Day 6
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 NKJV
Today this verse reminded me of both the simple and the great things that we encounter on this journey of pursuing God.
For each of us there are times when facing a particular day can seem unbearable. For others, it might be the desperate need for a long awaited miracle, and the fortitude to continue to wait and trust while it seems like it is failing to unfold.
Yet this verse offers strength for each season of my life. Everything that God has placed in my life He has given me what I need to do it and to do it in a manner that produces an overcomer. What hope we really have. He is good.
This verse starts very personal. I, Freda, not some other guy, or just the guys in the Bible, but me, in my life, in my moment, in my days of victory or my moments of greatest personal discouragement. I, Freda, can, am able to, am capable of. What am I capable of? Of doing, accomplishing, and achieving all things.
All things speak of entirely, each thing, every little thing, every condition, any thing. This causes me to remember today that each thing God lays before me, I am capable of doing. He does not ask for my obedience in some thing and then not give me what I need to obey. He says, You have what you need to do, to accomplish to achieve all that I have asked of you.”
The interesting thing is that so many times I find myself trying to “do” this in my own strength. Yet, if you carry on in this verse you will see that He never once asked me to do this in my strength. Actually, He tells me how the job will get done. Through Christ. Through the Good Shepherd. Through is; the result of, or because of, or at the hand of. At the Hand of Christ we can do all things.
I can’t do all things through myself. That is a false hope and it will produce failed results and a frustrated heart. It will make me angry when I don’t live up to the expectations, but when I understand that there is a way to do what He has asked and even that has been made through Him. He really is the Way. In every way.
So, I am seeing more and more that Freda really is able to do much more than she thinks, IF she will submit her heart to let the Good Shepherd be the WAY.
Don’t get me wrong, God does not step in and say, “never mind, I will do this for you.” He simple leads us and guides us and empowers us to do what He has asked us to do. This does not leave me off the hook. Quite the opposite. I must be willing to submit to His road and His walk. He will then strengthen my heart. Strengthen implies a lot of wonderful things like; increase, establish, restore, renew, build up, sustain, and invigorate.
Every bit of Freda’s journey is about her connection to her Father. If I am willing to go through Him, I can do all things and will be strengthened and renewed for every thing, whether small or great.
Where can you find any other love like that? We have a God who supplies us the way to accomplish everything that is ever laid out to be worked out in our lives.
Freda can do all things through Christ (THE WAY) who strengthens her. Today I choose not to make my own way, but to embrace the way, truth, and life. He really is enough for every thing I will ever need. Whether it is the strength to change an attitude in my life or change a nation. He is the way.
Comments(9)
evie says:
January 10, 2014 at 2:05 pmattitude how i look at things
lord change me not the person im complicating about
yes good food for though
Irma Vanderzwaag says:
January 10, 2014 at 7:33 pmIn this verse the word that jumped out at me was “can”. So often we. say I “can’t ” . because in our own strength we fell we can not and that ends the thought there we can not go any further. But if I change all my “can nots” to CAN a whole new thought process opens up for me …..how am I going to do this ???? I must turn my thoughts to Christ. and it says I can because He strengthens me…..Totally unable to to totally empowered!!! I find it so exciting that that this can happen instantly !
I am turning all my can nots over to him and say I can be cause he strengthens me to do all things through Him !!!
Sue Holmes says:
January 10, 2014 at 10:02 pmI lost track of how many times I’ve heard or read this verse over the years. It’s been one of those Biblical ‘catch phrases’ that has been used by very well meaning people to pump one up or keep a person on a forward moving track. But said enough times/heard enough times it can lose it’s meaning … until forced to take it apart word by word and put it back together again. 🙂
Several things came to mind in examining this verse. First, I desperately need an enabler. Circumstances in life have shown me over and over that ‘I’ can’t. There are things beyond my control. There are things that are more than I can handle. There are things that are impossible with me but very possible with God (Luke 18:27). Life was meant to be lived … lived abundantly and I can’t do it on my own. I’ve tried and for the most part my efforts have pulled me down and left me exhausted. The results have been shame, discouragement, and failure. These are the very things our enemy excels in.
But this scripture offers HOPE. I can do all things through Christ! The Message version says “I can make it”. The Amplified says “I’m ready for anything”. Put Christ in the picture, let Him be the one through Whom I “live and move and have my being” (as Paul explained to the Athenians – Acts 17:28) and everything changes. I CAN … through HIM.
But it doesn’t stop there. This isn’t just Christ stepping up to the plate and doing life for me. It isn’t a picture of a parent stepping in and doing everything for their child because they don’t want to take (or have) the time to teach. He is strengthening me … to act, to live, to do all things … to do my Father’s will.
The verse starts with ‘I’ and ends with ‘me’. Christ is the connecting point … in the very middle. Somedays He is the life ring that I hold on to when I feel like the waves are too high around me and I am telling myself “in Him I can make it”. Somedays He is the big Brother stepping out between me and the bully (the father of lies). Somedays He is by my side teaching and training, telling me that with Him “I am ready for anything” . As I have looked at these verses this week He has been all three and more. Always He is my Defender, my Enabler, my Co-labourer and my Saviour.
I love how ready King David was to admit that he needed to ‘hide himself in God’. If he needed that with all his strength and power … how much more do I. 🙂
Karen says:
January 11, 2014 at 1:05 amI have tried to do “all things” through Karen and let’s just say some things fall through the cracks. This verse challenges me to work on “outsourcing” my strength to Christ when I attempt the “all things” and I will see better results. My prayer, “Lord, turn me to your strength……always!!!
Sue says:
January 10, 2014 at 10:56 pmI love the way you put this Karen. I love the idea of ‘outsourcing’. It’s liberating!
Patricia and Keith says:
January 10, 2014 at 10:05 pmI can: Positive, no debate, no doubt, assured. I am enabled. It is made possible for me. I overcome.
Do all things: Nothing I cannot do. No reason to hang back, to stay on the sidelines afraid of failure. Without limit, I am set free.
Through Christ: Because of Him. Only in Him. He`s there for me so I can do things through Him. By Christ`s power, because of the One through Whom all things were made because I am His.
Who strengthens me: Lifts me up. Encourages me. Pushes me when necessary. Who is my Heavenly Father who loves and guides me. Who is the root of true strength, Who upholds me, in Whom I am bold, Who gives me courage.
How does this apply to our lives?: I can just give things to God. I can do all things, after all… I should have complete confidence in Christ.
What to do: Be in prayer and thanksgiving. Pray for this and practice stepping out.
Pat McRae says:
January 10, 2014 at 11:54 pmWell this verse although I have quoted it often made me stop and ask a lot of questions. I can’t do all things so why does it say I can? This was the question I kept asking today until the Holy Spirit started to show me what I think God is saying. Jesus said He only did what the Father told Him to do. Scripture is full of His healing people but He didn’t heal everyone because scripture records the disciples healing people who would of been in Jesus’ path after He had gone to heaven. So this is now how I see this verse. I, Pat, can do whatever God is asking me to do, not in my strength, but in Christ’s strength. Those things in my life that I have not been able to do was not because I couldn’t, it was because God had not asked me to do it. Therefore, I was trying to do them in my strength. So now when I find I “can’t” I need to see who is asking and where is the strength coming from. God is so good! As I read everyone’s thoughts, and although we each expressed them differently I believe God gave us all the same message. What an exciting trip we are on as we ponder His Word and He opens it up to us. I am so encouraged to see how He is at work bringing life, light and liberty to us through His Word. I have only met Pastor Freda but I feel like you all are family. God’s richest blessings to you all as you encourage each other.
Susan Craig says:
January 11, 2014 at 12:53 amI can do all things but will I?? I think there is a step of faith involved in the transition from can to will. Yesterday I was thinking I can’t-and the reality is that in my own strength I really can’t do anything, let alone ALL things. But in Christ,drawing strength from His bountiful supply,I really can do all the things He wants me to do- but will I? Will I take that step forward and put this verse to the test!! The only way I can know He is my strength is to step out and actually take Him at His word-But also thanking Him that He is sufficient and so willing and able to share His strength with me! Thank you Jesus!!
Jim Holmes says:
January 11, 2014 at 1:14 pmThis verse says it plainly….Because He lives…I too live, but not I. It is God working in us. It is Jesus that does all things through us and it is Jesus who strengthens us. First however…we must be willing and we will indeed have His desire if we would just taste and see, that the Word is good. None is good, but God. Ted MacDougall who at one time preached in the Free Church of Scotland on PEI, explained to us that as you grow in the word you will discover a picture of the cross growing within you…. Think about that….that you have been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20….that you live by faith in the Son of God Who lives in your body…that you have been wonderfully saved. You escaped the snare of the devil. “All things through Christ Who” tells me that outside of Jesus, you can do nothing. It reminds me of when Pilate stood before Jesus saying “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”(from the gospel of John) Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” Jesus came from above and He had the power to lay down His life for you and I. Outside of Jesus we can do nothing. And yet…”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil.4:13)