“And my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
This verse is a popular verse often quoted out of context.
“and my God shall supply all your need”
The “and” indicates that v.19 is an outcome of what he has just said. This paragraph treats God’s faithfulness in using the Philippians to meet the financial needs of Paul in jail. The Philippians met Paul’s need. Now God will meet their need. This is a quid pro quo. God used the Philippians to meet Paul’s need in jail. God will also meet the Philippian’s ability to give. What affects Paul affects God. God will exchange compliments. God is faithful to his people. He will not stand in debt to his people.
The context of God meeting our financial needs is in the environment of our meeting the needs of others. In verse 18 the Philippians gave an acceptable sacrifice that was a sweet smelling aroma to God. If everything is flowing out and nothing flowing in, the Philippians will themselves be put in jeopardy financially. God will not allow those who give sacrificially to go in want. We cannot out give God. He has a bigger shovel.
The promise here is that God will supply “all” the needs of the Philippians, not just some of them. God’s supply is comprehensive of every type of need. Whether our need is temporal or spiritual, God will meet it.
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).
“Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread” (Ps. 37:25).
“Honor the Lord with our possession,
And with the firstfruits of all you increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.”
(Pv 3:9,10).
Principle:
God supplies our need when we meet someone else’s need. God will commemorate sacrificial giving.
Application:
Are you generous with others? Are you a stingy person? Is the reason you hang onto your money so; is that you do not believe that God will supply your need? Do you believe that God will “resupply” you if you give to his cause? God’s commemorative giving does not apply to every believer. It only applies to those who have given sacrificially. Do you believe God will reimburse your generosity?
Dear Dr. Richison,
I believe in Philippians 4:19 and I believe God is a God of His word. However, I find most often that the more I give sacrifically, the less I receive in return and the more I find myself wanting and in need to supply myself with the basics. I sacrifically give of my time, what I possess and monetarily with an expectation that God will supply in order that I may cover my own needs. But sometimes I am left without and find myself late in paying bills, struggling to make ends meat – all because I believe in God’s word. I don’t understand sometime. Am I missing something in Philippians 4:19?
Carl
Thanks, Carl, for your comments.
It is important to recognize that my point in this passage is not the “health and wealth” concept where, if people extraordinarily give, God will bless them with greater riches. My point is simply if we give sacrificially, God will meet our needs, not our wants.
Carl, I don’t think giving sacrificially means going without essential needs. Indeed, the Philippians “gave out of their poverty,” which constitutes sacrificial giving, but they also met the needs of their families as well. Other passages warn about not meeting the needs of our families. This presumes the principle of careful management of money.
Most rewards for the believer will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ (a judgment for Christians only, and only for rewards, not punishment). It matters not whether people recognize what we do for Christ. Jesus Himself will deal with that in eternity.
Dr. Richison,
One, i am blessed to have been lead to your website(i love it). I also want to put what i feel God has shared with me about this verse. Paul said it exactly right, what the church did for him was not thinking about using wealth for their own gain or trying to succeed threw wealth. They gave- “if a man is thirsty give him liquids, if a man is naked cloth him with the shirt off your back and you will be blessed. I feel one of the key things here is doing it with out expecting anything back. just as you also said, he do not expect us to give to the point where we have put ourselves in a bad spot. I love where some of these people hearts are, but we have to realize before you give go to him. He will answer your questions in some way. I am a witness that he will supply your needs and as long as you are doing your purpose he will greatly take care of you.
Good thoughts, Ross.
Thank you, Dr. Richison for your response to my email. I appreciate it. God bless you.
Carl Bell
the concept here is giving sacrificially and NOT expecting anything back! that’s it simple. that is just it because if you’re giving with the expectation that God will reimburse you, brother that becomes lottery. God is a God of honor and faithfulness. He is not a God who gambles, He doesn’t not require you to challenge Him. so what you do is just give to HIM. do not care who and what that money or the item you gave is going to be used for( I mean once you’re convinced that you’re sowing on good grounds just sow it) BUT BUT BUT dear brother or sister if you do give with such a heart as not expecting anything back and you just walk and go your way not concerned with whatever, TRUST ME! TRUST ME! the Lord will honor Himself. He will honor Himself in many diverse ways. he can choose to reimburse you exponentially. he can choose to use different ways of blessing you but the whole deal is that He will honor Himself
Frank, thank you for your thoughtful reply. I agree with you that we cannot bribe God or use Him as a slot-machine–if we put something in, we will get something out. All giving should be grace giving–that is, we give because we HAVE BEEN blessed. However the whole context of Philippians 4 is that God met Paul’s financial needs while in prison in Rome. The purpose of the book of Philippians is twofold: 1) a thank you note for their gift. 2) correction of divisions in the church. He is thankful for God’s provisions and challenges the Philippians to do the same. They could trust Him financially just as He did. When they do that “God will supply all THEIR NEED.” They gave out of their poverty (2 Co 8-9). The point of 4:13 is that God provides in time of need (cf. 4:11-12).
Did you read the next study in 4:19b where I deal with the genie concept? Here are three paragraphs from 4:19b:
God does not operate on human standards. We cannot bribe God. Some people want fame, wealth or a beautiful girl. They feel that if they give, God will give them what they want. They treat God like a genie. God, however, does not operate on a barter system. The Philippians did not approach God like that . They gave out of love for the Lord and Paul.
God guarantees to supply all need of those who faithfully give to the cause of Christ. God will dispense (”supply”) riches in abundance.
Note the contrasts in this passage: “You met Paul’s need; I will bless you according to my riches. You supplied one of my needs; I will supply all of your needs. You supply out of poverty; I will dispense out of my riches in glory. You supplied by the hand of Ephproditus; I will supply by Christ.”
Dear Dr. Richison
I would comment that, the word “riches” here means Gods abundant fullness; his possessing all things; his inexhaustible ability to supply their wants. The phrase, “in glory,” is probably to be connected with the following phrase, “by Christ Jesus;” and means that the method of imparting supplies to men was through Jesus Christ, and was a glorious method; or, that it was done in a glorious manner. It is such an expression as Paul is accustomed to use when speaking of what God does. He is not satisfied with saying simply that it is so; but connects with it the idea that whatever God does is done in a way worthy of himself, and so as to illustrate his own perfections.
God is so generous to those who spend for his course. He knows how to add up to all that we spend to advance his work. I share the experiences of David that “I was a young man and now I am an old but I have never seen a righteous man lack nor his family begging bread.” I also tend to think that we are not to give to be blessed but we give because we have been blessed.
I feel challenged by the contents of this verse.
Bernard Gechiko Nyabwari
Bernard, You said these points better than I could. Your insights are very accurate and thoughtful. Thank you for further light on this verse.
I don’t see the problem with expecting God to meet our needs (philipians 4:19) and wants (Ps 23:1)when his word says that he will. It’s not a sin to expect Him to keep his word. It’s pure Faith to hold Him to it, and act on it. I don’t mean that we should ungratefully demand of him but if you read His word and act on it then it should come natural to expect Him to come through for you. (Malachi 3:10) “try me on this says the Lord of hosts”. There is so much more to Christian living than salvation alone and while salvation is far bigger than most of us will ever know, we will never sell Christ to the lost on that alone. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way. I’m trying to say that Christ is so much more to us than we think, even here and now, but religion teaches us that Christianity is a life of sacrifice and suffering. To know God’s love is to know that he will take care of you…as a loving father would.
Good way to put it Darren.
Amen!!! Darren… I always compare my relationship with God to my relationship with my own kids. If I tell my daughter I will do something if she does something and then don’t keep my word then where’s the love and honor in that. That would mean that I’ve not only lied to her but also Im teaching her not to trust me and I would never do that to my child! (God willing by his grace)… and God can never lie, He is love, and my love(which comes from Him) compared to God’s agape love doesn’t compare! His word says in Mal 3 “Test me and see if I will not open up the windows of heaven to pour you out a blessing that u cannot contain!” Prov 3 “Honor the Lord with firstfruits of thy wealth and he will keep thy vats full!” Luke 6:38 “Give and it shall be given unto you good measure, press down, shaken together, running over shall men give unto your bosom. The amount you give will determine the amount you recieve!” Galatians 3:29 If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise! (Gen 12:2-3, Gen 13:2, Gen 13:15-17, Gen 15:2, Deut 28 1-14) and of course 3 John 2:2 “Beloved, I wish that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”! So its very clear that God desires believer’s to have great wealth but we must first have him! He doesnt wanna just meet our needs! He’s our Father in Heaven, What father doesn’t want to give good gifts to his child? Gifts are passed needs in most cases and to close this reply, Mark 11:24 says “Therfore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye recieve them, and ye shall have them.”!