God’s Promise to Provide All of Our Needs – Part 3

Remember, Paul is writing to the Philippians late in his ministry. He is once again in prison, having already endured a whole host of adverse circumstances and difficulties. He described many of those experiences to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 11:23b–28, a passage we examined in the first lesson of this series. The Philippians undoubtedly knew much about what Paul had suffered and the contentment he demonstrated through it all. They had also seen him in circumstances of great blessing. Then Paul says that he knows how to live with humble means and how to live in prosperity, whether filled or hungry, whether having abundance or suffering need, he is describing the full range of circumstances he has experienced. Through it all, no matter the circumstances, Paul had the “peace of God” that surpasses all understanding (the world’s understanding), as described in Philippians 4:7.

Paul is basically saying that whatever circumstances he faces, whatever opposition or persecution he faces, those circumstances are not his focus. Those people are not his focus. His focus is on the plan of God and God's gracious provision for him, no matter what he encounters. He had contentment because of the Bible doctrine in his soul that he knew, believed, and applied. He is encouraging the Philippians, and us, to have that same peace of mind.

When it comes to spiritual needs, one of our greatest needs is to have God's Word implanted in our souls. God's Word must become muscle memory in the soul so that applying it becomes our mental reflex in times of trouble and difficulty. Physical needs change with our circumstances, but the spiritual need for Bible teaching is constant. Our spiritual needs are always supplied in abundance. We cannot accomplish the plan of God for our lives without those needs being met.

Notice that Paul says in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned,” and in verse 12, “I know how to.” Paul had learned God's Word, believed it, and applied it. It was real to him. Paul knew the power of the Word of God from what he had learned and from experiencing the contentment of soul in very adverse situations. Paul had been imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16), Jerusalem (Acts 21–23), Caesarea (Acts 23–26), and was now imprisoned in Rome as he wrote to the Philippians. Through all of these experiences, Paul's tranquility of soul provided evidence of the power of God's Word for others to see. Hearing of Paul's attitude in the face of such unjust treatment and knowing of his confidence in the Lord, the Philippians were encouraged to learn and apply God's Word so that they, too, could have the same contentment Paul had.

This ties directly with our study of Philippians 4:19. God is never going to leave us without support we need to accomplish His plan. God has a perfect plan for each one of us, and He is going to provide everything necessary for us to fulfill that plan. That thought should give us great comfort no matter what circumstances we are facing in this life.