“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
When Paul wrote the letter to the believers in Phillippi, he did so as a prisoner of Nero in Rome. And yet, in that epistle there is an evident attitude of triumph and victory, springing forth from his heart and soul. How can this be? And is such an overcoming life available to every believer, regardless of his circumstances. What was Paul’s secret? The answer to this question began the day when the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to Saul of Tarsus. In the vision that the Lord Jesus gave to Paul, there was enough power to shatter false ideas, speculations, and suppositions. The world of Saul of Tarsus changed that day, not the world in and of itself, but Paul was radically changed in his view of it. The change began in his mind, where the lies were replaced with the truth, where death and deception were replaced by life and power. The Lord Jesus gave to Paul that day a vision of the truth, first concerning who He truly was, and then, a knowledge of who Paul was in comparison with God. The point was hammered home in the quietness of his blindness for three days, where Paul was brought face to face with that which was totally unanticipated, and totally disruptive to his life and perspective. He had been brought face to face with eternal reality of a nature and scope that completely eclipsed all that he knew and was. The victorious life, that Paul would come to know, and which sought to communicate to every believer possible, had its beginning in a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Throughout the epistle to the Philippians, there are salient features which give us a vision of spiritual reality, that if believed and laid hold of, will transform the life. One of the first truths which the Spirit of God would use to edify, and bless, the believers, so that they would reach beyond what they could “ask or think,” is found in chapter one, verse six, where Paul writes: “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” The believer is brought face to face with the spiritual fact that, as God has worked and moved in the heart and soul to bring the individual to saving faith, he will not stop there. He will most certainly continue that work in a mighty way, as much as the believer is willing to trust Him, so that the Life of Christ should be revealed in his life, and this, in an ever-increasing manner. He then prays for them that their love may abound. Why? That greatest of attributes of God revealed to man is the love of God. This is central, and basic, to any true and lasting transformative experience with Christ. Thirdly, Paul plainly, powerfully, and convincingly states the essence of this victorious life which all are called to know. He writes: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (1:23) Christ is not only the “idea”,” the absolute truth, of all that God would communicate to man of Himself, He is the very essence and power. He is life itself. As one author put it so simply: “Christianity IS Christ.”
The Apostle Paul, by the Spirit, in seeking to communicate this vision of Christ to the Philippians, draws the contrast between the value of the experiential knowledge of Christ, and every lesser thing: “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” (3:8) Beyond giving to the believer this revelation of the worth of knowing Christ, he speaks of the attitude of rejoicing in Christ, believing Him for ALL things. Because of the believer’s union with Christ, he believes Christ will strengthen him in all things. And he knows that there is nothing lacking in Christ, God will supply all his need, and all believer’s needs, “…according to the riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (4:19)
Dear Father, Give us grace every moment to appropriate all in Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.