Philippians 4:19-20 19And my God will fill up your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.20Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
If any doubt remains in the minds of the Philippians, verse 19 should give them full assurance. The Philippians blessed Paul with material goods, and he returns the favor by blessing them with encouragement and prayer. The Philippians had given to his needs while he was imprisoned. He reminds them that God will also supply their needs.
This verse is full of significant nuggets of theology. Paul begins with a personalized assertion of faith: my God. This statement does not alienate the Philippians from God but implies how they could also have an intimacy with God that comes from faith. Will fill up uses the same verb as verses 12 and 19 for “abound” and “fill” (plērōsei). God will fill them up so that they are full and overflowing. This is not a partial supply but a full supply of every need. What might these needs be? The Philippians still could face persecution, but their greatest need was not physical comfort but spiritual peace. From this bottomless well would come joy and hope that would sustain them through whatever trial they encountered.
The source that will meet their needs is the wealth from the glory found in Christ Jesus. There is no greater source than what Paul gives here. The world looks to material wealth to bring satisfaction, but this gives only temporary peace. Treasures of this world can be taken from us at any moment. The type of wealth Paul experienced and the Philippians needed was spiritual in nature. This does not exclude material goods, but these are secondary and only serve to help us fulfill God’s will for us.
This richness comes from the glory in Christ Jesus. This is the same glory that raised Jesus from the dead and comes from his exaltation to the highest place of honor. We were created to experience this glory, but sin has caused us to fall from it (Romans 3:23). We are restored to it step by step through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). Glory represents the power from the presence of Christ. We can experience this presence now in part. Paul uses his favorite phrase for this relationship: in Christ Jesus. To be “in” Christ is to put our full devotion and faith in him and allow him to be in us through the Holy Spirit. The barrier of sin is removed because of his grace. A new life results. This new life provides the assurance and contentment about which Paul writes in these verses.
Everything Christians do for the kingdom of God is an investment that repays rich dividends. This verse could be misunderstood and twisted to support selfishness. God will supply our needs, not our wants. God sometimes will allow us to struggle so that we grow stronger. He will give us the strength to face whatever situation is before us. That does not mean we will not have times of hunger, pain, sorrow, or need. Paul may never have gotten out of prison after this. He could write these words with confidence and faith because his needs were deeper than food, clothing, or shelter. He knew his greatest need was to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. If all our problems disappeared, we would never grow and our faith would remain weak and untested. God’s greatest gift to us may be the trial.
Hudson Taylor once said, “Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt. All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence with them.”
This last major part of the letter ends with a benediction. Paul returns the glory to God the Father. The glory and praise did not rest with the Philippians for all they did for Paul. It did not rest with Paul’s own abilities and righteousness. All that Paul was and all the Philippians were becoming was become of God’s grace. Therefore, God deserved the glory and honor. This was not something to give once in a while but forever and ever. For a letter written from prison, it expresses much confidence, hope, and joy in what God can and will do.
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