- I got saved when I was 15. Junior year in High School- I decided to ‘come out’ as a Christian and fully represent Christ in everything
- Everyone on the team called me “phil” and when I told them what it was for they laughed
- I thought the Bible verses would make me a better football player, it didn’t. they did though help me get through football and the ridicule
- Many people get the “I can do all things through Christ” verse wrong
- Its not that you can DO anything- the context is that you can GO through anything
- Phil 4: 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ[b] who strengthens me
- Title- You Can Do It!
Lets get into this thing
- Trust God no matter what
- Paul had been in Jail, awaiting support from his fellow brothers and sisters in the faith as he was enduring in Jail He says- I know you guys really wanted to help me, but you couldn’t
- 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
- Well, there wasn’t anyone going on a missionary journey near him- Epaphroditus came by and brought some money, but eventually- the support he needed from them came forward
- What does he do? Rejoices! Thank God that your care is flourishing!
- Notice- Paul doesn’t directly thank the Phillipian church- He realizes that its GOD he needs to be joyful in because of the individuals. He wasn’t upset about what wasn’t but what WAS
- The support of Paul was because the Phillipian church believed in what Paul was doing and who he WAS- so they wanted to support what he was doing
- Paul says- If I can do anything- I must realize that even though I may not see what I need in my hand- I know that God still loves me and people still care for me
- Just because there was a period of time where his support wasn’t coming didn’t mean that God wasn’t God- he was patient enough to wait and see it through
- Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
- Sometimes the separation between what you NEED and what you HAVE is ONLY because of the OPPORTUNITY hasn’t presented it self yet to those who are in a position to bless
- What does it mean to you?
- If you’re going through something, and you don’t feel like you have the support that you need- TRUST GOD that he’s WORKING IT OUT and that SOMETIMES its out of people’s hands that are trying to help you- when the opportunity comes- it will come!
- God isn’t God just because you’re going through something. IT TAKES TIME
- But if you’re going to GET THROUGH what you’re GOING THROUGH you’ve got to TRUST in GOD’s PROVISION
- Psalm 34:10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
- I remember when I was in the Army, low on money- I wanted to get another Job-
- Crystal said “pray” “what do you think, money is just going to show up in the mailbox”?
- Just because you don’t have it in your hand doesn’t mean God doesn’t have it in his PLAN
- Paul says, it wasn’t that you didn’t love me, its that you lacked opportunity- as soon as you found out- you immediately gave to me-
- Trust God enough to realize that he’s working it out even if the people around you don’t see it
- Another part here- The lesson wasn’t just to PAUL it was the Phillipian church- GIVING always releases BLESSINGS upon the receiver AND the giver!
- Think about this- YOU could be someone else’s answer from God-
- Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
- God rarely drops things from the sky- he USUALLY prompts his people to GIVE to those who are PRAYING
- Learn to deal with adversity
- 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
- “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content”
- That’s a powerful statement
- Paul was no slack- this guy had been through a lot
- Paul was: Stoned and left for dead. Beaten with rods three times. Whipped with 39 lashes five times. Attacked by an angry mob. Many death threats
- Paul’s response to Timothy after all of this?
- 2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
- And the hardships he endured? Shipwrecked three times and floated for 24 hours, Criticized by other Christians, Under arrest for two years without a trial, Bitten by a viper
- What did Paul say? 2 Timothy 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
- PAUL WENT THROUGH IT-
- READ- 2 Cor. 11:23-29
- And Paul says “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content”
- Its pretty damning to those of us who go through some pretty basic stuff and can’t seem to pull it together
- Here’s the part that I don’t understand- We who are in CHRIST are supposed to be TOUGH ENOUGH to go through some STUFF
- And I get it- its hard- life is hard- There have been times when I’m going through some stuff and I’m not sure if I can make it. I feel like quitting. I feel like giving up. I feel like throwing in the towel.
- But- I want to have the heart of Paul- To be content no matter what state I am in
- Doesn’t that sound like a better life than being at the whim of the world?
- Here’s the problem- We’ve become a Christian culture that whenever we have to deal with the slightest bit of discomfort, we assume that God has either left us, or we have done something wrong
- Our expectation is perfection at every turn.
- I get it- The Christian life is blessed- but often times, God isn’t doing anything to us, we have done it to ourselves
- Can I be honest? Sometimes, I get fed up with people that ask me to pray for people that are exactly where they are at because of their own doing
- They don’t need God to move in their circumstance, they need God to move in their brain and stop making horrible decisions
- And here’s where it ends up- We don’t want to experience pain
- So when we’re supposed to evangelizing to people- we wont because of pain
- When were supposed to be serving people- we wont because of pain
- We refuse to put our Faith out there because we don’t want to suffer backlash from people
- There used to be a time that we had a faith that was worth dying for
- Now- it’s an option amongst options in a sea of discontent
- The only way to be able to live out 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
- Is to be abased, be hungry, and suffer need. I know- some of you are like- I’ve got a PhD In Suffering and maybe you do- but here’s the component that may be missing
- Are you doing it with Christ or just going through it?
- I can DO all things
- When Paul said “I can do all things through Christ” we love to appropriate that verse for things that we WANT but we don’t appropriate the verse when we’re GOING through it
- Paul can say this because its true- Through everything that he has been through it was never enough to get him to stop serving Christ
- What Paul had learned through it all was that with JESUS I can get through anything
- If you’re looking for the perfect life- here’s the perfect life- With Jesus you can get through anything- if you would LEAN ON HIM-
- Psalm 54:4 Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life.
- You can’t just say you believe it- you have to actually walk in it! You have to appropriate it in your life!
- 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
- Do you believe that? You should! Because its TRUE
- What can you get through with Jesus?
- You can get through a job loss- you can lose your job- and have no idea what the next step is
- You can ALSO go through getting out of debt and putting yourself in a position where you don’t have to worry about a job loss because you planned ahead
- You can go through sickness and pain with Jesus. You can be in the worst physical pain possible and still be completely in love with Jesus and deal with it
- John 14:14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
- That’s what Jesus told his Disciples- and he is saying that to you TODAY
- YES you can DO things through Christ- but this verse today- lets not miss it is that you can GO THROUGH anything and still come out on the other side
- Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass
- The problem with many people is that they aren’t committing their way to the Lord, they aren’t trusting in him, so when he doesn’t bring it to pass- they get mad at God
- I’m like- you’ve been going through it all by yourself, and then you come to the end are asking for God’s approval
- AND you never leaned on Him ONCE during the process
- How do we do it?
- I sound like a broken record, but its scripture, its prayer, it giving it over to God
- When Jesus says Matthew 11:29-30 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
- HE MEANT IT- TAKE IT- TAKE THE EASY BURDEN- But you have to GIVE IT TO HIM
This means you can go through - Loneliness- if you feel lonely- you can get through it with Jesus
- Marital problems- If you’re a follower of Jesus- you can get through marital problems with Jesus
- Kid problems- You can get through it with Jesus
- Job Problems- You can get through it with Jesus
- School problems- You can get through it with Jesus
- See I have to list them out because if I don’t you wont believe it- YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST and he will give you STRENGTH
- U-571 “can’t do it” “ you can- and you will”! Cost him his life- but he DID IT!
- Pray- God- give me strength through this- Help me through this- and he WILL
- John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
- No Christian should ever say “I can’t get through this” because you have the HS and JESUS to see you through!
- I’ll come visit you when you’re hanging on a cross and look you in the eye and still say- YOU CAN DO IT
- Can we collectively make a decision that we wont allow the miniscule stuff of this world to keep us from serving Jesus?
- Can we appropriate the power from Jesus that we CAN get through everything?
- People are going to say- Can’t I talk about my problems? Sure you can! And then you can hear the truth of scriptures and move on from it- and believe it because you believe in Jesus
- Talking to Corb- complaining- burdened. He says “this is what you’re going to do- you’re going to stop worrying about that- give it over to Jesus and take the easy yoke”
- OK- I’ll do that- and then MOVE ON-
- Psalm 72:12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.
