Twisted Scripture - Week 4

Philippians 4:13

Today we look at a verse in Scripture that is so widely known, that even the unbelieving world would probably be able to recognize it. But what does this verse really mean? We’ve seen athletes use this verse all the time by putting it on their clothing and shoes and we’ve heard so many people use this verse as motivation/inspiration. But Does this verse really mean we can do anything???

I. What is the Context of This Verse?

The Book of Philippians is a book written by the Apostle Paul while he was in a Roman prison. Ironically enough, even though this book was written while Paul was wrongfully imprisoned in a dark, lonely, dungeon; the Book is all about the Joy of Jesus Christ!

This book gives to secrets to joyful christian living

When we get to Chapter 4 of Philippians, The Apostle Paul gives the secret to living an anxiety free life.

1. (v.1) - Stand Fast in the Lord. This means we must “hold on tight” to the Lord. Stay faithful to Him in every season of life.

2. (v.2-3) - Pursue Unity. There was apparently some squabble between 2 faithful women in the church. Notice how Paul wasnt picking sides or trying to come to a resolution. He simply says “tell them to be of the same mind in the Lord.” If we want to live an anxiety free life, we must have unity among our brothers and sisters in Christ.

- You dont have to be best friends with everyone and you dont have to even hang out with everyone. But we must have unity among one another! We may as well learn to love each other down here because we’re going to spend a long time with each other up there!

3. (v. 4) - Rejoice in the Lord. Don’t make what you don’t have or what may be going wrong in your life be your focus, make what you DO have in Jesus be your focus! Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS!

4. (v. 5-6) - Give everything to God. Prayer, Supplication, and Thanksgiving. These are 3 kinds of communication with God.

Prayer = general sense of praying to the Lord

Supplication = specifically asking for something “let your requests be made known”

Thanksgiving = giving thanks unto the Lord

The word moderation can also be translated as “gentleness”. It describes a person who is so confident in God’s control over all things in their life, that they are not easily offended. They do not get easily worked up over things that happen. They are at peace because they know God will handle it. It’s easier to be a person of “moderation” when you know the Lord will soon return and make right all the wrongs.

Be careful for nothing = dont be anxious. Anxiety is a sin that says “I am worried about this because I am in control and dont know what to do”. Peace comes when we say “I am not worried because God is in control and He knows what to do”

The result is v. 7, the Peace of God will keep your hearts and minds!

“keep” is a military term which means to guard or protect.

Then verses 8-9 speak about how to maintain victory over anxiousness, training our minds to think about the right things.

II. What is This Passage Really Saying?

When we get to verse 13, in order to truly understand the correct context of this verse, we have to look at its immediate context (the verses just before and after).

He says in v. 10 that he rejoices in the fact that the church at Philippi has been so giving to Paul and his ministry. He goes on to say in v. 15 that the church at Philippi was the first and only church that ever began giving financial help to Paul when he was on his missionary journeys. Even when he was in Thessalonica, they donated and gave money (which Thessalonica shouldve been doing but apparently wasnt).

But he wasn’t rejoicing about their giving because of his need. He was rejoicing because they were going to receive a blessing as a result of their giving (v. 17)

Paul definitely had financial needs, however, he had learned how to be abased and how to abound. (v. 11-12)

This means that he had experienced both. There had been times where he didnt have a lot and was probably struggling financially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. But there were also times where he was abounding in those things too, he had plenty!

What did he learn? How to be content in both situations

He had to learn this because contentment does not come naturally. We must also learn how to be content in whatsoever state we are in.

Then we arrive at v. 13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

He wasn’t saying that he could literally do anything through Christ, he was saying that through Christ, he has learned how to be content with whatever stage of life God places him in.

He was in prison at the time he wrote this. He couldn’t have been more abased than he was. He had nothing, no freedom, no possessions, no money, no nothing. But he had learned how to be content, how to be satisfied with life. How? Through the strength of Jesus Christ.

One person translated this verse this way “I am ready for anything through the strength of the One Who lives within me”

If verses 1-9 are the secret to living anxiety-free, then verses 11-13 is the secret to living with content! Contentment and Peace go hand in hand. If we are anxiety-free, it is much easier to be content with life. If we are content, we will be anxiety-free.

This entire chapter of Philippians gives us the keys to living the most joyful Christian life we can possibly live!

III. How Can We Apply This to Our Lives?

No matter where you find yourself in life, you can face it and be content through the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ. You don’t have to live full of anxiety and discontent and Jesus, through the writing of Paul, gives us the “secret” to overcoming both of those things and truly having victory.

What do both of the “secrets” have in common? They both require us to depend fully and completely on the Lord!