I can do anything?

Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

How many times have we heard Philippians 4:13 quoted to prove we can accomplish anything? This verse is one of the most grossly misused verses in scripture. Those who hold to the worldly teachings of “the power of positive thinking” twist this verse or quote it out of context to prove a doctrine not found in the Bible. This verse along with a few others deserve to be defended and kept from the hands of those who pluck verses out of the Bible for the defense of their own human doctrines.

Philippians 4:10-19 says, “I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Paul is thanking the Philippian Christians for the money that they sent to support Paul’s ministry. He notes that he is thankful but points out he has learned to be content whether rich or poor, with much or with little. Then he says “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” So what Paul is saying in the context is not that we can do anything we want through Christ’s strength but rather that we can handle any situation we may find ourselves in through Christ’s strength. There is a big difference between saying I can do anything I want with Christ’s strength and saying I can handle any situation that comes my way with Christ’s strength, even situations I don’t want. God does not always give us the power to do whatever we want or accomplish any goal we set, but he does give us the strength to handle whatever success or failure, progress or problem that we may face. There is a big difference between saying I can do everything I want and saying I can do everything that comes my way, even what I don’t want to do.

If we take time to read Philippians 4:13 in context, we find the apostle Paul claiming to be able to handle whatever circumstance he finds himself in with contentment rather than him being able to change every circumstance to his will. Paul could not do everything he ever wanted. There were several cases in Scripture where Paul wanted something but was prevented from having or doing what he wanted. Here are some examples:

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul explains, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Also in Acts 16:6-7 Scripture says, “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”

Paul was also prevented from visiting the people in Rome many times as Paul says in Romans 1:13 says, “I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.”

There are many other cases throughout the Bible of faithful men and women of God who wanted to do one thing but could not because God would not allow them. If you’re familiar with the Bible you could probably think of a few right off the top of your head. I just chose three examples from Paul’s life because he is the author whom God inspired to write Philippians 4:13. The lesson of Scripture is not that God gives us everything we want but He gives us, through faith, everything we need. Sometimes His grace is all we get and it is sufficient.

How many times have building programs, new ministries, and false doctrines been based upon the idea that we can do everything, no matter how difficult, through Christ who gives us strength. Now don’t get me wrong I am not against all building programs or new ventures in ministry, but it’s wrong to twist this Scripture to support what may not be God’s will. Each new venture should be judged worthy upon its own planning or merit, not on the false idea that all things we try in Christ will succeed.

I am, however, against all false doctrine and the false teachers who love to pluck verses out of context. They will build a theology on humanism or new age philosophy, illustrate it with cute stories and modern illustrations and then act as if it has Biblical credence by pulling one lone verse out of context to make it seem as if the Bible supports their conjecture, when the Bible makes no such promise and adheres to no such principle.

It is true that if you are always negative and believe you can’t do anything, then you won’t. However, positive thinking alone will not accomplish any goal. Just because you believe you can, it does not mean you can. Now, if a person does not believe God can save him, he will, of course, be lost. But conversely, just because you believe God can save you does not mean you are saved. Mormon’s, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslims all believe God can save them. But they are lost. The Heaven’s Gate cult members thought that by killing themselves, they could be transported on to the spaceship hidden in the tail of the Hale-Bop Comet. But all that positive thinking brought them to a rude awakening in Hades.

It’s true that if you believe you are going to lose a basketball game, you probably will. But no matter how hard I believe I’ll win, wont matter, if I didn’t train, practice and prepare or if I am incapable of accomplishing it. All the positive thinking, practice and perseverance in the world won’t get a quadriplegic to the NBA finals. You have to believe you can, before you can. But you also have to believe in something that is true. You can’t claim promises you don’t have. If you can’t do something or God does not promise you you can do something, all the believing and positive thinking in the world wont help you. “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength,” means I can handle whatever circumstance is presented and find contentment. Now that is a promise. God doesn’t promise to take away all our problems. He just gives us the strength to handle them with contentment whether good or bad, boom or bust. God does not make us content by giving us what we want but by teaching us to handle problems and be content even when we don’t get what we want.

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