Text:           PHILIPPIANS 4:10 -13

By:              BRO. SUNDAY EYANRIN (EVANGELIST)

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Phil 4:10-13 – 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned  in  whatever  state  I  am,  to  be content: 12 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. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. NKJV

Brethren, after reading our Text, for a proper Understanding Of Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Philippian Brethren, and By Implication, To Us At Grey Street Warri. This Message is Classified into Four Sub – Headings.

1. Paul’s Love For The Philippian Church vs 10
2. He Trusted The Sovereignty of God Towards Him. Vs11
3. Paul’s Secret Of Facing Plenty And Hunger vs 12
4. He Received Christ’s Continual Strengthening vs 13

1. Paul’s Love For The Philippian Church Vs 10

“I  rejoiced  in  the  Lord  greatly  that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned  for  me,  but  you  had  no opportunity.” (Philippians 4:10).

When  he finally celebrates their financial gift, he does it in a particular way: “I rejoiced in the Lord  greatly that now  at  length you  have  revived your concern for me.“ First, notice how Paul did not thank them for money, but the revival of their concern for him. He never directly mentions the gift, but instead  celebrates  what  it  indicated:  they cared for him!

Paul,  of  course,  cared  intensely for  the Philippians. He had gone to their city at God’s   direction. He loved Lydia, the jailer, and everyone connected to them. He was not  happy  how  he had  to  leave them so soon. He sent co-laborers of his to   follow up  with  them and  develop their understanding of Scripture. And he had prayed  for  them over  the  years. He loved the Philippians.

But, now,  through their gift, he saw evidence  of their love for  him! And he loved their love, cherished it, for it meant their relationship together was alive and flourishing. Though other churches had forgotten or challenged Paul, the Philippians had not, but had supported their apostle. And their support  was evidence of their care.

This  reminds us of Jesus’ teaching. One day he was questioned by a religious leader: “Teacher, which is  the  greatest commandment in the  Law?”  Jesus’ replied . “You shall  love  the  Lord  your God with all your  heart and with all your soul  and with all  your mind. This  is the first and great   commandment. And a second   is  like it: You  shall   love  your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend  all  the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40).

Paul loved God. And he loved others. And this is one reason he was able to enter into contentment.

2. He Trusted The Sovereignty Of God Towards Him 

11 “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” We’ve already looked at the statement, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” I want us to notice here,  Paul’s confession: “Not that I am speaking of being in need.”

Immediately after thanking them for reviving their care for him, he sought to set the record straight.  He  hadn’t  felt  he  was  a  man  in need.  Remember, Paul wrote this letter from prison. Called by God to bring the gospel to the nations, to kings and all in authority, and his Jewish brethren, freedom might have been  beneficial  to  Paul.  But  instead  of feeling  he  needed  anything,  he  thought himself well supplied by God.

This  remind me of a song we  sing  about our  “good, good  Father,”  Paul believed it. Paul  believed  not  only  in  God’s  love toward him,   but God’s sovereignty. He believed God is sovereign over His creation (Colossians 1:16). He believed God directs the  periods  and  borders of nations (Acts 17:26). He believed God is in control of governmental authorities, and that those that exist have been instituted by God (Romans 13:1).

He believed God was sovereign over his life, knowing God  had  set  him  apart  before he was even born (Galatians 1:15-16). And he believed God would work all things in his life for good (Romans 8:28). So, there in prison, Paul wasn’t going to lose faith and start believing that God has suddenly abandoned him . He strongly believe that even in the prison cell. Christ is   with him. If there was ever a man who sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, it was Paul.

3. Paul’s Secret of Facing Plenty and Hunger (Philippians 4:12)

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” (Philippians.4:12) In his imprisonment, and    also  through  his  years  of  service  to Christ, Paul had learned the secret of contentment. He  learned how to live in God’s peace no matter the situation.

God initiated Paul by taking him through full human life experience. Consider the following situations: He’d been brought low, but had also abounded. He had faced plenty, but also hunger. He’d lived in abundance, but also need. Paul’s summation to all these  was that he could handle “any and every circumstance of life.

He’d  been up and down, left and right, at both  ends  of  his  life.  And,  in all  places, God  had   been  there   for   him.  He  was content at  all  times. In considering Paul’s claims, it is easy for us to   recall the times Paul  endured  hardship.  His  entire  Christian life was filled with difficulty. He suffered imprisonment and persecution frequently, along with hostility for the sake of the gospel. His mission was a difficult one, and traveling throughout the ancient world was no joke. Paul suffered.

One specific passage of Scripture pointedly reminds us  of Paul’s pain was 2 Corinthians.11:16-33, Paul was under the attack of false-teachers, who  had begun to despise weakness or suffering of any kind. Their new “super-apostles” boasted of their pain-free lives. So Paul, in return, also began to boast for his     cause for   Christ. He recounted his beatings, shipwrecks, nights drifting  on  the  open  sea,  times  he  was robbed, persecutions, and the like.

4. He Received Christ’s Continual Strengthening (4:13) 

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13). Here is the secret to the entire passage. Paul was  able  to  do  the  “all  things”  of  the  full human life experience, because in every situation, he leaned on Christ to strengthen him. By the Spirit, the Lord infused Paul with the energy and mindset needed to face the day.

 So Paul said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  “When Paul said, “all things,” he  did not mean anything  ridiculous, such as saying there was nothing beyond   his  powers. He didn’t mean he could do Yahoo – Yahoo through Christ who strengthened him.  Nor live without Christian fellowship or prayer. He did not mean “I can sin through Christ who strengthens me.“ What Paul meant is found in the immediate context.

To  be  brought  low, or to abound, to face plenty or hunger, Paul could do it all through the power of Christ in him. The life of Jesus would be made manifest through Paul’s life. Jesus’  power  would  become  Paul’s  power. But the secret of Paul’s contentment,  was his dependence upon Christ. Daily, he looked to the Lord to fill his mind and body and soul and spirit with everything needed to face that day.

Jesus  came.  Jesus  lived.  Jesus  died  and rose   again.   He   then   ascended   to   the Father’s right hand, where He intercedes for us. But He also, after His ascension, declared, in Matt.28:20b “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. NKJV

WHAT CAN WE TAKE HOME AS OUR LEARNING POINT FROM THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIAN 4:10 – 13?

1. TRUST IN GOD – We must learn to Trust in God, in whatever Situation we find ourselves. In Plenty or In Hunger, In Bond or In Freedom. For our life is in God.

2. PRAYER – We  must  learn  to  Pray  all  the time. 5: 17, says we must learn to Pray all the time. In what ever Situation we find ourselves, In Good Times or In Bad Times. For Prayer is our Key to every break through in our Christian life. Remember the case of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25 – 26.

3. THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH – CHRIST is our Strength as declared by Apostle Paul in 4:13. “I  can  do  all  things  through Christ that Strengthens me. May the Lord be our Strength and  Comfort  in  Jesus Name – Amen.

I WILL LOVE TO ROUND UP THIS MESSAGE WITH THE SONG TAKE THINGS HO EASY EASY IN YOUR LIFE.

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