedes visible resources. The sermon stresses that power does not lack; human unbelief does. Believers must stop outsourcing spiritual responsibility and start exercising the same faith that first brought them to God.

A second biblical example, Caleb, becomes a template for sustained ambition in the later years of faith. Caleb refuses to settle for small inheritances or comfortable sunsets. He asks for the mountain, illustrating that age and history do not cancel God’s promises. The congregation receives a direct challenge to reclaim long-promised blessings, to remind God of those promises, and to refuse the lull of resignation.

Practical exhortations span prayer, worship, personal initiative, and financial obedience as means of entering revival. The theology remains simple and direct: Christ strengthens the believer, God remains faithful to promises, and the church must replace cant with can. The closing appeal calls the assembly to lift faith, announce belief out loud, and act so that miracles, revival, and promised mountains become present realities.

Key Takeaways

1. Shift from I can't to I can A change of language changes destiny. When believers replace defeatist assumptions with declarations of divine possibility they realign their choices, habits, and prayers with God’s promises. This shift requires daily recommitment, repeated spiritual action, and refusing the voices that normalize smallness. Faith functions as the will to move toward the promise rather than argue about lack. [28:07]
2. Persist through isolation and rejection Loneliness, religious exclusion, and medical pronouncements do not cancel divine intervention. The woman who touched Christ modeled a faith that acted despite social and spiritual prohibitions. Persistence narrows the gap between need and miracle because it forces encounter rather than mere hope. Desperation that directs itself toward Jesus becomes the birthplace of restoration. [38:18]
3. Depend on Christ not strength Human effort meets limits; Christ provides overflow. Relying on personal ability produces fatigue and retreat, while relying on Christ produces endurance and fresh capability. Believers must translate theological truths into practical acts of faith, knowing that God works through weakness to reveal power. Trust invites God to do what human resources cannot accomplish. [50:01]
4. Claim promised mountains by faith Promise possession requires bold request and steadfast expectancy. Caleb refused to settle and asked for the mountain, teaching that age or history does not negate pursuit. Naming the promises, reminding God of them, and pursuing them with courage prompts God to fulfill what was spoken. A people who press for their inheritance refuse to live in diminished hopes. [74:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:08] - Opening greetings and fellowship
[25:43] - Reading Joshua 14 and Philippians 4:13
[28:07] - Theme introduced: From can't to can
[29:57] - Historical ethic of perseverance
[38:18] - The woman with the issue of blood explained
[50:01] - I can't but Jesus can: core conviction
[60:09] - Testimony and provision for painting the church
[72:19] - Invitation to lift faith and act
[74:29] - Caleb example: asking for the mountain
[81:29] - Reminding God of His promises
[85:35] - Altar call and corporate commitment

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Joshua 14:6-12 (KJV)
Philippians 4:13 (KJV)

Observation questions

In Joshua 14:12, what specific request did Caleb make, and what reason did he give for believing it was possible?
How did the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5 demonstrate persistence despite social, religious, and physical barriers? (Refer to the sermon’s emphasis on her actions: [38:18])
What practical example did the sermon give about trusting God’s provision when finances seemed insufficient? (Refer to the testimony about painting the sanctuary: [01:00:09])
According to Philippians 4:13, what is the source of the believer’s ability to “do all things”?

Interpretation questions

Why do you think Caleb specifically asked for a mountain filled with giants and fortified cities instead of an easier inheritance (Joshua 14:12)? What does this reveal about his faith?
The woman with the issue of blood was told by experts, “You can’t,” yet she acted anyway. What does her refusal to accept those limitations teach about the relationship between faith and external opposition?
The sermon emphasized that “human inability cannot override divine possibility.” How does Philippians 4:13 redefine our understanding of personal limitations?
In the story about the church’s financial provision ([01:00:09]), why might obedience in giving precede visible resources?

Application questions

What is one area of your life where you’ve repeatedly said, “I can’t,” and how could shifting to “I can through Christ” change your actions or prayers this week?
The woman with the issue of blood took personal initiative to reach Jesus ([38:18]). What bold, specific step could you take this month to pursue a breakthrough you’ve been hesitant to attempt?
Caleb refused to let age or past delays stop him from claiming God’s promise. Is there a long-standing promise or dream you’ve neglected because of discouragement? How can you “ask for the mountain” again?
The sermon mentioned “believing obedience often precedes visible resources” ([01:00:09]). What practical act of faith (e.g., giving, serving, forgiving) is God asking you to prioritize even before seeing results?
How can you intentionally replace defeatist language (e.g., “We’ll never have revival”) with declarations of faith in your conversations this week?
The woman ignored the crowd’s rejection to touch Jesus. Who or what “voices” do you need to stop listening to in order to act on what God has put in your heart?

Sermon Clips

And here's what I want you to do. I want you to remind god of the promises that have been given that haven't come to pass yet. And then after you remind god of those promises, I want you to lift your faith and say, but god, I know you can. Come on. Even if you gotta say it out loud so your flesh will hear it. Some of you are struggling with this right now. But you keep living and I can't and you won't. But if you move into I can, you will. [01:24:13] (28 seconds) #DeclareButGod

And then think about this. If he's the all knowing god, he knew she was there. He knew she was there. That's right. Nothing caught Jesus off guard. Yes, sir. He knew she was out there in that crowd, but he never calls her out. He never says, hey, Jairus. Give me just a second. Oh, where oh, there you are. Come see you right here. I know you got a knee. Come up here. Never calls her out. Come on. Never takes a moment to acknowledge that she's there. [00:41:17] (36 seconds) #JesusSeesYou

I don't say this with any disrespect but I'm telling you what I heard from the lord at 6AM this morning. There's a soft voice that has been whispering. Just get used to being a little small country church. And live comfortably in that. And you know what? That's fine if that's where you wanna live. But I got a spirit of Caleb about me that says, you know what? I want everything that god has promised. [01:20:48] (31 seconds) #SpiritOfCaleb

That the same faith that I had when I stood and looked at Moses and said, I know what everybody else is saying, but God said its land is ours, and so let's go get it. That same faith I have right now looking at you, Joshua, and I'm telling you, God said all of this land is ours. And so I'm not just gonna pick some corner somewhere and enjoy the rest of my life. I'm going get everything that God has promised to me. But sadly, for some folks in the church, the devil has whispered long enough for you to take it easy, Sit back and just take whatever comes. [01:19:05] (47 seconds) #ClaimYourPromise

I'm thankful for all that God has done for our forefathers. I'm thankful for the generations that have gone on that have lived to see the blessed. I'm thankful for the labor of love that was sown right here at this church. But I'm not about to just put it in park and say, well, we just gonna bless God with what we have left. No, honey. The greatest days of the church are still ahead. Caleb, you are older now, and there are giants in the land, and it's gonna take a fight, Caleb. And you're over 80 now. Yeah. [01:17:59] (38 seconds) #GreatestDaysAhead

It's easy when an evangelist, a guest minister, or maybe even pastors up here and he's preaching his heart out about god can do this and can do that. It's easy to stand under the moment of the excitement in the air and say, yes. I believe it, lord. It's easy if if god moves on you and you're a cheerful giver. It's easy to come down and and bless whatever god says to bless or it's easy to do certain things in an atmosphere where worship and praise is happening. But when Monday comes, And there is no preacher to encourage you. [00:55:39] (36 seconds) #FaithBeyondTheMoment

But the sad part about living in today's world is we have taken this phrase can to can't and made it to where it means something totally different. Alright. In today's world, we have gone from thinking and believing we can now to just saying we simply can't. We take a look at the cost. We take a look at the sacrifice, what's being asked of us. We look at how much work is involved and we simply don't wanna pay the price anymore. So our answer to hard things now is simply we can't. Alright. [00:32:49] (38 seconds) #SayICan

There used to be an old saying that said a man would work from can to can't, which meant he worked from the first hint of daylight that he could see to the last one that he couldn't. In other words, from the moment the dawn began to show until the sun no longer revealed its light, men would take advantage of the daylight and work. They would work from the moment they can until the time they can't. From can to can't. Alright. But that wasn't just a figure of speech. It was the clock by which several entire generations lived. [00:29:14] (45 seconds) #WorkFromCanToCant

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

How can believers move from can't to can?

What role does persistent faith play in miracles?

Why is cheerful giving connected to spiritual breakthrough?

From Can't to Can | Rev. Jeff Lee | Sunday, April 26th, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Claiming Your Mountain

Day 2: Fingers Brushing the Hem

Day 3: Strength Beyond the Clock

Day 4: Seed in the Sanctuary

Day 5: Ink on an Index Card

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

From Can't to Can | Rev. Jeff Lee | Sunday, April 26th, 2026

Share