Philippians 4:13 NLT For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
You can’t actually “do all things through Christ". Not the way you think you can anyway. Before you accuse me of heresy or being some kind of nut that contradicts the Bible read the rest of this post before you comment.
The verse doesn't mean that Paul can do anything he wants, but rather that with Christ's strength, he can overcome obstacles and remain steadfast in his faith, even in difficult circumstances. Paul is writing from a position of hardship and suffering, yet he finds strength and peace in Christ. This verse emphasizes that our ability to endure and overcome challenges is not based on our own strength or abilities, but on Christ's power working through us.
Think for a moment. Paul was in prison when he wrote his letter to the Philippian church. He could not get himself out of prison no matter how intensely he believed in Jesus. He was stuck there until God determined otherwise. However, he could “be imprisoned” in Christ who strengthened him to be imprisoned. In other words, Paul could say he was held, contained, and protected by Christ's love and grace, even when he was in prison.
We take this scripture to mean that; “I can do anything I set my mind to if I simply believe. I can achieve any personal goal by faith. I can get this job. I can win this game. I can ace this test.” But this verse doesn't mean that we can do anything we want. It is not about our personal achievement in the face of severe odds. This verse is all about Christ’s achievement and a constant dependence on him regardless of what’s going on in life - good, or bad.
While we can certainly experience personal growth and resilience through our faith in Christ, the verse's primary focus is on the power of God and our dependence on Him. It's a call to trust in Christ's strength, especially during difficult times.
Here is the danger in thinking that it is all about our personal achievement, as we like to say, “I can do all things” (emphasis on the “I” and not on Christ). What if you can’t “do” it? What if things don’t work out - no matter how much you believe? Your failure might call into question the goodness of God, or the sufficiency of Christ. Think how that could affect a new or immature Christian, or even worse and unbeliever.
I recently read, what I believe, is an outstanding paraphrase of the principle “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” This paraphrase of Philippians 4:13 was written by Byron Yawn the senior pastor of community bible church in Nashville, Tennessee.
“I can trust in Christ (and the benefits of his life, death and resurrection) even when I can’t achieve a personal goal. I can fail to achieve my goals and still trust my Savior’s love. Or, I can have cancer. Or, I can lose everything. Or, I can be fired. I can “do all this” because of who Jesus is.”
This is a powerful reminder of God's grace and the strength He provides to His followers. It's a reminder that our ultimate source of strength and hope is Christ, and not our own abilities or circumstances.
"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength"; encourages us to rely on God's power and trust in His plan, no matter how difficult our situation may seem.
You can’t actually “do all things through Christ". Not the way you think you can anyway. Before you accuse me of heresy or being some kind of nut that contradicts the Bible read the rest of this post before you comment.
The verse doesn't mean that Paul can do anything he wants, but rather that with Christ's strength, he can overcome obstacles and remain steadfast in his faith, even in difficult circumstances. Paul is writing from a position of hardship and suffering, yet he finds strength and peace in Christ. This verse emphasizes that our ability to endure and overcome challenges is not based on our own strength or abilities, but on Christ's power working through us.
Think for a moment. Paul was in prison when he wrote his letter to the Philippian church. He could not get himself out of prison no matter how intensely he believed in Jesus. He was stuck there until God determined otherwise. However, he could “be imprisoned” in Christ who strengthened him to be imprisoned. In other words, Paul could say he was held, contained, and protected by Christ's love and grace, even when he was in prison.
We take this scripture to mean that; “I can do anything I set my mind to if I simply believe. I can achieve any personal goal by faith. I can get this job. I can win this game. I can ace this test.” But this verse doesn't mean that we can do anything we want. It is not about our personal achievement in the face of severe odds. This verse is all about Christ’s achievement and a constant dependence on him regardless of what’s going on in life - good, or bad.
While we can certainly experience personal growth and resilience through our faith in Christ, the verse's primary focus is on the power of God and our dependence on Him. It's a call to trust in Christ's strength, especially during difficult times.
Here is the danger in thinking that it is all about our personal achievement, as we like to say, “I can do all things” (emphasis on the “I” and not on Christ). What if you can’t “do” it? What if things don’t work out - no matter how much you believe? Your failure might call into question the goodness of God, or the sufficiency of Christ. Think how that could affect a new or immature Christian, or even worse and unbeliever.
I recently read, what I believe, is an outstanding paraphrase of the principle “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” This paraphrase of Philippians 4:13 was written by Byron Yawn the senior pastor of community bible church in Nashville, Tennessee.
“I can trust in Christ (and the benefits of his life, death and resurrection) even when I can’t achieve a personal goal. I can fail to achieve my goals and still trust my Savior’s love. Or, I can have cancer. Or, I can lose everything. Or, I can be fired. I can “do all this” because of who Jesus is.”
This is a powerful reminder of God's grace and the strength He provides to His followers. It's a reminder that our ultimate source of strength and hope is Christ, and not our own abilities or circumstances.
"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength"; encourages us to rely on God's power and trust in His plan, no matter how difficult our situation may seem.
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