4:10-13 I have strength for all things in Christ who strengthens me

• This is such an encouraging verse, but it seems too big.
• What does ‘all things’ include?
• Learn what it means and how to access this power every day.

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Image source: “Newlife”

Recap of Philippians Parts 1–8

• First let’s look at the verse and you tell me what the problem is with it?

1. The Problem: Blank cheque?

• Seems too good to be true—a blank cheque!
• Are there any limitations or qualifications? —What is the scope of “all things” ?
• We kind of know it doesn’t include everything
  • I want to win the lottery
  • Fly like a bird
  • I want to get 100% perfect grade in all my exams
  • I want to be married to the perfect spouse within the next year

• Story of my broken phone: “Be repaired!”
• Paul: I want to get out of prison right now, and have a full pardon!
• Jesus: “Give Peter the faith, right now, so that he will never deny me”
  • Stones, become bread!

• This is not limited to “spiritual” things!
• That’s the “What” but there is also the How?
  • If you get it, then it will change your life

2. The Passage

• The overall context ?
  • They sent Paul a gift
  • He wants to explain how grateful he is for it
  • But ultimately he is not dependent on it
    • And what makes him most happy is that he sees their heart
• v.11–13 lack of resources
  v.11 usually translated “content” but that sounds very passive
• He has enough v.12 repeats it 3 times!! (just so we get the point)
  • Most of the commentaries on this passage argue that the context is surviving when you don’t have much
  • But is our verse just about survival?
  • No! as we shall see.
• It’s critical that we understand what ” I have strength for” means in this verse
  • If we are going to get hold of the verse, we must grasp this

• πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με
  • Sentence order why? —”Wednesday I’m going out for coffee”
  • “in him” —going to be important
  • “Christ” —implied —often put in to make it read better
• The “can do” – “have strength for”
  • The New Testament was originally written in Greek, and there are several different words for “can” in Greek
  • How words work in translation…
  • It’s very easy now that we have computers to look at how this particular “can” is used
  • This type of “can do” or “could” occurs 29 times in the New Testament, and I’ll give you some examples:
    • This is going to be really critical in understanding it

• So some of these are supernatural “can do’s” and some are physical “can do’s”, but they are not just about surviving
  • Some of them are very active
• So when Paul says “I can do all things” he doesn’t just mean surviving when he has little
  • e.g. Revival in Ephesus ↑ Acts 19:20
• So this is the same “can” as Paul says “I can do”

3. The Power

• “in Christ”

• But we haven’t really addressed the problem yet
  • Story of getting ready to go to England.

• It’s not about our agenda powered by his energy, It’s about his agenda.
• As we mature as a Christian, and become more renewed by the Spirit, our desires will naturally align with God’s
  • We’ll be able to see things more and more from his perspective
  • And our agenda will align more with his
• Story of being asked to speak at a 7:30 breakfast…
• Story of last week…
• “Amazing Grace” —mother’s prayers.
• What if not a follower of Jesus?

New Life

Image source: “Creative Commons - CC0”

• His life takes root in us!

1. He is in you—you don’t have to make it happen.
2. Get to know him better: learn what brings him joy, build a relationship
3. Lean on him! -Ask
4. This will transform this new year for you!