I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13 KJV
That was one of the first pieces of scripture I committed to memory after I was saved. As a freshly minted Christian I used that verse often as a prayer through difficult times. Whenever the heat in life got turned up a bit I would find myself repeating those words over and over in my mind. I took comfort in those words often and after time I became a little more “spiritually mature”, a deeper prayer life began and new verses took my attention and developed meaning for me. It wasn’t until I went through some trials and found my way back up, out a valley or two before I really took grasp of the meaning of this scripture.
It’s effortless to cry out for help in troubled times, and just as easy to forget where help came from when things turn around. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years and had no choice but to place their faith in God during that time. God provided their food daily in the form of manna and they followed a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, trusting their direction to the Lord. And just as they were on the border of the Promised Land, able to see the “land of milk and honey”, God issued a warning...
“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them”.
Deuteronomy 4:9 NIV
God knew that it would be easy for the Israelites to forget how difficult things had been given the relative luxury they would soon have. In an act of supernatural wisdom He gave them the advice, don’t forget where you came from and make sure your children know how tough it was. But history and the Bible both show us that they did indeed forget to honor God, lost everything but eventually turned to Him again. More than once.
And that brings me back to Philippians 4:13, which when taken into the proper context, closely resembles the advice given in Deuteronomy. Paul didn’t offer the exhortation of strength in Christ as a plea for strength it was a definitive statement. In J. Vernon McGee’s Thru the Bible Commentary Vol. V, he states the following:
“When Paul says all things, does he literally mean all things? Does it mean you can go outside and jump over your house? Of course not. Paul says, “I can do all things in Christ”—that is, in the context of the will of Christ for your life. Whatever Christ has for you to do, He will supply the power. Whatever gift He gives you, He will give the power to exercise that gift. A gift is a manifestation of the Spirit of God in the life of the believer. As long as you function in Christ, you will have power...Now Paul is not saying that we can do all things. I can’t jump like a grasshopper can jump. When I was in school I was the high jumper, but I can’t jump anymore. You see, I can’t do all things, but I can do all things which God has for me to do from the time He saved me to the time He will take me out of this world." (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
While the verse sounds and looks good on a James Avery bracelet, Philippians 4:13 is a statement of fact we should strive to make ourselves, after rejoicing in Christ through all the seasons of our life. If you find yourself struggling to find the strength you need in Christ, may I suggest the following?
Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.
Romans 12:1-2 CEV
Living the Christian life isn’t easy; it’s impossible in our own power. Seek God in a way to secure the fact of Philippians 4:13 in your life!
Be blessed today,
Jeff
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