“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
Regardless of what we have or don’t have, our Heavenly Father owns it all, and He delights in utilizing His incredible wealth to meet our every need.
Deuteronomy 10:14 says, “Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.” The heavens belong to God; so does the earth, and all that’s in them.
Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Everything around you belongs to God. “The world, and they that dwell therein” includes all people everywhere – saved or lost. What doesn’t belong to God? Nothing.
And God promises to care for those who place their trust in Him. Psalm 34:10 says, “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” Our loving and kind Heavenly Father doesn’t abandon the daily care of His children any more than a loving and kind earthly father would abandon the daily care of his small children. That’s why Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
The phrase “all your need” can be taken two ways.
First, a need is something we must have to survive, such as sustenance and shelter. God said in Genesis 2:18, “…It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” So according to the Bible, companionship is a need. In our society, reliable transportation is a need, whether it’s the subway, a bus, or a private automobile. You may need a good, reliable car, but you don’t need a Cadillac. Often, we get our needs and wants mixed up.
- “Boy, I need to upgrade to a Smart phone. Mine is archaic.”
- “I need a new computer. Mine is getting old.”
- “I need a Kindell or an E-Reader. Books are so old fashioned.”
God supplies all our needs according to His definition; not ours. That may be why some of our prayers go unanswered when we try to claim this promise. We think it’s a need, and God disagrees.
Secondly, we often attribute that promise to all our financial needs, and although God helps us with our financial needs, all our needs are not financial.
Some of our needs are spiritual. We need guidance, wisdom, encouragement, a humble heart, a teachable spirit, a godly mentor, a Gospel-preaching Bible-believing church, a hunger for God’s Word, a desire for the things of God. These things are necessary to help us survive spiritually.
Some of our needs are physical. We need love and a sense of belonging, healthy food and clean drinking water. Some need physical healing or a job, and we all need God’s daily protection. These things are necessary to help us survive physically.
I have a balance disorder that I’ve lived with ever since I could walk. There are times that I ask God to send an angel to steady me when I have to walk down stairs where there is no handrail available. I trust Him to keep me from falling. That is a definite need in my life that God has met for years.
So the next time you claim Philippians 4:19, remember to trust Him for all your needs and He will guide you into places you’ve never gone before.