I Know What It Is To Be In Need, And I Know What It Is To Have Plenty
Take Every Thought Captive
PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13
“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 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 can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
”Philippians 4:11-13 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/php.4.11-13.nkj
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Paul had learned to see life from God's point of view, thus he could get along happily, focusing on what he was supposed to do, and not what he felt he should have or what he craved. Furthermore, he had learned to walk with God in service regardless of his situation.
Paul had his priorities straight, and he was grateful for everything God had given him.
He had detached himself from non essential physical things of life so that he could concentrate on the eternal.
Often our desire for more possessions is a longing to fill an empty space in our lives. But actually, that space can only be truly fulfilled by God.
What are you drawn to when your life fills empty inside? How can you find contentment? The answer lies in your perspective, your priorities, and your source of power. We need to understand that nothing from this world can give continuous joy, for the new car you craved starts to deteriorate on the day very you bought it, and your new phone will be out dated within weeks. Nothing of this world is long-term, it is all temporary, but the life Christ offers is eternal.
Like Paul, if we are to be content and fruitful, we need to get our priorities straight; we Christians should focus on the eternal, on doing God's will rather than our own.
The power we Christians receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do God's will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it. God doesn't grant us superhuman abilities to accomplish anything we can imagine without regard to His interest.
As we contend for the faith, we will face trials, challenges, pressure, and troubles. But as they come we can ask in prayer for strength. The truth is, when one walks in the Spirit He gives you not just the desire to do what pleases Him, but the power to it (PHILIPPIANS 2:13).
But if we are to walk in the Spirit, we will need to discipline our flesh to accept the authority of the Spirit and put to death all sin.
That is to say to take every thought captive and bring them to the obedience of of Christ, ”For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.“
II Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV
Who is in control, you or your flesh? Is your flesh nothing more than a vehicle to operate from in this physical world? Therefore, make the Spirit king in your life, your soul (your mind, will and emotions, the servant of the king, and your flesh the slave and put the old man to death (ROMANS 6:6). ”For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.“
Romans 6:7-18 NKJV
My beloved, rather than in the flesh, walk in the Spirit (GALATIANS 5:16-26), making Jesus king of your life, and the king will take care of all your needs and empower you to do all things through Christ who is your strength.
All glory to God forever and ever.! Amen.
