The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13(NKJV), “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This is a simple verse that packs a powerful punch. Of course, we need to use wisdom to rightly divide it, because the Apostle Paul is talking about God’s provision, and the reality that the Lord makes sure we have what we need when we need it. Paul isn’t speaking in the context of walking on the moon or performing open heart surgery. In Philippian 4, he is encouraging God’s people not to worry about issues and problems but take everything to God in prayer. He’s telling us to think on things that are true, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, and in verse 10, we can truly pinpoint the context of Philippians 4:13. Paul is dealing with any concerns the church had about not being able to provide financial support for him. He tells them, “Sisters and brothers, whether I have no money or a lot of money, I’m good. So, don’t worry about me, because I can do all things through Christ, and he gives me strength.”
Paul points them away from self-doubt and towards the strength and power God gives each of us. We are not weaklings or defeated, even though many of us speak and think as though we are. 2Corinthians 9:8(NIV) tells us, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” This is the framework for Philippians 4:13. Money is not our sufficiency, and we should never make the mistake of thinking that way. The Source of sufficiency and provision is God.
I can’t do what you do the way that you do it, and vice versa. We each have an appointed purpose in God’s plan. Romans 8:28(NLT), says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Many people think this verse applies to everyone, and it does not. It has conditions. In order for everything to work together for our good, #1, we must love God, and #2, we must be CALLED according to His purpose. This leaves a whole lot of people out, because a whole lot of people do not love God.
In consideration of Philippians 4:13, we now have a greater understanding of its truth. We can do all things through Christ according to the purpose for which we were called by God. This means we should be motivated to continually study God’s Word so that we know His plan for our individual lives and live according to His Will. If you do not love God and have no interest in obeying His Will, you cannot do anything in Christ because you’re not getting your strength from him, but from somewhere else.
Jesus Christ said in Mark 14:38(NLT) “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” As God’s people, we need His help in everything that we attempt to do, because we can’t do anything on our own. Many of us want to do all the right things, but our flesh, the body, fights hard for first place. Our bodies (the flesh) wants us to do the things that bring it pleasure, and those things sometimes go against the grain of God’s love and Will. We win the victory over our flesh not through the flesh, but through the Spirit of Christ that lives in us. This is the distinction Paul makes. It’s not the flesh that gives us strength from day to day, but God gives us strength through the Holy Spirit that indwells us.
When our faith is firmly placed in God, and we’re humble to the Spirit’s guidance and direction, we place ourselves in a winning position to overcome any obstacle. James 4:7(NIV) tells us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” This is the effective strategy God has given through His grace. Submitting ourselves to Him and living by His Holy Spirit is the way to resist the devil. It’s the way to stand strong in Christ.
Our lives don’t belong to us. God tells us in 1Corinthians 6:20 that we were bought at a price, and we must honor God with our lives. He tells us in Romans 12:1 to offer our bodies and all they contain as a living sacrifice before Him, because this is the very least that we can do for all God has done for us. Our Heavenly Father wants every drop of us. He doesn’t want us holding back anything. We’re His kids, and He expects us to behave like it by following the example of Christ and becoming his ambassadors in the earth. Galatians 5:6 tells us that what’s most important to God is that our faith is expressed through our love for Him. This means action! It means a commitment to honor God and live according to His power. Expressing our faith through love is a requirement to study God’s Word, to live by His Spirit, and to tell others about Jesus Christ and the salvation he offers.
Being saved means giving our lives to Christ and making him Lord over them. He said to the disciples in Matthew 16:24-25(NLT) “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” We can’t split ownership of our lives in half, where Jesus Christ governs one half and we get to govern the other. Faith doesn’t work that way. We must give our whole lives to God and put away the insecurity and doubts that keep us from fulfilling our call. When it comes to following God’s Will, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. And one of the greatest things we can do is to put God first, and never prioritize anything above our duty to our faith in Jesus Christ. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
“I Can Do All Things through Christ”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2023. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.