Living His Word (March 17th, 2022)

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13 KJV

The present era is an in-between time. We are in-between the inauguration of the Kingdom of God on earth at the first coming of Jesus Christ and its complete manifestation at His second coming. Jesus, for example, preached that the Kingdom of God had come to the people of His day (Luke 11:20), but He also said that we should pray “Your Kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10).

The fact that we live in this in-between time means that we already see manifestations of God’s kingdom everywhere, but it also means that we do not yet see the fullness of the Kingdom everywhere. There is a tension between the already and the not yet. We see great victories, but we also see great challenges and oppositions. We see healings of health, but we still see sickness and death. Given this state of affairs, it follows that the Christian life requires that we be able to handle whatever comes our way; it requires that we be able to handle the already and the not yet.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Philippians 4:10 KJV

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Philippians 4:11 KJV

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Philippians 4:12 KJV

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13 KJV

In Philippians 4:10-13 Paul tells the Philippian church that he has learned how to handle one aspect of the already and the not yet.

He has learned how to abound with everything he needs and he has learned how to suffer need. He has learned how to be full and how to be hungry. It is in this context that he says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul is not saying that he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants because of Christ’s strengthening; he’s saying he can handle the already and the not yet of the Christian life.

What Paul had learned was how to be content no matter what state he was in (Philippians 4:11). He did not complain when he was in need and he did not complain when he was abounding. Jesus Christ’s presence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit enabled him to stay in control of himself no matter what came his way.

Whether in an already situation or a not yet situation, there will be temptations to complain today. Let us learn, like Paul, how to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:1‭-‬4 KJV