Studying the seven ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus is a powerful way to rest in the truth that Jesus is Lord of all. We constantly need to be reminded of the truth of who Jesus is as the Son of God. When we remember who God is, then we better understand who we are as children of the Most High God. In this world filled with pain, suffering and sin, we need to daily remind ourselves that Jesus is BIGGER than any hardship or difficult situation that comes against us.
You can also download a FREE Bible study of the ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus at the end of this post!
What are the Seven ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus?
The seven ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus are powerful declarations Jesus explicitly used to express his divinity in the Gospel of John. Many of the ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus include word pictures. Understanding who Jesus is using tangible, everyday items can help us better understand who he is as the Son of God.
When I think of the ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus, I am reminded of when God called Moses to deliver the Israelites from the Egyptians in Exodus 3:12. When Moses asked God what he should say if the people asked who sent him, God replied by saying,
“I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Exodus 3:14
Fast forward to the New Testament, and the religious leaders disputed with Jesus about his divinity. In their minds, the religious leaders could not fathom how Jesus (who to them was a mere man), could equate himself with God. They picked up stones and were ready to kill Jesus when he declared,
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58)
With this astounding ‘I Am’ statement, Jesus was claiming to be God. Jesus declared through this statement that he is all-powerful, and all-sufficient– the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Jesus in the book of John went on to make several more ‘I Am’ statements that further explained his deity as the Son of God.
The seven ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus are:
- I am the bread of life (John 6:35)
- I am the light of the world (John 8:12)
- I am the door/gate (John 10:7)
- I am the good shepherd (John 10:14-15)
- I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)
- I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)
- I am the true vine (John 15:1)
How can we use the ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus in our Prayers?
Prayer is a powerful way to draw closer to God as we seek his face. When we pray using the power of God’s Word, we can powerfully grow in our faith and draw closer to God–because Jesus is the Word (John 1:1).
Praying the Word of God is also a powerful weapon against the enemy, because the Word of God is also the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Using the seven ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus in our prayers declares who Jesus is, and fills our hearts with hope, joy and peace. Let’s look more closely at each of the ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus below.
The ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus: I am the Bread of Life
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:35
In John chapter 6, Jesus performed a wonderful miracle by feeding 5,000 people (not including women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fish.
He later spoke to the same crowd in John 6:35 by saying, “I am the bread of life.”
Later in the book of Luke when Jesus would celebrate the last supper with his disciples, he took bread and spoke to them saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)
Not only do we need God to provide our daily needs, but we need him to provide our spiritual daily bread. Remember when Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the desert? Satan urged Jesus to turn stones on the ground into loaves of bread. Jesus’s answer to Satan is truly profound: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)
Jesus demonstrated in his response that bread alone is not enough for our spiritual sustenance. We need God to give us spiritual food–eternal provisions that will never fade or run out. Job said it beautifully when he declared,
I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. (Job 23:12)
Do we treasure the Word of God more than our daily bread? Do we wake up ready to feast on the Word of God and enjoy sweet time in the Lord’s presence–even before we look forward to our first meal of the day? May we continually go to our Lord and Savior each day for the daily Manna that he provides for our spiritual souls. When you are in need of God’s power and spiritual nourishment, remember that Jesus is the bread of life!
Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you are the Bread of Life. You provide me with physical strength and spiritual power through your Word of life and hope. I ask that you will meet my every physical need, and help me to feast on your Word for strength and spiritual sustenance to face each day. In your name, Amen.
The ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus: I am the Light of the World
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
It is difficult to fathom that once upon a time, the world was formless and void, as darkness covered the surface of the deep. Even before time was formed, God has always existed. And with the power of his words, light poured through the darkness.
Jesus proclaimed in John 8:12 that he is the light of the world.
His light shines.
His light casts away darkness and chases away shadows.
His light gives revelation and floods our heart with knowledge.
Jesus is the Light of the world.
When Jesus began his ministry in Matthew 4:17, his preaching was preceded by this powerful Scriptures from Isaiah,
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:2
Before Jesus entered the scene, people were shrouded in darkness. Before we knew the saving knowledge of salvation through Christ, we all groped about in darkness, stumbling in sin, shame, and brokenness. But when Jesus came, the dawn arose, and the glimmer of his light illuminated our understanding and gave us hope. Praise be to his name, the Light of the world!
One summer, my husband and I shared sparklers with our children for the 4th of July holiday. We used a lighter as the main source of light for the other sparklers. When the sparklers went out, our kids got new ones, and used the same source of light to ignite their new sparklers.
Our kids later shared their sparklers with friends in our neighborhood, and they were able to light their friend’s sparklers, spreading their brilliant lights with others.
Like the lighter we used to light the sparklers, Jesus is our ultimate source of light and strength. He ignites our lights within us so that we can spread the fire of our faith with others. Unlike the sparklers, the light of our faith continues to burn as we continue to go to Jesus–our source of our light, hope, and strength.
In the Old Testament, God told Moses in Leviticus 24, that the way in which Israel was to be a beacon of light to the surrounding nations, was to place the Tabernacle in the middle of their camp. Inside the Tabernacle there were candles that represented God’s illuminating presence. Not only was the Tabernacle a source of strength and light for the Israelite community, but a way to point others to the one True Source–God. The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually.” (Lev 24:4) Just as Jesus is the light of the world, it is he who fuels our faith and allows the light of the candle in our hearts to burn continuously.
It is no surprise that Jesus in the book of Matthew also declared,
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16
What a privilege that we have to share the powerful light of Jesus with others!
Prayer: Lord, I praise you that you are the Light of the world. Thank you for shining the truth of your Word in my heart. Help me to shine the light of your love to those around me who walk in darkness, and bring them to a knowledge of your freedom and salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The “I Am” Statements of Jesus: I am the Gate/door for the Sheep
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
John 10:7
In John chapter 10 Jesus boldly proclaimed that he is the door, or gate for the sheep. In this passage, he said that he is the gate, and that whoever enters through him will be saved (vs 9). Those who enter through Jesus find salvation through him alone, and can come and go freely, and enjoy safe pasture (vs 9).
A gate operates to keep things in and to prevent other things out. All other people who have claimed to be the “gateway” to salvation are thieves and robbers (vs 8). We as the sheep of God’s pasture must learn to listen to the voice of Jesus, and reject all other voices that try to lead us astray.
Jesus is the door and gateway to salvation, and all other claims of salvation outside of Jesus are false. We can trust in Jesus to lead us safely to the rich, green pasture of the Kingdom of God, where we will enjoy our Good Shepherd forever!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being the doorway to our salvation in you. Lead me to your green pasture of your Kingdom, and help me to intently listen to your voice for direction and guidance. Amen.
The ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus: I am the Good Shepherd
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
John 10:7
Just as Jesus is the gate for the sheep, he is also the Good Shepherd. He provides us with salvation by being the gate, and he also protects the sheep from danger. As soon as a threat arises or a predator tries to attack the sheep, the hired hand abandons the sheep and runs away (vs 10:12). Jesus is not like the hired hand who cares nothing for the sheep.
Our Good Shepherd loves his sheep so much that he laid down his life for them (vs 11). Our salvation cost him his life, and now we can enjoy eternal life through him. When you need guidance and direction from the Good Shepherd, remember that he will lead us into all truth. Check out this post here on how we can pray Psalm 23 when we need direction in our lives.
There are many parallels between this passage in John 10, and in Psalm 23. Let’s take a quick look at this beautiful passage and compare it to John 10.
Praise God that Jesus is our Good Shepherd! He is with us always, and will never abandon his sheep. During the times when you feel all alone, remember that your Good Shepherd will not abandon you, but will lead you to safe pasture and quiet waters.
Rest in the loving arms of the Good Shepherd today!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my Good Shepherd. Help me to listen to your voice as I immerse myself in your Word, and give me discernment and wisdom to reject all other voices that are not from you. Help me to trust you as my Good Shepherd today, and lead me to your green pastures of joy and peace. In your name, Amen.
The ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus: I am the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…”
John 11:25
Jesus referred to himself as the resurrection and the life in John 11, right before he powerfully raised his dear friend Lazarus from the grave.
When he finally arrived to meet Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, he told Martha, “Your brother will rise again” (vs 23). Martha assumed Jesus was referring to the final resurrection when all believers will rise on the last day. She had no idea that Jesus was planning to resurrect her brother that very day!
Then Jesus declared his deity by saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
What does it mean that Jesus is the “resurrection and the life”? The Greek word “resurrection” means a “raising up and a rising from the dead” (source). It refers to the resurrection of Christ, and also refers to the resurrection that will take place in Revelation 20:6.
When Jesus declared that he is the resurrection and the life, he ultimately declared victory over death and the grave. Only God himself has such power that he can lay down his own life and take it back up again (John 10:18). During times of grief, turmoil and pain, we must remember to go to Jesus–the resurrection and the life. He has the power to resurrect any dead situation and breathe his life into it. Nothing is too difficult for our God!
Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you are the Resurrection and the Life. Thank you that through you, I have eternal life. We ask that you resurrect anything in my life that needs your breath of life and healing for your glory, and help me to trust you with my life each day. In your name, Amen.
The ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
At this point in the book of John, Jesus was preparing his disciples for the time when he would no longer be with them. Jesus knew that the time for him to be crucified was drawing near. In the beginning of chapter 14, Jesus told them that he was going to prepare an eternal place for them (John 14:2-3).
The disciples did not know what Jesus was talking about when he said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:4) Thomas replied by saying, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered him by declaring another powerful ‘I Am’ statement:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).
The Greek word “way” in this passage is hodos, which means “a way, a traveled way, road, a travelers way, journey, traveling”. It also means a course of conduct or a way of thinking, feeling, and deciding (source).
Jesus was proclaiming that he is the path, and road to get to our final destination of eternal life. There is no other road, highway or path that will take us to our glorious eternal home. Jesus is the only way to access the Father.
Have you ever taken an unfamiliar road to get to a certain destination? There used to be a time when people used physical maps to navigate from place to place. Now we have high-tech navigation systems in our cars and on our phones. If we think about it, God’s Word is our GPS navigation system. When we follow the words of Jesus, we will always find ourselves travelling on the right path–in fact, he is the path who will get us to our eternal destination.
We need to be reminded that this world is not our home. This place we call earth is not our final destination. Let’s continue to travel the road Jesus has paved for us that will lead us to our true eternal home. To a place where there will be no sin, sickness, death or disease. To a place where we will dwell with our Father forever.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are the way, the truth, and the life. Not only do you light the path before me, but you are the path. Help me to follow you wherever you go, and lead me to the eternal destination you are preparing for me, where I will be with you forever. In your name, Amen.
The ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus: I am the True Vine
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
Do you enjoy the refreshing taste of cool, crisp grapes on a warm summer day? The final ‘I Am’ statement Jesus made referred to this delicious fruit. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
There are many lessons we can take away from this passage in John 15.
Jesus is the Vine-The vine is a woody-stemmed plant of the grape family. All of the branches that contain the bunches of grapes come from this stemmed vine. If there is no vine, there are no branches or fruit!
We (believers) are the branches- We are the branches connected to Jesus, the Vine. No branch can produce fruit on its own–and we must remain connected to Jesus to produce spiritual fruit in our lives. Without Christ, we can do nothing! (John 15:5)
God the Father is the Gardener- God the Father is the Gardener, and has the authority to cut off any branches that do not bear fruit from the vine (John 11:2). He also has the authority to prune the branches.
All gardeners agree that the more you prune the branches, the more fruit will be produced the following season. Pruning is the cutting away of dead or overgrown branches or stems that produces healthy plant growth (source).
We may not enjoy the pruning that God does in our lives, but it is necessary. God cuts away the things in our lives that need to be removed–old habits, negative thought patterns, sinful behaviors, and other things that do not yield good fruit. God can also use the difficult circumstances and trials we face to produce a powerful abundance of fruit. We must trust that our Great Gardener knows what he is doing!
Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are the True Vine. Help me to remain connected to you, my ultimate source and strength. With you, I can do all things, but apart from you, I can do nothing. Teach me to produce the abundant fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In your name, Amen.
Free Bible Study on the ‘I Ams’ of Jesus Statements
You can download a version of this blog post in a mini Bible study on the ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus by clicking below!
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In Conclusion
We can powerfully pray the seven ‘I Am’ statements of Jesus when we use the Word of God to declare the truth of his divinity. In this world filled with pain and despair, call on the name of Jesus, and boldly proclaim his words of hope and peace!
Related Posts
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The Power of Praying God’s Word
How to Pray Psalm 23 when you Need Guidance
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Thanks Christin for the reminder of the fruits of the Spirit and the I Am prayers that I will say and use in my daily walk with Jesus as He is all that you mentioned and so much more!! To God be the glory ?. I will pass them on in my daily prayers and communicating with my friends and loved ones ❤!!
Thank you so much Brenda!
Wonderful and refreshing thanks
Thanks so much for visiting!
Powerful resoures which will bless many lives. God continue to show your favour for this ministry.
Thank you so much!