Not that I’m speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. Any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
– Philippians 4:11–13
What a picture, a secret that Paul knows of being content in any circumstance. I wish we had time to do an exhaustive study in this text right now to summarize contentment here. The kind of contentment that Paul’s talking about is a sweet, inward state of perpetual joy, peace, gentleness, and strength in every moment we face regardless of our circumstances. Let me say that again. This sweet inward state of joy and peace and gentleness and strength. This is all over Philippians 4.
Philippians 4:11–13 Teaches Us that True Contentment is Possible
Every moment regardless of our circumstances, this is possible for us in Christ. So this kind of contentment doesn’t come from outside of us, doesn’t come from our circumstances, it comes from inside of us. From Christ in us. In this way, this kind of contentment is completely free from dependence on our circumstances. That’s the whole point. It transcends our circumstances as we trust in Christ amidst whatever we are walking through.
This means, so follow this and then I want us to pray according to this, contentment doesn’t come from independence. Contentment like this comes from total dependence on Christ, which is why Paul says this is the secret. I can do all things, not by myself, not I can do all things through myself, not I can do all things through my strength, through my efforts to have joy and peace and gentleness and strength. No, I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
I can do all things through Jesus in me. And so amidst whatever circumstances you’re walking through today, I want to exhort you to look to Christ in you as a source of peace, gentleness, strength, and joy that you need today. It doesn’t come from you, it comes from him. So God, we pray for this kind of contentment in our lives amidst all kinds of things that we walk through in this world amidst whatever circumstance we find ourselves even right now, God, we pray for this kind of contentment.
Philippians 4:11–13 Reminds Us Faith Fuels Contentment
We pray for this sweet inward state of joy and peace and gentleness and strength that comes from you, Jesus inside of us. God, we praise you that no matter what things we are walking through, we can walk through them. We can do all things through you who give us strength, through you who give us peace, through you who give us joy.
Oh God, we pray that over each other. Help us to experience the fullness of Christ today. Just think of so many other verses in your Word. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind has stayed on you. Isaiah 26. Earlier here in Philippians 4, rejoice in the Lord always. Peace that passes all understanding. Guard our hearts and minds in Christ. So God, we pray that you help us to live in the fullness of Christ today.
And God, we pray that you help us to point others to Christ today. Our brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling around us with different circumstances, help us to encourage them with the peace and the joy and the strength that is theirs in Christ. And God for people around us who don’t know you, who don’t know the one who strengthens and gives joy and gives peace that passes all understanding.
Prayer for the Dungan People
God, help us to share the gospel of Christ today. Pray specifically for the Dungan people of Kyrgyzstan and Northwestern China and Mongolia. God, we pray for the few believers specifically in Mongolia, among the Dungan people. It would strengthen them according to your word in Philippians 4:13. We pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ among the Dungan people of Mongolia. And God, we pray for the 150,000 of them who have little to no access to the gospel right now.
God, we pray that the gospel would spread through those few believers, that you would send more laborers from other places so that the Dungan people might know the secret of being content in every circumstance because they know your salvation. They know the love, joy, peace and power, strength of Christ in them. We pray this for them even as we pray all these things over our own lives, according to your word in Philippians 4:11–13. In Jesus name, amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
