Philippians 4:19 (NCV)
My God will use
his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need.
The fourth chapter
of Philippians contains many very well-known quotable and memorable verses:
Verse(s)
4 Rejoice
in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
God and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding shall guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 ……whatever is
true….honorable…right….pure….lovely….good repute…..if there is any excellence
and anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
11 …….for
I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
13 I can
to all things through Him who strengthens me.
and this one in v.
19…….all of these Philippians chapter 4 verses offer many promises that give us
great encouragement and hope.
What is the promise in 4:19? All your needs will be supplied by your God
who takes care of you. What are your
needs? Notice that this does not state
your “wants”. Whenever you are praying
for something, is that something a need or a want? Some believe that this verse supports the
“name it, claim it” teaching of some Christian pastors, but that is false
teaching. This verse does not say that
your “greeds” will be met. Your needs do
include health, food, shelter, clothing and a few other material needs and, if
you are lacking any of these, you should be asking God for what you lack. But, your needs also include building
Christlike character, being encouraged, being forgiven, Christian growth, and
other mental, emotional, social, and spiritual needs (e.g. wisdom, assurance,
faithfulness, strength, etc.).
Why may all your needs not be met yet? God may be requiring you to learn a lesson or
two first. One great lesson we all need
to learn is to trust Him. Other lessons
might be learning to love more, be more patient, or be more humble.
Remember and reflect on this great
promise----God will supply all your needs, not just some of them (read also
Psalm 37:24-27 and Proverbs 3:9-10). He
supplies your needs according to His riches---His limitless wealth—your finite
mind cannot comprehend the cosmic view of God.
He blesses you through Jesus Christ, meaning that Jesus is your channel
of blessing. You ask God through Jesus;
that’s why you should always end your prayers “in the name of Jesus”.
Is there any verse of the Bible any more
precious and comforting than this one?
Is there any verse of the Bible that can give you more confidence that
God cares about your greatest needs?
What are your current needs? Make
sure that they are not selfish wants.
Ask God for them, praying in the name of Jesus. Then make a note of when those needs are met
and thank Him. See how much your faith
will grow as a result of your trust in the Lord meeting/supplying all of your
needs.
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