Philippians 4:19 - All Our Needs Fulfilled In Christ.
Philippians 4:19: All Our Needs Fulfilled In Christ.
Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) And my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (NIV) And my God will meet all your needs
according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (NLT) And this same God who takes care of me
will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been
given to us in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (NET) And my God will supply your every need
according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (VOICE) Know this: my God will also fill every
need you have according to His glorious riches in Jesus the Anointed,
our Liberating King.
WORD STUDY
IN GLORY. Some refer this phrase to the riches, as riches
that are stored in glory, that is, in heaven. Others connect
shall supply and in glory, and imply that the reward will be
given in the hereafter. This second view tends to restrict Gods
working, whereas the Lord is well able to supply the Christians need
in this life as well as in that which is to come. [SDA Bible
Commentary]
BY CHRIST JESUS. Rather, in Christ Jesus, or in
personal connection with Christ Jesus. All Gods kindnesses are
given to men through Christ, and can be enjoyed by those who are
connected with the Saviour. [SDA Bible Commentary]
INTRODUCTION
This is one the great promises of Scripture. [Preachers
Outline & Sermon Bible]
Words that countless Christians have relied on as one of the
great Scripture promises, [Expositors Bible Commentary]
Claim All That God Promises. Let your heart break for the
longing it has for God, for the living God. The life of Christ has shown
what humanity can do by being partaker of the divine nature. All that
Christ received from God we too may have. Then ask and receive. With
the persevering faith of Jacob, with the unyielding persistence of
Elijah, claim for yourself all that God has promised. {COL 149.2}
[Remnant SB]
God promises to meet all the needs of believers, not
necessarily all their wants. [New Bible Companion]
We can trust that God will always meet our needs. Whatever we
need on earth he will always supply, even if it is the courage to
face death as Paul did. Whatever we need in heaven he will supply. We
must remember, however, the difference between our wants and our
needs. Most people want to feel good and avoid discomfort or pain. We
may not get all that we want. By trusting in Christ, our attitudes
and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting his
provision and power to live for him. [Life Application SB]
COMMENTARY
Have you ever pondered the real meaning of Philippians 4:19?
If so, then you may also have encountered some frustration.
What about this need I have had for years? you wonder.
Doesnt God care about that aching hole in my heart? Why doesnt He
just fill it?
You may have attempted to meet the need yourself or to figure
out why God hadnt responded. Sometimes you may even have felt
faithless and thought that God did not hear you because of this
weakness or a lack of consistent prayer. Deep inside, you know that only
God can fill your need - which further frustrates matters and
reveals your complete lack of control. You cannot successfully meet your
own need or compel God to comply with your personal desires, time
schedule, or concept of how it should be accomplished. So what are you to
do?
Heres some good news - that is exactly the position God
wants you in. No, God does not enjoy your pain or take delight in
seeing you suffer or confused. He is a God of infinite love,
gentleness, and compassion. Nothing He does (or does not do) comes from
spite; even His discipline is perfectly administered out of love (Heb.
12:4"11). His purpose in allowing a delay to meet your need is to
strengthen your faith and reliance on Him, and consequently to wean you of
self-sufficiency.
In a very real sense, your unmet need is a form of trial and
temptation. Its a trial because its lack of fulfillment can feel truly
painful, and its a temptation because it urges you to turn away from
God to meet your own needs. But James says, Blessed is the man
who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will
receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love
him (James 1:12).
So what are you to do when the delay goes on, the pressure to
give up increases, and you feel weary of beating yourself up with
false guilt? It may sound like a platitude, but keep your eyes on the
Lord and follow Him, no matter what. James tells us that the testing
of our faith leads to perseverance, which works to make us
perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:4).
Worked out on the journey of faith, such unwavering trust has
profound results. [Life Principles SB By Charles Stanley]
Lifes Interruptions
Life is full of interruptions. Car maintenance, a sick child,
divorce, death, financial surprises, a friends crisis, government
shutdowns, home repair, health questions, and job issues all interrupt our
regular routine. If we have perfectionist tendencies we can stress out
over control slipping away or we can learn to embrace Christs
control. Ironically, expectations of a stress free life only create
stress. As long as we live, life will interrupt, so how shall we
respond?
Jesus was interrupted in His prayers and He was interrupted
by the leper, but He used them both for Gods glory. Is the Lord
in on our lifes interruptions? Many times, yes! He takes
distractions in our prayer time and uses them to lead us into His will. On
occasion while praying, my mind races with a mental list that longs for
immediate attention. So, I stop praying, write down the items and then
offer the list in prayer as a sacrifice to Jesus. The Holy Spirit
leads me in how to manage the needs Ive written down. So, I seek to
lean into the Lord when interrupted by life.
Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to
this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make
money. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is
your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then
vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, If it is the Lords will, we
will live and do this or that. James 4:13-15
We are all needy to one degree or another. Needy people need
to have their needs met. Therefore, when someone interrupts your
life with their need, look for the Lord in the interruption. Pray for
a way to meet their need in Jesus name so they are attracted to
His love. Furthermore, you are not called to meet everyones needs
all the time. There are others God wants to engage as His benevolent
blessing. Be available, do what you can, and trust the Lord to add more
resources.
There is no shame in being needy. This is the human
condition. It is what draws us to God. So, we first seek Christ Jesus to
meet all our needs in Him. His love, His patience, His mercy, His
rest and His care are a treasure trove of spiritual invigoration,
emotional healing, and mental stamina. The Lord is with us in the middle
of lifes interruptions. We also seek those who love us when we
need love. We ask for prayer in our pain. We need each other and we
need our Savior Jesus when life interrupts our plans. Yes, lifes
interruptions direct us to Gods better plan!
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches
of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.
www.wisdomhunters.com
The Father Knows
Matthew 6:32 does not say that God knows that we have no need
of earthly things. To the contrary, it says that "your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" - that is, food,
drink, and clothing. Likewise, in verse 8 we read that "your Father
knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
We have a Father who "knoweth" our needs. Furthermore, we
know that we have such a Father. Those are points on which we differ
from the Gentiles.
We need to remember that we are never in any situation or
position outside of God's knowledge and care. He not only knows of our
physical needs, but He is concerned with our entire life. He is willing
to lead us day by day. We read in The Desire of Ages that "God
never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led,
if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory
of the purpose which they are fulfilling as coworkers with Him"
(pp. 224, 225).
What a Father. What a God. No wonder Christians can't worry.
They are never outside the watchcare of God. He is always with them,
no matter how dark the outward circumstances may appear at the
time. He always anticipates their needs.
And He has a heart to match His knowledge. God cares for us
even more than we care for our children. "Can a woman forget her
sucking child," God queries in Isaiah, "that she should have no
compassion on the son of her womb?" The rather startling reply is "Even
these may forget. Yet," says God, "I will not forget you. Behold, I
have graven you on the palms of my hands" (Isa. 49:15, 16, RSV).
Our Father knows. That is one of the most comforting thoughts
of Scripture. He knows all my needs, all my desires, and all my
potentials, and He wants those needs and potentials to be filled even more
than I care for my own children's needs. I am so thankful that I know
that He knows. [Walking With Jesus By Knight]
No matter where we are, God is as close as a prayer. He is
our support and strength. He will help us make our way up again from
whatever depths we have fallen.
We don't often consider that sometimes Jesus is our strength
simply to sit still. 'Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
Our natural tendency when we have a painful happening in our lives
is to go into action - do something. Sometimes it is wiser to wait
and just be still. The answers will come.
We may be sure that God is true to His word and answers
all sincere prayers offered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
His answer may be yes, or it may be no, or it may be "Wait." If it
is no or 'Wait" we cannot say that God has not answered our prayer.
It simply means that the answer is different from what we
expected.
When we pray for help in trouble, or for healing in sickness,
or for deliverance in persecution, God may not give us what we ask
for because that may not be His wise and loving will for us. He will
answer our prayer in His own way, and He will not let us down in our
hour of need. (From Hope for the Troubled Heart by Billy Graham)
[Inspirational SB]
ILLUSTRATIONS
One morning in 1950, I believe God said to St. Peter, "Pete!
You'll never guess the prayers that just came in this morning!"
Peter answered, "Up here I've heard 'em all"
"Well," said God, "two of our own, an honorably discharged
World War II vet, Bill Larmore, and his wife, Eloise, want a house.
That's like two sparrows trying to buy their own tree. Just married,
they have no bank account. They work but make the minimum. They can
hardly afford their tiny apartment. Yet a house has become their
obsession, and they are asking me to help:'
"Their obsession is dumb!" said Peter. "Surely you are
turning them off."
"No," answered God. "I turned them on! I know something they
don't. They need a house. Bill's parents are coming to live with them,
and Eloise will soon be mothering the first of four kids, who should
be raised in a house rather than a hole:'
"But they won't make it," said Peter. "Not by themselves:'
"Right," agreed God. "But they aren't by themselves, because
I'm with them!"
The Veterans Administration denied help. But after we prayed,
the VA agreed to help us! The bank refused the loan, but after we
prayed, it reversed the decision! Next, after prayer, we found a house
that sheltered our growing family for twenty years. So what do you
think? Will God supply all your needs? You'd better believe him!
Bill Larmore, born September 9, 1917, in Ottumwa, Iowa, was a
flight engineer in the United States Air Force from 1942 to 1945 and
then an engineering artist for Lockheed Martin. He is husband to
Eloise and dad to Cathy, Wendy, Ray, and Jennifer. [The One Year Bible
Life Verse Devotional]
I was a scared, unwed, pregnant teenager when I found this
verse. I was not raised in a Christian home, but I believed in God and
had been saved a couple of years earlier at an event I had attended
with a friend. Even though I had acknowledged my sinful condition and
had accepted Christ as my Savior, my lifestyle did not show it. It
was a painfully difficult time in my life. When I became pregnant,
my boyfriend scheduled an abortion for me. I knew it was wrong, but
I felt I didn't have any other choice. A few nights before my
scheduled "procedure," I cried out to God and got out my Bible. I'm not
sure exactly how I came upon this verse, but I am so thankful I did.
There in God's Word was his promise to me.
That was almost twenty-five years ago. The boyfriend is long
gone! My son is now twenty-four years old, and over the years, God has
provided everything I need and so much more. Time and again I have turned
to this verse, and God has never failed me.
Darlene Lofty, mom, stepmom, and grandmother, is an office
manager for a large real estate company. [The One Year Bible Life Verse
Devotional]
During the Great Depression the bank in which my father was
an officer was forced to close
I was convinced my father would be out of work. I knew I had
to get a job as a boy of twelve to help support the family. A
nearby corner grocer hired me after school and Saturdays for a dollar a
week to sweep the floors and deliver groceries.
When I told my father, he replied,
"I appreciate your concern and desire to help, son, but I am
trusting the Lord to meet our needs. We belong to Him and He will take
care of His own"
God honored my father's faith. He never went a day without
employment through the entire Depression.
With similar confidence Paul wrote to the Philippian
Christians, "My God will meet all your needs" (4:19). This was the
encouragement those believers needed because they were far from affluent (2
Cor 8:1-5). Out of their meager resources they had sent an offering
to Paul in Rome (Phil. 4:14-18). Paul assured them that God would
reimburse them.
Two important details about this promise must be observed.
First, God will meet "all your needs," not your desires. Jesus said,
"Your Father knows what you need" (Matt. 6:8), and His understanding
of our needs may be different from ours.
Second, God will meet our needs "according to His glorious
riches in Christ Jesus." God's supply is not "out of" but "according to
His glorious riches." God is "able to do immeasurably more than we
ask or imagine" (Eph. 3:20)
Whatever your needs are right now, trust God to meet them and
look for His supply. John Witmer
What does God's peace enable us to do? List the things on
which God wants you to focus your thoughts. Will you ask God for what
you need and trust him to care for you? [Time With God SB]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Come to Me with a thankful heart, so that you can enjoy My
Presence. This is the day that I have made. I want you to rejoice today,
refusing to worry about tomorrow. Search for all that I have prepared for
you, anticipating abundant blessings and accepting difficulties as
they come. I can weave miracles into the most mundane day if you keep
your focus on Me.
Come to Me with all your needs, knowing that My glorious
riches are a more-than-adequate supply. Stay in continual communication
with Me, so that you can live above your circumstances even while you
are in the midst of them. Present your requests to Me with
thanksgiving, and My Peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your
heart and mind. (Psa. 118:24; Phi. 4:19, 6-7) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
As you sit quietly in My Presence, remember that I am a God
of abundance. I will never run out of resources; My capacity to
bless you is unlimited. You live in a world of supply and demand,
where necessary things are often scarce. Even if you personally have
enough, you see poverty in the world around you. It is impossible for
you to comprehend the lavishness of My provisions: the fullness of
My glorious riches.
Through spending time in My Presence, you gain glimpses of My
overflowing vastness. These glimpses are tiny foretastes of what you will
experience eternally in heaven. Even now you have access to as much of Me
as you have faith to receive. Rejoice in My abundance - living by
faith, not by sight. (Phi. 4:19; 2 Cor. 5:7) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
You can live as close to Me as you choose. I set up no
barriers between us; neither do I tear down barriers that you erect.
People tend to think their circumstances determine the
quality of their lives. So they pour their energy into trying to control
those situations. They feel happy when things are going well, and sad
or frustrated when things don't turn out as they'd hoped. They
rarely question this correlation between their circumstances and
feelings. Yet it is possible to be content in any and every situation.
Put more energy into trusting Me and enjoying My Presence.
Don't let your well-being depend on your circumstances. Instead,
connect your joy to My precious promises: (Phi. 4:12, 19; Gen. 28:15;
Rom. 8:38-39) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Peace is My continual gift to you. It flows abundantly from
My throne of grace. Just as the Israelites could not store up manna
for the future but had to gather it daily, so it is with My Peace.
The day-by-day collecting of manna kept My people aware of their
dependence on Me. Similarly, I give you sufficient Peace for the present,
when you come to me by prayer and petition with thanksgiving. If I
gave you permanent Peace, independent of My Presence, you might fall
into the trap of self-sufficiency. May that never be!
I have designed you to need Me moment by moment. As your
awareness of your neediness increases, so does your realization of My
abundant sufficiency. I can meet every one of your needs without draining
My resources at all. Approach My throne of grace with bold
confidence, receiving My Peace with a thankful heart. (Exo. 16:15-20; Phi.
4:6, 7, 19; Heb. 4:16) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Your needs and My riches are a perfect fit. I never meant for
you to be self-sufficient. Instead, I designed you to need Me not
only for daily bread but also for fulfillment of deep yearnings. I
carefully crafted your longings and feelings of incompleteness, to point
you to Me. Therefore, do not try to bury or deny these feelings.
Beware also of trying to pacify these longings with lesser gods:
people, possessions, power.
Come to Me in all your neediness, with defenses down and with
desire to be blessed. As you spend time in My Presence, your deepest
longings are fulfilled. Rejoice in your neediness, which enables you to
find intimate completion in Me. (Phi. 4:19; Col. 2:2, 3) [Jesus
Calling by Sarah Young]
Trust Me enough to let things happen without striving to
predict or control them, Relax, and refresh yourself in the Light of My
everlasting Love, My Love-Light never dims, yet you are often unaware of My
radiant Presence. When you project yourself into the future, rehearsing
what you will do or say, you are seeking to be sell-sufficient: to be
adequate without My help. This is a subtle sin - so common that it
usually slips by unnoticed.
The alternative is to live fully in the present, depending on
Me each moment. Rather than fearing your inadequacy, rejoice in My
abundant supply. Train your mind to seek My help continually, even when
you feel competent to handle something by yourself. Don't divide
your life into things you can do by yourself and things that require
My help. Instead, learn to rely on Me in every situation. This
discipline will enable you to enjoy life more and to face each day
confidently. (Psa. 37:3-6; Phi. 4:19) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
I am the greatest gift imaginable! When you have Me, you have
everything you need - for this life and the next. I have promised to meet
all your needs according to My glorious riches. Yet My loved ones
sometimes fail to enjoy the riches I provide because of an ungrateful
attitude. Instead of rejoicing in all that they have, they long for what
they do not have. As a result, they become discontented.
I'm training you to practice the sacrifice of thanksgiving -
thanking Me in all circumstances. First, give thanks for the blessings
you can see in your life. Then stop and ponder the awesome gift of
knowing Me. I am your living God, your loving Savior, your constant
Companion. No matter how much or how little you have in this world, your
relationship with Me makes you immeasurably rich. So whenever you are
counting your blessings, be sure to include the infinite wealth you have
in Me. Add Me into the equation, and your gratitude will grow
exponentially. Whatever you have + Me = an incalculable fortune! (Phi. 4:19;
Psa. 116:17; 1Th. 5:18) [Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
What a source - "God"! What a supply - "his glorious riches"!
What a channel - "Christ Jesus"! It is your heavenly privilege to
trust "all your needs" to "his glorious riches," and to forget "your
needs" in the presence of "his riches." In His great love, He has
thrown open to you His exhaustive treasury. Go in and draw upon Him in
simple childlike faith, and you will never again have the need to rely
on anything else. C. H. M. [Streams In The Desert By Cowman]
Whether the need be spiritual or temporal, God will withhold no
good thing from the righteous (Ps. 84:11). [SDA Bible Commentary]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20051005-0924.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
