I want you to join with me to Philippians and chapter 4. We're going to look at just one of the verses which come out of this remarkable and wonderful chapter. I hope, like me, you found this chapter stimulating in your own Christian life and that it's been a blessing to you. It certainly has been that to me as I have reminded myself of the wonderful words which it contains. But I want to speak to you perhaps about the most well-known verse in this chapter. I don't know if that is true but nevertheless it seems to me to be a favourite verse. Philippians in chapter 4 and verse 13 where the Apostle Paul says, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. The last occasion that we were together I was preaching to you from verse 11 and we said how remarkable that verse is, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. And we spoke about the secret of contentment Well, the fullness of the secret of contentment is found in our text that we have for the message this morning. If you understand and you know what it means to be strengthened by Christ, then you will also know that contentment whereby you can say, I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. Now you'll notice that this statement that we have in verse 13 is another one of Paul's personal resolutions or if you like declarations, I call them statements. Just look at one or two with me as we look down these chapters Turn to chapter 1, we'll take 1 or 2 out of chapter 1 and then turn to chapter 3. But chapter 1 and verse 17 where he says there, But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel, It's a long while ago since we actually preached from that particular verse. But here's one of Paul's personal statements. I am set for the defence of the Gospel. And then if you look at verse 21, which is a well-known one. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Once again, it's a personal statement by the Apostle Paul. Turn into chapter 3, and we're not showing you them all, but there's many, many that you can follow through. In chapter 3, in verse 8, "...Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." I think that verse is quite remarkable, isn't it? When you think about here, the apostle says, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Nothing else counts. This is the most important thing as far as the Apostle is concerned, and it should be for us. But he goes on, doesn't he? For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but down, that I may win Christ. Once again, the last part of that is a personal statement, that I may win Christ. You may remember that when we were speaking about that verse, I said that really it could be translated that I may gain Christ. Here's a man of course who knew Christ and loved Christ and served Christ, but he wanted to gain more of Christ. And this should be our personal statement as well, that I may gain Christ in my own heart and in my own life. And then we now come, or perhaps I should mention, because it's so important, verses 13 and 14, because he says in those, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. Once again, another personal statement, where he says, this one thing I do, stretching, reaching forth unto those things which are before. And then in verse 14, this key verse, where he says, I press towards the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. My, what a man he was to say these things. Especially when you understand his situation, which we'll consider together once again. But then we come to our verse 13 of chapter 4, where the Apostle says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. This somehow seems to me to be quite remarkable. When you go back and think about the last time we were considering this epistle, two weeks ago, I said that Verse 11, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content, was a most outrageous claim. If I said it concerning verse 11, what about verse 13? I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. That again is one of Paul's outrageous claims. Let me tell you about a couple of people who wrote concerning this particular verse. There is a man named Swindle from America, and he calls this particular verse, sufficient in Christ's sufficiency, sufficient in Christ's sufficiency. C. H. Spurgeon, who we often quote, who is one of the greatest preachers of all time, he calls this particular verse, all sufficiency magnified. Now we want to give a title ourselves. And the title that I've given to this particular verse is simply, Christ alone is man's sufficiency. Christ alone is man's sufficiency. Because our verse says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. On my desk in my study, if you came to see me, I hope you could see it, sometimes it's so covered with books you can't see anything. But nevertheless, if you came to my study and you saw my desk, you would see right at the front of my desk, there's a little plaque, which I've had for many, many years, since I've been in the ministry, almost, not quite, but almost. And that little plaque says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Why have I got it there? Because I know that whatever I do, I couldn't do it in my own strength and I know that I couldn't live or act or preach or do any service for the Lord apart from the sufficiency which Christ gives to us. And that's why this verse is so special to me. Well now let's try if we can to go through it and try to understand it. The first thing that strikes me as I read this verse is the certainty of it. Do you notice what the Apostle says? I can. So very often we are negative in our reaction to things, especially in the Lord's work. We don't think that we can do anything and sometimes we won't do anything because we don't believe that we can do anything. You won't find that at all in any of the language of the Apostle, would you? Because here he says, I can. You may say, is this presumptuous of this man? You may say, this is arrogant. that he can say, I can do all things. Is it real arrogance by the apostle to say this? Well now, we must try to answer the question, who is this man to say this? And if we can understand who this man really is, then perhaps we will understand that we must believe him and believe that he can say, I can do all things and because he said it, we too as Christians ought to be able to say it ourselves. Let me remind you this, that there have been many people in history who have said, I can. We go back in the Bible perhaps and we think of Pharaoh and we think of his obstinacy against the children of Israel in not letting them go. And maybe there are times when he said, although not recorded, I can do all things, I'm the one in charge of this old world. but come down into history and think about Nebuchadnezzar. Remember Nebuchadnezzar and what he did and what he said. He said as he walked around Babylon and he looked at the beautiful dwelling places, he looked at the gorgeous buildings and he said, my own hand has done all this. And the next thing we see of him, he's in a field, isn't he? and his fingernails have grown so long you couldn't recognize him as fingernails. His hair is so long and matted. He's eating grass like a beast. He can do all things? You see, God stepped in, didn't he? And then remember Herod. Herod is another man who, it seems to me, could quite easily say, I can do all things! But God struck him, didn't he? And he died in front of so many of his worshippers. In our own history, remember Napoleon. What we've read about Napoleon. Napoleon said, I can rule the world. Virtually his very words. But God struck him. And we just remember him as a figure of the past. You could add to that Hitler as well. Hitler said he was going to rule the world. and subjugate the Jews and other nations under his rule and destroy them. And he did quite a bit of that, didn't he? But surely he said, I can do all things. God struck him, didn't he? As you may say, every dictator since that we've read of and that we know of in recent history up to this very moment have said these very words. I can. I can. That's why they're in their position. That's why they're seeking to do whatever they're doing. But God will strike them. There's no question about that. So my question is, who is this man who would dare to say, I can do all things? Who is he? Well of course you understand who he is, but let me, if I can, remind you. It's so important for us to be reminded of these things. We think first of all of Paul and his past. Who was he? He was a Jew. with the Roman citizenship. In fact if you go back to chapter 3 and to verses 4 to 6 you'll see what he says there. Let's look at it again. Chapter 3, verse 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. You know, nobody can have a greater pedigree than that. He had a privileged background. He had the best of education. He had a promising career. There are seven things which he notes here which are really to his favour in the flesh. You'll notice that he speaks about the sign of the covenant. He's been circumcised. He speaks about how he was a direct descendant from Abraham. He's a member of the privileged tribe of Benjamin. He comes from a pure Hebrew family. He's a membership of a special religious group, the Pharisees. He's enthusiastic in everything that he does. He's blameless in the law. This is the man that we're talking about here. And he now comes to a point where he says, I can do all things. And we look and we say, hold on a moment, such men have been destroyed by the Lord. And then the second thing that we think about is Paul and his present. All the glorious fact is that this man had been converted on the Damascus road. There was a voice from heaven. It was Christ's voice. There was a light from heaven. A light shone right into his very soul. And he's now a changed man. His sins are forgiven. He has hopes of heaven. He has a purpose for life. He's a witness to the ends of the earth. And you'll remember how, led by the Spirit, he preaches everywhere. in Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Corinth, and in Ephesus, in Philippi, and in Thessalonia. Dozens of places, people are saved, churches are formed, the gospel is spread, but there's opposition as well, isn't there? A man who rises with this sort of spirit upon him, the old devil is not going to let him alone. And so there's opposition upon him. Talk with me just for a moment to Corinthians. And 2 Corinthians and chapter 11, we read this morning from chapter 12, but look at chapter 11 and let me read one or two verses from that chapter just to show you something about this man. 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 23. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool, I am more. In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft of the Jews, five times received I forty stripes, save one." You see, 39 stripes was the maximum a man could ever bear, and that was of the law. So, five times he had that upon his back. Thrice was I beaten with rods. Once was I stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day have I been in the deep, in journeyings often in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils of the sea, in perils among false brethren. in weariness and painfulness, in watchings, often in hunger and thirst, in fastings, often in cold and nakedness, beside those things which are without that which cometh upon me daily, the care of the churches. What a man! What a man! All because he was a Christian. You could add to that, couldn't you? And you could also say, this man had that thorn in the flesh all of the time. Was it epilepsy that the thorn of flesh was? Was it that he had weak eyesight and he couldn't see very well? Was it some other disease that dogged his journey? And yet he never gave up, did he? And he says, I can do all things. Ah, listen, there's a difference now. He writes most of the New Testament, as you all understand. Five women stood on trial in Carthage. They had been accused of being Christians and they admitted the crime of being a Christian. They said, what's in your bag to one of them? She said, I have in my bag the letters of a good man. Oh, they laughed and said, you have letters from a good man, do you? Yes, he said, I do. And what good man is it? She said, it was from the apostle Paul. And of course he was that, wasn't he? A good man. But look at him at present and see. But I want to pass on from that. We've looked at his past, we've looked at his present, look at his prospects. He's in a Roman jail, isn't he? He's clapped to a soldier on one side and manacled to a soldier on the other side. He's facing a trial for his life before Nero, the hater of Christians. And he knows that this man is going to have no mercy for him at all. He faces an uncertain future. He exhibits, if you like, some of the weakness of the flesh. Because, look at him, what can he do? He's in a prison cell. He's chained in a prison cell. He's going to face execution. He's going to face an uncertain future. And he says, I can do all things. How remarkable is that? That this man should ever do that. Let me pass on because this is such a wonderful message, isn't it? I don't mean my giving it, I mean the very verse. We've seen the certainty, now look at the possibility. And the possibility of course is I can do all things. All things. This somehow is supreme confidence. This is sure boldness. This is strong assurance. There's no ifs or buts. There's no problems. But I ask myself the question, is it really possible for a mortal man in such a situation that he found himself in to be able to say, I can do all things? Is it possible? And is it possible for us as well in this day in which we live to read the Word of God and to say, I can do all things. First of all we think of the meaning of this. Here's a special man with a special task and he has special strength, doesn't he? I want you to look at another verse with me because it's so important that you look at this. Turn with me to the Acts of the Apostles and in the Acts of the Apostles we're going to look at a verse which seems to me to show you something about the secret of this. Acts of the Apostles and chapter 9 and from verse 19 I will read to you. So Acts 9 and verse 19. And when he had received meat, this is immediately after his conversion on the road to Damascus by the way. And when he had received meat he was strengthened. Then were saw certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogue that he is the son of God. But all that heard him were amazed and said, is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem? And come hither for the intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests. But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Jerusalem, proving that this is the very Christ. I want you to notice that there are two words there. In verse 19 it speaks about him being strengthened, that's physical strength. In verse 22, but Saul increased the more in strength, that's spiritual strength. And what you have to see here is that when he was converted at the very beginning of his Christian life, he was strengthened. Now we come to our verse in Philippi, which is one of the last epistles ever written before his execution. You'll notice here, he says, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Same word, exactly the same word. And being the same word, it seems to me to be quite remarkable, because at the very beginning of his life he was strengthened, at the very end of his life he is strengthened. That should give us encouragement, shouldn't it? Because when we were saved, we were strengthened. And as we go on in our Christian life, we are strengthened. We come to our old age and we're still strengthened by the Lord because the Lord has promised it and He'll always give that to us as well. Or isn't it true that we're weak by nature? We need strength to do all things. There's no question about that. And here is the Apostle Paul. He needs to be strengthened, doesn't he? To endure all the trials, to perform all the duties, to overcome his personal struggles which he must have had in his soul at that particular time that no one could even know about. He was a man who wanted to make a difference in life and because he wanted to make a difference in life, he needed that strengthening which comes from heaven. the meaning. But let me go on a little further with this so that we can understand it. So we'll speak now about the measure. You see how difficult it is that it says all things. Here's a comprehensive statement does it. Are we talking about physical feats? No. I don't think so. If you ask me to pick up that piano and I said well I could receive strength to do I'm not sure as I believe that. So it isn't that. Although, remember this, that in the word of God it speaks about removing mountains. It also speaks about overcoming the devil. It also speaks about victory over powerful sin. It also speaks about removing impossible obstacles. What other thing? Now you see, it seems to me that you always must look in the context of the Word of God. And if you look in the context of the Word of God, I want you to follow me quickly on this. Turn to chapter 2 and we're just going to look at one or two of these things which are here in the Episcopal to the Philippians. So we'll turn to chapter 2 and verse 14. Do all things without murmuring and disputing. Now that's an interesting thing there you see. Is it impossible for us to do that? Well sometimes it is. But listen, with the strength of God I can do all things. And then in chapter 3, in verse 8, which we've already read together but read again, They doubtless that I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Can I do that? Yes I could. Because Christ will strengthen me for all things. And then we look at verse 21 for instance, who shall change our vile body that it might be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. That's another thing, all things of scripture isn't it? Chapter 4 and verse 12, I know how to be abased, I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. And so we come to our verse, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Now I've only just given you a little touch of that. You could actually go through this epistle and see when it mentions things and note them in your mind or perhaps on paper and understand that all these things are the things which are mentioned here in this epistle. And so he's now coming to the conclusion and he says, listen, you too can do all things if you follow what the Word of God says. Remember this, this is very important. When we talk about the things, those things must be in accordance with the will of God. And then secondly, these things must be according to faith. It's so important to understand that. I read to you this morning from Mark chapter 9. You'll know it's a lovely verse that you know perhaps. It says in verse 23, Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Listen, have we got the faith to believe all things? so important and in chapter 19 of Matthew's gospel as well and verse 26 a similar verse Jesus beheld them and said unto them with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible. That's what the Bible says and that's what we believe. Nothing is too hard for God. Hallelujah. Here's the meaning, here's the measure. But then let me if I can, speak to you about the manner. How does God do that? Let me try and tell you what He does. First of all, it seems to me that when God is working upon us in such a manner and in such a way that we are talking about this morning, first of all, He strengthens our faith. Sometimes we don't like that process, but He does strengthen our faith. I remember reading so many times concerning the martyrs who actually thanked God for the privilege of being killed for Christ. Didn't the Apostle himself say those very words that we read together? He counted it a privilege to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of the martyrs are recorded when they were taken to have their heads decapitated, of their bodies, that they would sing right to the last blow upon their head. Imagine that. Could you do that? But then you see, God strengthens our faith. And God will strengthen our faith. Perhaps there's some sin in our lives we need to overcome. All things are possible through We must understand that. And then he also gives endurance. I think of David Livingstone, the man whose body was wrecked. A lion caught him and tore his right arm. He never was able to use that arm ever again. It's hung limply by his side. But he still went back to Africa. He still served the Lord. His body was a wreck and ruin, but he still carried on. How could he do that? How did he have the endurance to do that? I'll tell you how. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Do you see it? And you think about Martin Luther. How could he carry on with all the opposition? G. H. Spurgeon. They printed things against him. They told lies against him. They slandered him. How can he carry on? How can he do it? I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. John Patton, who went as a missionary to the New Hebridean Islands. A man filled with the Spirit of Christ, with his wife beside him. His wife died of disease there. In fact, he had several wives who died of disease. And when they died, he buried them. But he had to sleep on top of the grave. The natives would come and dig the body up and eat it. How awful! But he kept on, and he kept on right to the very end. How could he do that? through Christ which strengthens me. You see, he gives endurance, doesn't he? And then he quickens our mental faculties. I'm not capable by myself, but in the strength of the Lord I am capable. And then he gives grace to me, and that grace that he gives to me enables me to grow as a Christian, and to love God as I should, and to walk as I should, and to do the things I should. My sins are forgiven. My sins are great sins, I know that. And I recognise I'm the greatest sinner ever. But Jesus says, the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses me from all sin. And when the blood cleanses you, the power comes in. And I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. This morning we come to our final point and that's the discovery. The discovery of our texts tells us this. You see, we've seen, first of all, haven't we, how this verse speaks of certainty. I can. And then the possibility to do all things. And then a discovery, through Christ which strengtheneth me. This is the only way, here's the secret. Some people could say, I can do all things through drugs. That's what they say. And then other people would say, I can do all things through education. That's what they say. Other people would say, I can do all things through drink. A lot of people would say that. Others would say, I can do all things through money. I can do all things through my friends. I can do all things through myself. I don't need anybody. Ah, but listen, this apostle Paul knew the Lord. And so he could say, couldn't he, I can do all things. through Christ which strengtheneth me. People are always looking for something to empower them. Well Christ is the answer. Christ is the answer for us. And this is our answer in this life in which we live. Notice the source of strength through Christ. The name is significant. He's the central fact of the world's history. The word Christos is the word that is used here. That word means anointed one. I can do all things through the anointed one, the Messiah of God. By the way, those of you who like the NIV, let me tell you this. The NIV actually takes out the name of Christ out of this verse. I can do all things through Him. No, not even Him, just who strengthens. How amazing you can do that. You can't take Christ out of this verse. It's the key of it all. Christ is mentioned 352 times in the New Testament. 25 times in this particular epistle. He's the one who stands by us in trouble. He's the one who dwells us. He's the one who helps us in time of need. He's the one who enables us in service. He's the one who encourages us. He's the fount of wisdom and of energy. We read this morning In 2 Corinthians 12, when I am weak, then I am strong. Paul, you're the weakest man you could ever imagine at this moment in time. Ah, but when I am weak, then I am strong. Remember old Matthew Matthews, the Welsh preacher? Preaching on this verse, he suddenly, in the middle, got out of his pocket half a crown. It was good coinage in those days. And he said, I'm not usually like this, I don't bet. But he said, Paul, I bet you, you can't do all things. And Paul said, I can do all things. No you can't Paul, you're a man. And he said, no, there's no way you can do that. I bet you this money that you can't do all things. And Paul said, I can do all things. No, he said, you can't Paul. Why? Because you're in prison and there's a Roman God on each side of you. You can't do all things. And then the Apostle Paul said, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens... Hold on, hold on, he said. You're talking about two of you now. Not one of you, two of you. I'm taking my money back, he said. and put his money in his pocket and made it there. A source of strength. Let me say secondly here the steps of strength. First of all, we must believe. Remember the priests came down with the Ark of the Covenant to the waters of the Red Sea. They had to put their feet in the water before the water went back. Listen, would you have the faith to do that? Here's the mighty Red Sea and God said, put your feet in the water. He said, hold on, hold on, I'll do anything but that. You've got to believe God. Believe in God. And then you've got to know the Word, because the Word is food to our souls. And then, of course, you've got to have experience. Experience. Why? Because you know so many times we fall and we wander. But God brings us back again. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. We need the power of God in our souls. And this is the power of God that we're talking about this morning. Finally, a third S. The source, the steps, the supplication. The supplication for strength. Prayer is so important, isn't it? God expects us to ask for it. We have his promise. We've seen it in the Apostle Paul. He claimed and he knew that he could do all things through Christ which strengthened him. Now we must claim it by faith. The God who strengthened Abraham can strengthen us. The God who strengthened Moses and Gideon and Elijah and the disciples lives today and keeps his promise, doesn't he? Go to one of the cemeteries in this country, in London. You may find the tombstone of Ellen Shannon. Underneath it says words to this effect, fatally burned by an explosion. And underneath it said of a lamp which had non-explosive fluid in it. In other words, never kept his promise. But God's not like that, is he? What God says, he will fulfill. Believe him, and don't doubt, because that will be your experience as well.