Your Supernatural Enabler

Philippians 4: 15 – 20

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” This verse is well-loved and often quoted, but frequently misunderstood and thus misapplied. This verse is not a promise that God will enable believers to do whatever they want whenever they want it.   

Jesus equips us for life.  The apostle Paul, one of Christ’s choice trophies of redemption, believed this and therefore wrote: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). Do you REALLY believe this?

Various translations are all true to the text, but each makes it a bit more understandable.  Note these:

        “I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me” (Phillips).

        “I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency” (AMP).

        “I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power” (Living Bible).

        “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” NLT

        “I can do everything God asks me to…” Everything? Everything!

The penman Paul said, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” This verse explains how he had been able to be content. He said, “I have learned to be content.”  Paul had to learn contentment; it isn’t natural to mankind. The only way we can be content is to learn it. We learn it when we come to realize that everything that is worth doing can be done “through the strength of the One who lives within me” (Phillips).

This verse is not a magic incantation that allows anybody to do anything they desire. Some seem to think it is and misapply it. A person not in a saving relationship with Jesus has no claim to it. Jesus is the facilitator for things He wants done by those He wants to do them. We learn to rely on that as a result of having seen Him do it in our life. Conditions that proved to be instructors teaching Paul are noted: “ I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” After these ups and downs then he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Our strength to perform duty and to bear sufferings is in Christ. He enables His people; He strengthens them with strength in their souls.

        “I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me” (Phillips).

Remember that today, every day, and in all things.