And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
This verse from Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi has been a promise Christians have declared down through the ages. It is one that I often include when I autograph one of my testimony books.
But the last time I was reading this book, during the third time I had read it in 2025, I finally connected the verse with the context. This verse is a response to the sacrificial final support the Church in Philippi had provided to Paul during his missionary travels.
He begins in verse 10: “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.” How did they show their concern? By providing financial support to Paul. This is when no one else was doing so.
He shows this in these verses: “…it was good of you to share in my troubles….in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.”
The Philippians were responsive even when Paul did not expect them to be. They gave and gave again when no one else did. The Philippians did not know this until Paul wrote this letter. This was not giving under compulsion. They did not think, “Well, no one else is supporting Paul, so I guess we should.”
We see this in 2 Corinthians 9, where Paul says giving should not be done reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Cheerful giving is giving freely and gladly. It is viewed as a privilege. It is sowing into the lives of others and meeting needs so that the Lord will be praised.
Read Paul’s words carefully, “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.”(v. 17) Who was giving the Philippians account a credit? A credit is an addition; the Philippians were not the ones receiving, but the ones giving. Look back at Paul’s reference to giving as an issue of “giving and receiving.” When we give, we don’t lose, we gain. What we give financially, we receive in heaven’s bank account. We receive the reward of the gospel. The gifts that were sent to Paul were more than enough to meet his need.
I am thankful for a God who is more than enough! He has more than enough grace to cover your sin. He has more than enough love to call the lost to Himself. He has more than enough power to bring healing. He has more than enough riches to meet every need.
That is Paul’s reassurance to the Philippians financial support, “And my God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
That’s the promise to the generous. Paul is telling the Church at Philippi, you have supplied my needs out of your limited riches, and now my God will supply all your needs out of His unlimited riches through Christ. That’s the theme of scripture.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
“…whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Cor. 9:6 (NIV)
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Cor. 9:10 (NIV)
We don’t give to get. We give to receive. We receive from the Lord out of His storehouse of blessings. Obedience is what matters. God is glorified. The lost are saved, and heaven becomes more crowded. The gospel continues to go throughout the world. We may track the outflow, but God will take care of the inflow into our lives. That is what Paul wanted the Philippians to know and us too.