Passage: Philippians 4:10-23

The Big Idea

Paul closes Philippians with a piercing question for us: how much of your life are you willing to live by faith? A godly life flows from a mind transformed by Jesus, and it produces a strange, deep contentment. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” isn’t about using Jesus to change our circumstances; it’s about receiving His strength to honor God in whatever circumstances He’s placed us. The Philippians gave sacrificially and held nothing back, trusting that “my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Like the widow’s empty jars, He fills every empty vessel we bring Him.

How Much by Faith?

We close our study of Philippians with a piercing question: How much of your life are you willing to live by faith?

My prayer is that throughout this study you’ve been surrendering more and more of your life to Jesus.

Your life matters. Every part of it. In the end, what will matter is how we loved. God is love, so a godly life is a life that loves people.

Loving each other is the purpose of all these “thinking lessons.” A godly life follows the transformation of our thought life in Jesus.

And when you live a godly life, something strange happens: you become deeply content.

At peace with your life and your place in the world.
At peace with your trials and troubles.
At peace with your job and your family.
A strange, unexplainable peace follows those who walk with God.

There’s an old story of a desert monk named Arsenius who left the comforts of Egyptian society to live simply in the wilderness. Yet whenever he visited the great city of Alexandria, he wandered through its marketplaces. When asked why, he said his heart rejoiced at seeing all the things he didn’t need. In a culture flooded with goods and gadgets, that’s worth pondering.

Rejoicing in Their Care (4:10)

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again. You were concerned, but you lacked opportunity.

Paul is saying: I’ve seen God at work in your lives, and I’m trusting Him to complete it.
My troubles aren’t just about me; they’re also about you. They gave you an opportunity to love. So I thank God for my troubles.
Let your brothers and sisters know about your troubles, not in worry, but in faith.

I Have Learned Contentment (4:11)

Not that I speak from need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.

John Bunyan put it in a simple song:

He that is down needs fear no fall,
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much:
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such.

By faith, I can be content. I can never be content if I don’t trust God’s will and plan for my life.
I can gladly accept my situation. I can joyfully say God won’t leave or forsake me, even when it looks like He has.
This doesn’t come naturally. It’s learned. How? Only by going through hard things and experiencing God in them.
Paul treated his suffering as a learning experience, because he was humble.
So often we respond to suffering with bitterness, calling it unfair:
“Why do I have to go through this?”
“Why is God being so hard on me?”
“I didn’t do anything to deserve this!”
“I won’t follow a God who lets me hurt!”
Imagine an athlete complaining like that about training. Coaches have no time for someone who doesn’t want to get better.
But our God is patient. When we look to Him in faith in our suffering, He uses it to grow our faith and fruitfulness. Our love increases.

Full and Hungry (4:12)

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In every circumstance I’ve learned the secret of being full and hungry, of having plenty and being in need.

There’s a right way to have plenty:

thankfulness;
humility;
giving;
faith;
Jesus.

And there’s a right way to be in need:

thankfulness;
humility;
receiving;
faith;
Jesus.

All Things Through Christ (4:13)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Abounding or in need, and everything in between: these are outward circumstances.
This is not a verse about changing your world to suit your desires.
Many people put this verse on coffee mugs and tattoos.
But some think it’s about using Jesus to change their world: “Don’t like your life? Use Jesus to change it! I want comfort, wealth and popularity. I can do all things!”
That’s a heart sickness.
It’s a heart that needs to surrender to God’s will first, then commit to honor Him right where you are.
It’s about accepting your circumstances and glorifying God in them.
It’s receiving from Jesus Himself what you need to do the right thing in the middle of your circumstances.
We have to learn to go to Jesus first with our needs and our heart, before we try to change any circumstance.
He hasn’t made a mistake in your life! He’s never made one. You can trust Him.
More than that, He’s promised to always be with you and provide everything you truly need, through grace.
That’s what grace is: God’s promise to give you what you need to honor Him, to do right whatever the trial, to glorify Him in trouble and in blessing.
And it comes through Jesus.
You can’t earn grace or deserve it, and it doesn’t just magically appear. It’s given to those who come to God in humility and ask in faith. That’s what “through Christ” means!
This is the system God established. It’s a covenant: the New Covenant.

So the “all things” here are the things that honor God. What does that look like? God’s good commands, summed up in loving God and loving others. We can’t do it on our own. So God provides Jesus to live it out through us! When we abide in Him and humbly ask for His power, we’re equipped to do what God wants. The same commands that seem impossible to the natural person become natural to someone filled with the Spirit and living by grace.

The Philippians’ Gift (4:14-18)

Paul says they did well to share in his trouble. From the beginning, when he left Macedonia, no other church partnered with him in giving and receiving but them. Even in Thessalonica they sent help again and again. He doesn’t seek the gift, but the fruit that increases to their account. He has everything he needs and more, since receiving their gifts through Epaphroditus: a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

They gave and gave and gave some more.
They did what was right even when it was difficult.
They had a supernatural ability called grace: being filled with the Spirit.
God is so good to us!
We can’t do anything right on our own, so He gives us His Son to live through us.
Then when we do something right, He rewards us!
His Spirit shows us what to do, empowers us to do it, keeps track of it and rewards us for it!
He’s like a father who sets his child up for success and then celebrates it.

My God Will Supply (4:19)

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

There’s no shortage in God’s riches in glory, so we can expect no shortage in His supply.
His grace is more than enough to depend on and trust.

The need here was specifically money. The Philippians gave generously to Paul’s ministry out of love. They weren’t preoccupied with their own needs. They loved him and honored God so much they put themselves at risk.

The “practical” mind doesn’t understand that. It doesn’t compute. The world’s way of thinking often says “survival of the fittest”: the strong deserve to thrive. But love values the weak and lowly. Love gives itself away. That kind of love makes no sense apart from Jesus.

The Philippians gave their livelihood out of love so Paul’s work could continue.

How could they do this?

They believed God would supply all their needs: spiritual, physical, everything.

How could they be so confident?

They had already surrendered to His will.
They held nothing back. They considered their lives His.
They gave what was in their hearts to give, what the Holy Spirit led them to give through the desires He placed in them.
They demonstrated humility and faith, and they stepped right into the working of the New Covenant.

When you know you’re holding nothing back, your only hope is God’s goodness and faithfulness. That’s the secret of contentment. Stop assuming you know what’s best for your life (that’s pride). Trust your Father.

Does God reject someone who comes to Him in total dependence? No! He can’t. It’s against His name and nature. He gives grace to everyone who calls on Him through Jesus Christ.

So the Philippians lived with confident assurance that God could and would supply all their need.

Were they actually needier after giving their money away? Outwardly, perhaps. But they gave because they already understood how needy they were spiritually, and they became truly rich the moment they let go of earthly security.

God’s work doesn’t disappoint.
His grace doesn’t fail.
His riches are lavished on us at every point where we live by faith. Don’t believe me? Try it!
How many areas of your life will you live by faith? You get to choose.
The blessing is there for you. God wants to bless you with grace and fulfill you.

Bring Your Empty Vessels (2 Kings 4:1-7)

A widow of one of the prophets cried out to Elisha: her husband, who feared the Lord, had died, and a creditor was coming to take her two sons as slaves.

Elisha asked, “What can I do for you? What do you have in your house?” She said, “Nothing but a jar of oil.”

He told her, “Go borrow empty vessels from all your neighbors, and not just a few. Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all the vessels, setting each one aside as it fills.”

She did. Her sons brought the jars, and she poured. When every vessel was full, she said, “Bring me another.” Her son said, “There isn’t one left.” And the oil stopped.

She told Elisha, and he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”

All your need is like those empty vessels. Set them out!
My God is the One who fills them.
According to His riches in glory describes how He fills them: the oil keeps flowing until every available vessel is full.
By Christ Jesus describes how He meets our needs: our empty vessels are filled with Jesus in all His glory.

How many areas of your life will you live by faith?

How many empty vessels will you bring to the Lord? How often will you come empty, so He can fill you with the oil of His Spirit? Your marriage, your job, your mornings, lunches and evenings, your relationships.

Often the hardest part of life is dealing with other people.

Jesus is very clear about how to treat people: love them. Love them. Love them more. Treat them the way you want to be treated. Speak the truth in love.

Jesus said to give, and it will be given to you, a generous measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. The measure you use for others will be used for you (Luke 6:38).

Pour out your life for others.
God will reward a loving life.
God sees what’s done in secret. He sees you loving “the least of these”: your spouse, your children, people who can’t pay you back.
Let the Holy Spirit search your heart. Are you holding anything back? Doubting Him in any area?

Your life matters. You have people to love and serve. If you’re not sure where, ask the Lord, and look around your church family. There are plenty of opportunities.

Your life matters. God can and will use you if you bring Him your empty vessels. He’ll supply all your needs. You can do all the loving things through Christ who strengthens you.

Grace Be with You (4:20-23)

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers with me send greetings. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Even in Caesar’s household, the gospel had taken root. And Paul ends where he began: with grace.

Grace Takeaway

Paul learned contentment in prison, and the Philippians learned generosity in poverty, and both learned it the same way: by trusting a Father whose riches never run out. You don’t use Jesus to change your circumstances. You receive Jesus to honor God in them. So set out your empty vessels, every one of them, and hold nothing back. The oil won’t stop flowing until every vessel is full. My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

For Discussion

How much of your life are you living by faith?
What are the most important parts of your life? Your most important hours?
What are your most productive hours? Your least?
Are you content with your place in life and the world right now?
When you go through something hard, do you ever question God’s plan?
Read Philippians 4:13. Have you ever used this verse when wanting your circumstances to change? What does it really mean? Do you seek to honor God where you are? When have you succeeded in this? What does it mean to honor God?
Read 1 Corinthians 6:20. How can we do this?
Read 2 Timothy 2:21. Why do we honor the Lord with our lives?

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