Savage2Saint Sobriety August 18, 2025

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

- Philippians 4:13 (KJV).

Philippians 4:13. One of the most quoted scriptures in the world. From world class athletes to worldwide social media posts, this verse is shouted from the mountain tops. With heavy emphasis on the I and me, and less emphasis on Christ, many people have made this verse a "look at what I just did" brag. But is that how the apostle Paul intended it to be? Back up one verse and the tone changes. Add some context to verse 13 and you'll see that Paul's message was to the weak, not to the strong.

"I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little." - Philippians 4:12 (NLT). It's easy to quote verse 13 when you're on top of the mountain, but can you speak verse 12 over the battle when you find yourself in the desert of frustration? Or in the valley of addiction? How about in the pit of health problems? Do you have the strength to shout this verse when everything around you seem to have fallen apart, and you can't see a way out?

Paul wrote this from a prison cell in Rome. He had been beaten multiple times, left for dead, and shipwrecked. Paul was in a physical battle with his captors, and a spiritual battle with the enemy. Each and every one of us face the same enemy on a daily basis. The one telling us we should give up; quit; stop trying; there's no use; no one really cares what we're going through or what happens to us. Paul was reminding all of us that even in the face of the hardest of situations, we can rely on a Savior to come through and provide us with the strength to make it through whatever we are facing. We are never alone when we have Christ on our side.

Jesus is always with us. He's there in the good times, but especially the hard times. We serve a God who has promised to never leave us alone to fight our battles. Paul understood

this and encouraged others by it. So today, speak to the situation you're facing. Let the enemy know that alone you are weak and easily defeated, but you're not alone. You have Jesus Christ on your side. With Jesus, victory is yours because the battle has already been won. God Bless!