Now or Never: Daily Promise 21
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“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
The Apostle Paul offers us three faith builders in his letter to the Philippians that enabled him to thrive each day no matter what the circumstances, even while imprisoned in Rome for preaching the Good News of Jesus. These faith builders will help you and me overcome the fear or regret that would rob us of experiencing all that God wants to accomplish in our lives. Rather than just survive the hardships he faced, his faith thrived, and the gospel advanced! He knew that although good and evil may run on parallel tracks, fear, and faith can’t occupy the same space. What are these three faith builders?
First: God’s promises are more reliable than our feelings. Paul knew that hard is not the opposite of good and that no matter how hard the times were or how bad he felt, God was still good. He trusted in God’s promises to meet all his needs and fixed his mind’s attention not on the hard times but on the promises of God to get him through and accomplish His purpose through it all. When you’re going through hard times, it’s so easy only to see the pain and the problems. Shift your focus to God’s promises. They are more reliable than our feelings.
Second: God’s power is greater than my circumstances. Probably the best-known verse in Paul’s prison letter of Philippians is a passage you’re familiar with but may too often forget to apply when you’re going through difficult, even overwhelming circumstances. This promise is a reminder that nothing can come into our lives but that God’s power is not greater! It’s a promise that whatever you’re facing right now or in the days to come; God will give you the power to deal with it. If you’re unfamiliar with this promise, you may want to pause and meditate on it for a while and memorize it now. It’s in Philippians 4:13 (NKJV), and it’s one of my go-to promises when I’m facing overwhelming circumstances. It says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
When my problems seem greater than God’s power, I like to remember this promise. It reminds me that if God brought me to it, God will bring me through it. His strength will enable you too. God’s power is greater than our circumstances.
Third: God’s purpose is higher than my understanding. Contrary to what Paul’s friends may have thought that his ministry was over, and the gospel would be censored because of his imprisonment, he wrote in Philippians 1:12 (MSG), “I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered.” Go figure!
This faith builder, of the three, is one of the most challenging. We can’t possibly understand how God will accomplish His purpose at times. The truth is, His purpose is higher and much greater, than my understanding. So Paul offers this promise in Philippians 1:6 (NLT) that helps me to keep my focus on this faith builder. He writes, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” I can’t tell you how much hope that brings me to keep believing God even when nothing makes sense. And as if that were not enough, he adds this in Philippians 4:7 (CEV), “Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Praise God!
Even when living in a broken world with really hard circumstances, we can still have peace! We don’t obey because it makes sense. We obey because we trust God’s love. He’s not done. Look at how much greater and far-reaching a ministry Paul had because of his imprisonment. We have this letter today because he believed he could do all things through Christ, who gave him strength. Imagine what God may want to do through you and me if we keep trusting God’s promises as more reliable than our feelings, trusting God’s power as greater than our circumstances, and trusting God’s purpose as higher than our understanding.
You and I may never know this side of heaven all that God has accomplished through our lives. But we can know that we can do all things, everything He created us to do, through Christ who gives us strength!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.