What a powerful verse! How many times do we see this verse? We see it on the desks that line offices. We see it tattooed on athletes. We shout this verse out to everyone who passes. I have it marked in my bible and memorized in my heart. We can do all through Christ who gives us strength, but lets think about this for a minute.
What exactly do we think when we read this verse? Do we take it as Christ will give us strength for everything? That anything we do He will make it happen? Do we run with our dreams thinking God will find a way to make it happen? Might we look at our life as it is and think God will______? You fill in the blank.
Lets look at a few more verses before we move forward.
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." John 15:5-8
I love when God makes His word clear to me. Sometimes we can take His word and use it for any purpose to suit us. Many times that is exactly what we do to Philippians 4:13. We use this verse for our own good. We see it as we can succeed in everything we touch. We run with this verse as a do all, can all, instead of seeking God's will and way. God will give us strength for ALL He is asking for us to complete in Him for His glory. Not our own glory. This is not a verse for us to stand proud in having others looking to us as we have completed something bringing glory to ourselves. If we are abiding in Jesus Christ and doing His will, He will provide everything we need. He will give us strength to overcome all obstacles, giving victory to God's power and might. We are not to bring attention to ourselves, but we are to allow Him to shine through us.
In obeying God we produce fruit for Him. The more we seek Him the more opportunity He is going to provide for us to bring glory to His name. Isn't that what it is all about? Having strength to complete His work? We are a work in progress. Our desires will match His if we are living in Him. Through opportunities made possible by God others will look at our life and see that only God could have opened doors and made all possible. Ever wonder why His assignments look so big to us? So others can see just how big He really is.
Apart from Christ we can complete nothing. But in Him, through Him we can complete everything He is calling us to. It is through Him that we gain knowledge and wisdom. It is through Him that we find our purpose to use the very gifts He has instilled in us. We have nothing to fear in completing His will. The only thing holding us back from gaining all for Christ is trying to gain all for ourselves.
