"I Can Do All Things?" — The Real Meaning of Philippians 4:13

Philippians 4:13 was my life verse growing up — shouted at swimming lessons, shared with kids I taught, and repeated like a spiritual rally cry: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” But what if we’ve been using this verse all wrong?

Welcome to the HHP Podcast — I’m Chris Frankie, senior pastor of HFF Church in Oklahoma City. Join me and guests from around the country as we explore the Bible, the church, and real family life. Whether we get it right or maybe veer into the heretical (you decide!), we’re diving deep into Scripture with open hearts and honest questions.

In this episode, we take a fresh look at Philippians 4:13. Spoiler alert: it’s not about scoring touchdowns, acing exams, or getting the promotion. It’s about contentment. Paul wrote this verse from prison — not from a podium. He was teaching us that strength in Christ is about enduring, https://hff.church 📍Join us for Saturday church in OKC at 10:30 AM — all are welcome!

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Philippians 4 13 was like my life verse.
It used to be something that was said over and over and over again, as I was a
child in our swimming lessons.
And then when I became a lifeguard and a swimming teacher, Philippians 4 13 was
the verse that we taught to every kid.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

(00:23):
Welcome to the HHP podcast.
My name is Chris Frankie and I am the senior pastor of HFF church in Oklahoma
city.
Join me and others from around the country as we talk all things Bible,
church and family.
We may be right.
We may be heretical, but that's for you to decide.
Drop a like a share a comment, subscribe, and let's get to it.

(00:47):
Philippians 4 13 isn't about chasing dreams or winning championships.
It seems like if you're in a sports team or if you have like an ACT test or almost
any type of thing that's that's in front of you, like a mountain or a molehill,
we will post, we will say, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

(01:13):
or gives me strength, depend upon what version of the English translation.
But Philippians 4 13 is not about chasing your dreams or winning a championship or
you know, fighting a battle, whether it's with a company or whatever it is, it's

(01:35):
not something to be used when you're in a situation where you feel oppressed or
you feel like you need to win something.
It's actually about enduring the ups and downs of life with Christ's strength, not
trying to do it on your own.
Paul actually wrote this while he was in prison saying that he had learned to be

(02:00):
content whether he had everything or he had nothing.
It's not a verse about achieving anything you want or obtaining anything you want.
It's actually a verse about trusting Jesus when life doesn't go your way.
So let's dig in.
Many people use this versus like, I will achieve anything I want with Christ,

(02:23):
whether that's win a game, land a job, chase my dreams, whatever, whatever your
milestone, almost like a, like a get out of jail free card for having to endure
ups and downs.
It's like, well, because I have the strength of God, I can push forward and
persevere through anything.

(02:43):
And while that's somewhat true, we don't necessarily live our life as if we're
actually persevering through the entire process.
Sometimes like, well, I'm going to do this and we're in the name and claim it
side of because Jesus is my strength and he powers me.
We turn this into some sort of motivational mantra for success and

(03:05):
achievement.
A lot of times this has to do with sports or finances or jobs.
Honestly, that's where we use a lot, but there's a deeper and more rich meaning
to what Paul was actually writing.
See the apostle Paul was writing this letter to the church of Philippi where

(03:27):
actually HFF is going to be visiting Philippi in the Mediterranean at least
that's the plan in April of 2026 on the echoes of the early church.
So we'll actually get to walk in places in Philippi where they maybe were reading
the original letter or being read to the original letter of the apostle Paul to

(03:49):
them.
Paul was writing this letter to the church of Philippi while he was in prison.
The theme of this letter is not conquest.
It's actually finding content, how to be content.
So let's look at Philippians 4, 11, 12, which actually comes before that famous.

(04:09):
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength verse.
It says, I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound in any and every
circumstance I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance

(04:35):
and need.
And then it says, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
So let's think about that for a second.
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content because Christ gives
me strength.
I know how to be brought to the lowest of lows because Christ gives me strength.

(04:58):
And I know how to abound in riches, blessings, joy, peace, because Christ
gives me strength in any and every circumstance.
I have learned the secret of facing plenty, hunger, abundance.
I have learned the secret.

(05:20):
The secret is when I'm facing plenty, Christ is my strength.
When I am hungry, Christ is my strength.
When I have an abundance of time, money, wealth, joy, peace, patience,
Christ is my strength.
When I have great need, Christ is my strength.
See, when we put Philippians 4, 13 into context, this verse is actually about a

(05:46):
spiritual strength to endure, not a personal power to achieve.
I can endure all situations because Christ gives me strength, not because I'm
strong or I'm smart or I'm funny or whatever.
Like it's not about a conquest.
It is about finding your contentment in all things, your dreams, your goals, but

(06:07):
also whether those become reality because Christ is your strength.
Paul is pointing to the sufficiency that we must find in Christ, the sufficiency
in Christ, not the sufficiency of self-confidence, the sufficiency in Christ.
It's not about achieving anything, but actually about trusting Jesus for everything.

(06:31):
And that is really hard for us because our culture in America in the 21st
century teaches that we need perfect circumstances.
We need money, we need time, we need the corporate ladder.
We need the right, the structure, whatever those perfect circumstances

(06:55):
will give us the peace.
Uh, well, according to Paul's letter to the church of Philippi, we need Jesus to
have peace kind of regardless of our circumstances.
We also see that the world will say, Hey, you can do hard things.
If you just keep going, you can do a hard things.
Well, that's not necessarily incorrect, but who actually gives you the strength

(07:20):
and the endurance to do hard things?
Not you, it's Christ.
Also our world is traditionally found to find their contentment in the outcomes.
We are only content if we got the job.
We are only content if we got the money.
We're only content if we got what we wanted.
Yet Paul is telling the church of Philippi true contentment does not come

(07:43):
in the outcomes is only rooted in Jesus.
And so Philippians 4 13 isn't about winning.
It's actually about lasting.
It's a promise of strength in weakness, not in success or in ambition.
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(08:05):
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