All Things Through Christ Philippians 4:13

After declaring to the Philippians his ability to be content regardless of the circumstances within which Paul the apostle found himself, he told them knew how to be humbled, exalted, full, hungry, abounding and suffering need. In chapter four and verse thirteen of his letter to the Philippian church members, Paul wrote why he is able to be content in all these things. He wrote:

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

The verse begins, “I can do all things...” When we first look at the example of Paul who was able to be content no matter what his circumstances were, we might wonder if anyone could actually manage that ability. For Paul, his statement was, “I can”, and not only could he do some things, but his declaration is that he could “do all things”. In other words, there was nothing that was impossible to him, and when this idea is put into the context of the verse, Paul knew though his situations may change, he was going to be able to manage them.

The verse continues, “... through Christ which strengthens me.” After making his boast that he could “do all things” Paul gave the Philippians the reason for his ability - “through Christ”. This was not something he could do on his own. It was because of Christ and His empowering - “which strengthens me” which means “endue with strength, strengthen, to receive strength, be strengthened, increase in strength” that Paul could declare these things. When “things”, no matter how adverse they were, came into Paul's life, he relied upon the only one who could give him the strength to manage through them – Jesus Christ.

What or whom do we rely upon when times of adversity come? Do we have assurance or doubt when it comes to “all things” in our lives? Paul the apostle teaches us through this verse that we may know the source of our strength whenever we are overwhelmed by our circumstances and situations. Perhaps we have difficulties and troubles for which there seems to be no solution, and we may wonder if we can endure such hardship - we must gather our strength from the Lord. It may be that we are troubled over a loved-one in our lives and we wonder if anything will every change in this situation - we must gather our strength from the Lord. Perhaps it is a job, our economy, our health or other circumstances that have affected us - we must gather our strength in the Lord. As we realize our own inability to handle “all things” and rely upon His ability to manage “all things”, we will know a closeness with God in times of difficulties that is unmatched by any other in this world.

Next time Paul commends the Philippians again for their care for him, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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