What Are the "All Things" Philippians 4:13 Says We Can Do?

If you went to Sunday School as a child, chances are you heard, sang, and memorized-without-even-trying Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

But without a knowledge of the context of the verse, it’s also likely you interpreted that to mean, “The sky’s the limit to what I can accomplish when Jesus helps me!” and that’s not exactly what this verse is about. In the spirit of “Never Read a Bible Verse,” here’s the passage in question:

I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

The secret of enduring all situations—good and bad—with contentment is “Christ who strengthens us.” David Mathis introduces John Piper's short video (below) on the meaning of Philippians 4:13 this way:

[T]he apostle Paul claims, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11) — and says it again, “In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” There is a secret for contentment not just in our greatest triumphs, but also in our deepest devastations.

What is “the secret”? Philippians 4:13 calls it “Christ who strengthens me.” Or, to put it in terms of Philippians 3:8, “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

 

Comments

[Mike Gantt]

Good post. (In fact, the post accomplishes the purpose better than the video.)

Phil 4:13 may be the most misquoted verse in the Bible.

[brianehunt]

Yesterday I found out that my bank account was very low, and I knew that God has plans to prosper me (Jer. 29:11). So I began to pray over and over again, because I know that if I ask God often enough he'll grudgingly give me what I ask for (Luke 18:1-8). Then after prayer, I sat and waited to hear the still small voice of God to reveal how he would provide for me monetarily (1King 19:11-13). I fell asleep and had a dream, but I'll assume it was a vision from God given the circumstances, that I was a professional basketball player. So I went to the gym today to begin training for my future career in which I will point to the sky after every basket and thank God during every interview as if he ordained the victor of the game in favor of the team with the most faithful players. Anyway, I wasn't making many jump shots, or free throws. So it became apparent that God intend me to make my mark by dunking the ball. Now, at 52 years of age, and 5'10", dunking the ball is very unlikely, but I claimed Phil 4:13 and then dribbled as fast as I could toward the basket, took off just past the foul line and now I'm awaiting surgery to reattach the achillies tendon on my left foot.

Clearly, I need to get rid of all my NAS, NIV, NLT bibles and get my theology strictly from the KJ! Yep, that's the secret for sure:-)