Philippians 4:11–13

In the corrupt heart of man, a word of thanks can be a veiled hint that more help would be welcome. The Apostle cuts off all thought of this by the words, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content."

Paul would not want them to think he was speaking out of covetousness. He did not want to suggest that he had been suffering because they had not sent sooner to meet his need, as though he hoped they might send further gifts. It is not easy to write about such things. You have to express the deep gratitude that is in the heart, and at the same time avoid any suggestion of covetousness.

"Not that I speak on account of want, for I have learned in whatever circumstances I am, to be content." (Literally, to be self-sufficing, as a country that needs no imports, but supplies everything it requires.)

"I have learned." The Apostle does not say, "I have heard that in every state I should be content." He says, "I have learned." It is not enough for Christians to hear their duty, they must learn their duty. It is one thing to hear, and another thing to learn; as it is one thing to eat, and another thing to digest food. Christians hear much, but, it is to be feared, learn little.

It is a high attainment in the school of Christ to be able to say, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content" (Phil. 4:11). Paul had to learn this. It was not natural to him; and most surely he never learned it at the feet of Gamaliel. Saul of Tarsus would never have been content with the very highest attainments in this world. He had to be thoroughly broken down at the feet of Jesus of Nazareth, before he could say from his heart, "I am content."

He meant that he could do all things; he had learned it. It was a real state for him, not an abstract proposition. "I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry." If I am full, He keeps me from being careless, indifferent and self-satisfied. If I am hungry, He keeps me from losing heart and growing dissatisfied. With him it was not "a man can," but "I have found Christ so sufficient in every circumstance that I am under the power of none." He had been beaten with rods; five times he received from the Jews forty lashes less one; he had been stoned, and he had gone through all sorts of things; but he had found Christ enough in them all.

This is the great design of the letter: not truth simply made known, but experience grown into… At the same time he shows how he valued their love. He takes care that his independence was founded on dependence — an independence of circumstances that finds its strength in simple and absolute dependence upon God.

This is not natural to human nature. Even Paul may not always have known it; he had learned it.

Stoical indifference did not harden Paul against the ups and downs of life. Natural strength of character did not make him superior to the burdens that crush ordinary people. What he was practising he had first learned through a secret initiation into his Teacher's ways.

"I have been initiated" is another word found nowhere else in Scripture. It comes from the same root as our word mystery. People used it for the secret religious rites of paganism, and for initiation into them. They guarded these rites closely from common knowledge... Paul's use of this word to supply language for Christian experience is very suggestive. The knowledge of the peace of God, of utter contentment, is indeed an open secret, open to "whoever will learn of Him." But it is a secret, a mystery, none the less.

Let us note his emphasis on the word "how." For it is all too possible to be abased and to take it in a wrong spirit. Not so with the apostle: "how to be abased" implies a cheerful acceptance of God's will in it. On the other hand, "how to abound" is in some ways a harder test for many of us. It calls for a right and godly use, according to the will of God, of the things in which He has made us abound.

It is easier for some to be abased than to abound. David, when hunted like a partridge on the mountains, trusted God; when living at ease in Zion, Satan lured him into the foulest sins. Jehoshaphat, when weak, counted on God, saying, "We do not know what to do"; when strong and rich, he allied himself with Ahab and helped the ungodly.

There are many reasons why the servant of God should walk this path. Perhaps the first is that we then learn, as perhaps in no other way, the faithfulness, the love, and the power of God. When the earthly props are removed, then we find out what a wonderful thing it is to lean on the Father's arm.

At the same time he shows how much he valued their love. He is careful that his independence was founded on dependence. It was an independence of circumstances that finds its strength in simple and absolute dependence upon God.

How wonderfully Christ is kept before us from the beginning to the end of this beautiful letter. In the first chapter it is Christ our Life, leading the believer to view everything in connection with Him. In the second chapter it is Christ our Pattern in lowliness, to unite us together in one mind. In the third chapter it is Christ our Object in the glory, to enable us to overcome all opposition. In the last chapter it is Christ our Strength, to meet all our needs.

People say, "Oh, we can do all things through Christ," as a kind of absolute truth. I say, can you? You cannot. Oh, you say, a person can — and this is perfectly true as an absolute statement, but it is not what the apostle meant. He meant that he could do all things; he had learned it. It was a real state for him, not an abstract proposition… With him it was not "a man can," but "I have found Christ so sufficient in every circumstance that I am under the power of none."

"I have strength for all things in the One empowering me." What wonderful words to come from a man in prison, who was apparently in the most miserable circumstances, and in no small danger: one who was unable to do anything, as people would say. But faith speaks according to God, and the one who could do nothing, in the judgment of others, is the very one who could say he had strength for all things — not in himself, truly, but in the One empowering him. The word translated "empowering" is the word from which we get dynamite and dynamo… Our Lord Jesus said truly, "Apart from me you can do nothing." But here we have the other side.

Christ was the apostle's strength. When he was full, with no need, he could praise the Lord. When he was hungry and feeling the pinch of the bare necessities of life, no complaint passed his lips, and no criticism of God's care for him passed through his mind. The testimony of this must have been very impressive. Christ was the source of his quietness and calm. It was as if he lived on an island and needed to import nothing from the mainland in the way of moral support. Christ was enough at all times.

Don't say that if your circumstances were different you could be better Christians; don't plead that it is impossible to witness for Christ where you are; remember the sufficiency of the Lord, and count on Him… there is no reason why we should not have the same wonderful experience Paul had — except our own selfishness and cowardice and unbelief — for Christ is as much at our disposal as He was at his. He is the same for you and us.

It is only as our souls are kept in secret communion with Christ that we shall be able to make use of the power that is in Him. This being so, all Satan's power will be aimed at putting our souls out of touch with Christ… It may be that he will try to draw us out of communion with Christ by the cares and duties of everyday life, or by sickness and bodily weakness… If, however, instead of letting all these things come between our souls and the Lord, we make them occasions for drawing near to Him, we shall learn what it is to be strong in the Lord while realising our own weakness.