Worth Repeating - October 7, 2017

Philippians 4: 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (NIV)

We can’t live in God’s righteousness through our own strength.*

This verse makes a great Facebook post. It’s a mantra to remind ourselves that we have a source of power. Yes, Jesus Christ is our strength, but Paul isn’t telling us that we can do everything. Or anything. Think about it. Who do you know – what spiritual giant are you acquainted with – who can do anything?

If we put this verse back into the passage where it belongs, we find that Paul was addressing a specific circumstance: learning to be content in any and every situation (verse 12). Paul shared his testimony with the Philippians and then he made sure that they understood that he wasn’t bragging. He didn’t possess any special powers – only the strength that he received from Christ.

I think it is safe to apply this verse to our lives as long as we keep it within Paul’s context. We aren’t promised superhuman power, but we might say that we can do everything – face anything – that we must because Christ gives us the strength. When Jesus himself said, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15: 5) he didn’t mean that we can’t act or think without him – lots of people do it. Again, context is important. If you read the entire passage, you will see that Jesus is talking about bearing fruit and remaining faithful – things that we can’t accomplish without his strength.

Perhaps in the past you have found this verse to be more depressing than encouraging. Maybe you have been thinking, “But I can’t do everything . . .” and you have felt inadequate or like a failure as a Christian. Do you understand now that the promise isn’t that we can do anything and everything indiscriminately, but that we are empowered to do anything and everything according to God’s will? Have you learned the secret to being content in any and every situation? Are you fruitful and faithful because you remain in Christ and he remains in you?

What God requires, he provides.*