Mrs. PIE

Empowered by Christ: Discovering Strength and Confidence Through Faith

• Shelley Jeffcoat • Season 3 • Episode 48

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Have you ever wondered how to find unwavering confidence and strength through Christ? Join us as we explore the empowering message of Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." In this episode, we promise you'll learn how to rely on God's strength over self-reliance, delve into the rich teachings of Paul's letter to the Philippians, and discover the transformative power of genuine faith. Reflect on personal experiences and scriptural insights that encourage joyful gratitude, commitment, and a deeper trust in God's promises, especially in this month of July, which symbolizes completion and breakthrough.

Listen in as we discuss how to maintain spiritual growth and perseverance by pressing toward our goals with Christ's strength. We'll guide you through the importance of a prayerful relationship with God, nurturing a mindset filled with truth and purity, and finding peace amidst life's challenges through trusting Jesus' provision. Through the example of Jesus' humility and service, understand how to lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance and support. Learn about the power of prayer, thanksgiving, and focusing on praiseworthy things to protect our minds and overcome anxiety. We'll wrap up with a heartfelt prayer, expressing gratitude for God's continuous blessings and encouragement to seek spiritual breakthroughs.

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Speaker 1:

Good morning y'all. Happy Saturday. I am back. God is good, buckle up. So I want to ask you. I'm going to ask you a question first, and this question is based on Philippians 4, verse 13.

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And the word says I can do all things through him. Who strengthens me? I can do all things through him. Who strengthens me can do all things through him, who strengthens me. My question is do you believe that you can do all things? And other other versions say through christ? Who strengthens me? So, lord, I just thank you for what you're going to show us today. I thank you for the encouragement and exhortation that you're giving us today. I pray that someone is blessed today, that they will hear this word and be lifted in their spirit so they can complete the assignment, whatever it is that you've given them to do, lord God, that they will remember that it is you that strengthens us.

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So I have a lot of confidence. I don't really. You know, I used to, back in the day, have a little trouble with self-doubt, rarely though, because of my culture I'm Jamaican. We can do all things anyway. That's how we were raised but primarily because of my relationship with God and what I've seen him do, not just in my life, but in the lives of people around me. But I want to challenge us today, especially for those of us who know the word, know the scripture. I've been in church for 30 years and I don't need no young person telling me you know what I need to do. I'm a deacon, I'm an elder, I'm an apostle, all the things and you're still struggling. You're still struggling because you don't actually believe that you can do all things. It doesn't say some things, it says all things. Something that the world has managed to do very well is to convince unbelievers that they can manifest, they can visualize, they can achieve their goals on their own and that the quote universe will just align things and give things to them and they will be successful. That is something that is like a counterfeit way of how God works. Now, as a believer, you should know that God, actually, when he gives you something, he gives you a seed, he gives you a vision, he gives you you know, he gives you things right. He says you are a mother and now he puts you in a position as a mom, just as an example, the vision for where your family should be. Maybe you have a partner who is in alignment with the vision, all those things, but really it is tapping back into God and his resources and those resources show up so that you can do these things. But it really does start with actually believing and standing in agreement that you can do all things through Christ.

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Now I'm in Philippians last night doing my study and for those of you I just want to pull back a little bit to give you some context. So, philippians, you know I use the A Shelley version, the ESV version. I was cheating, I was reading the NIV version, but forgive me y'all, but I wanted to set the stage a little bit because in Philippians, where you come to a chapter four, verse 13, before you get there, there are some things that happen and I think this will kind of set the stage for those of you who have that mindset, or maybe you're still struggling to believe that you can do all things right. So the this is a letter that paul wrote um at this time, and he wrote this letter to the christians who were in this city of phi. Okay, and I don't know what the timing, I really don't know what the timing was around. It says AD 62, after the death of Christ, 62. And so he was encouraging them to live I'm just reading my notes to live as Christians of a heavenly city, growing in their commitment to serve God and one another. And he talked about the joyful gratitude to God for how he you know, his redemption towards us and all of those things.

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Now, in chapter one in Philippians excuse me, I love how this starts. I think this is how we should greet each other. But even chapter one, verse three, starts out Thanksgiving and prayer. And he says I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always, in every prayer of mine, for you all, making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And he says, I'm sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus. Good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus. So something I want you to pick up on is the confidence that Paul had in who Jesus said he is and what he would do. Right, he says he who. I am sure of this confidence, I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. Now here we are in the month. Thank you, lord. See, I just listen, I just showed obedience. So here we are in the month of July and again, for a lot of believers, we understand spiritually seven and the month of July and all that seven represents completion. So this is to button up, thank you Lord, what this means for this month of July, as we've been leaning into completion and breakthrough, et cetera. So he says, I am sure of this, that he who began a good work will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

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Now the second thing he does is he starts to tell them about the example that Christ set in humility and in verse two he talks about have this mind amongst yourself, which is yours in Christ Jesus. He talks about, he reinforces that Jesus was in the form of God. He didn't count equality with God to be grass. He emptied himself to get a form of the servant. So what he's doing here now is he is reinforcing the teaching of who Jesus is, why? Because you got to know this man, jesus, this God we serve. You got to have an idea of who this is so that you can put your trust in him before you can do all things. Through Christ who strengthens me. You got to know who it is we're talking about before you do all the things that Christ has strengthened me. So he's building up their confidence in who Jesus is before he got to that message.

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The next section he talks about being the light of the world. He talks about us doing things without grumbling and disputing. He says that you may be blameless and innocent children. It talks about you know us. Again, we want to shine as the light, holding fast to the word of life, right. Then he goes on into chapter three.

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Talks about righteousness through faith. Again, I talked about this last week, that you got to have faith. Right. It talks about looking out for dogs. Look out for evildoers, you know looking out for dogs. Look out for evil doers, doers, you know. You know looking out for the people who are counter to the faith that pull you away from, uh, believing in the word and believing in god. It talks about straining towards the goal.

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This is in philippians, chapter 3, verse 12.

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He says I love this y'all. He's to me. Maybe he's talking to you, not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. So, because of what Jesus did, come on, I press on. He says, brothers, I don't consider this is me contextualizing, because he's talking to me, I'm talking to you. I don't consider that I've made it my own, but one thing I do. One thing I do forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me because, one, I have a heart of thanksgiving. I believe that the work that God has started he will complete. Two, because I have his mind. How do I have his mind? I have the mind of Christ, because everything I do I partner with the Holy Spirit. Where do you want me to go? Who do you want me to talk to? And he starts to align, divinely, align the things and places I need to be. Three, I don't lose my confidence. I don't lose my confidence, regardless of the storms that come. I'm straining towards the goal, but it's not because of me and Shelly Power, it's because Jesus Christ the word says made me his own. So now that I'm his own, I can press on toward the goal.

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Now we come to chapter four in Philippians, where it's the exhortation. This is the encouragement and this is the prayer. Sometimes it's good to go back and get the full context right. So he's talked about again reminding us who Jesus is, reminding us that the good work God started in us he will complete. He talks about Christ's example of humility, talks about us being the light right. He talks about us straining towards the goal. He talks about us having faith in Christ. And then he comes to chapter four in exhortation, encouragement and prayer. Now chapter four, verse six.

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A lot of you know this. I'm just going to read it for those who don't where it talks about do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And it says the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your heart and your mind. Part of the reason a lot of us have trouble really believing that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me, right. Part of the reason we have trouble with that is because we don't even have peace in your mind. You haven't settled the argument in your heart of who you are. You haven't fully accepted this man, jesus, this God, this man. We serve God, jesus, christ. Right. We serve God, jesus Christ, right. We haven't fully accepted he's made us his own but we haven't made him our own. So we fight that because we're trying to figure out how we can do the things based on just manifesting and having visions and straining our way, straining our way towards something without his help.

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Don't be anxious about anything Now, don't be anxious about anything. And it says but in everything, prayer and supplication. And so it didn't say don't be anxious about anything, just go talk to your neighbor. It says but in everything there's a relationship you need to have with the Holy Spirit. There's a relationship you have with our Lord, our Jehovah-Jireh. There's a relationship you have where he's telling you don't be worried about anything, come to me, prayer and supplication and thanksgiving. Prayer, supplication. Tell them what you need supplication and thanksgiving.

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It warns us in Philippians 4.8 that whatever, here's now a mindset. So again, if you're trying to do all things through Christ, who strengthens you, there a mindset. And it talks about this in verse 8. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's any excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise, think about these things, what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Practice these things. And it says and the god of peace will be with you. There's a level of peace, that peace that comes when you set your mind.

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I talked about I have the mind of christ. It's because I'm thinking about things that are true, that are pure, that about things that are true, that are pure, that are honorable, that are commendable, that are lovely. I'm thinking on those things. That's why it warns us not to fall into worry and despair. Now, it doesn't mean that life isn't life in y'all Please don't hear what I'm not saying. It doesn't mean that there isn't destruction around us. We live in this world and this is not our final home. That's why it's uncomfortable, right. That's why things are happening.

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But while we are here, while we are here, paul talks about join in imitating me, meaning follow my example. I'm modeling the behavior. Follow my example, I'm modeling the behavior. Join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example that God has given you. Hey, god, I'm not going to say it All right.

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So after all that, we come to Philippians 4, 10. And he talks about God's provision and he says I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now, at length, you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I'm speaking of being in need, for I've learned, in whatever situation I'm to be content. Now, please be careful of this right here, because this has caused a lot of us, I'll say, to struggle a little bit, because it's not that he's saying that you have to be content in misery, loss or pain. That's not what he's saying. He said not that I'm speaking of being in need. He talks also about I know how to be brought low, of being in need. He talks also about I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. And in every situation I've learned the secret of facing plenty, hunger, abundance and need. Guess what that secret is? Let me read that again Philippians 4,.

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Okay, I'm going to take it to Philippians 4, 10 through 13. Now please listen. I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now, at length, you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me. This is Paul speaking, but you had no opportunity. Not that I'm speaking of being in need for I've learned, in whatever situation I'm to be content, I know how to be brought, be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound in every, in every, in any, I'm sorry in every circumstance. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. And here's the secret, here is the secret that Paul is revealing. Thank you, jesus, lord, listen, ask God to give you revelation so you can come out of your situation. Thank you, lord. Here's the secret he's learned when he's facing plenty, hunger, abundance and need.

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Now we come to verse 13. I can do all things through him, who strengthens me. I can do all things through him. Who strengthens me? I can do all things through him, who strengthens me? I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. The strength comes from him, christ. Now we move down.

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You know again that, uh, us believers we love, we read this a lot, we say it out loud, and this is philippians 4 19, and and my god will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in christ jesus. To god, our and father, be glory forever and ever. That reassurance that god will supply every needs of yours, but it says according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. And remember I said that, hey, christ Jesus has made us his own. It's how and why we can have confidence. It's how and why we can, uh, lean on this mystery that paul shares, that we can do all things through christ, who strengthens us.

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What does it? What does it mean practically so, uh, in our decisions, in our walk, in our conversations, um, in our job search? Uh, in our job search, in our business deals, in our lives as moms and dads or partners or children, whatever it is that we are dealing with in life, knowing first, believing that, whatever the work is that he started in you, he will complete Every promise that God gave you. Right, it's still on the table, y'all. He didn't break the covenant with us. Many of us has walked away from it, right, but it's still there.

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We can have confidence in Christ. He set the example of humility when he became like us, taking the form of a servant to take on our sins. We can believe in him. We believe that he has blessed us. He's left us with the Holy Spirit, my bestie, my best friend. Okay, he has left us, the Holy Spirit, to help us as we are straining towards the goal and we are focusing, we are pressing on on right. We can have confidence because the word says that we don't need to be anxious about anything, uh, that in everything prayer, supplication, with thanksgiving we can make our requests known. We can have the confidence because he is. He is showing us how, how to protect our minds. He tells us what to focus on, what to think about things that are true and pure and lovely and commendable, if there's excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise. So he's even showed us how to set our minds on the things that will help us as we're straining towards our goal.

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I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. So I started this out as a question because, again, a lot of us bible readers and bible believers we say this all the time I can do all things through christ, who strengthens me. And I almost dare you, the next time you come across a problem, the next time you're facing self-doubt, the next time you come across a problem, the next time you're facing self-doubt, the next time you're being challenged by a spirit okay, or a person, the next time you come across something that will cause you to have any form of doubt, even in your mind, for a minute, I challenge you to lift up this word and put this word of God in that situation and say these things, speaking it out loud, for your life. I don't mean manifesting 2025, I'm gonna have a Lambo, I'm gonna have the new. I mean not come on, we coming up higher, okay. We coming up higher than this, okay. But I dare you to go back into his word when, now that you truly understand the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need, I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

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Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you for your encouragement this morning for those who need to hear it, for those who just need to be reminded of who you are, for those who need to be reminded of what the scripture says and giving us the context around Paul's letter. I thank you for this example that you have left to us through Paul's writings. I thank you, lord, that we are, as we are, seeking more of a relationship with you. We know that everything that we stand in need of that you will give us, lord, because you're not a father that hides things from your children. I thank you that you are blessing us even in this moment, drawing us closer to you in prayer and supplication and giving our request to you. So, for every person who is listening now to this prayer, any person who is listening to this teaching, that I pray that they will be inspired to go back into your word and meet you there, holy Spirit, and that you will give them the revelation according to their lives, specifically according to their lives what you want them to know, what you want them to know, what you want them to learn, what you want them to see. I thank you for closing out this month. This is the last teaching on a Saturday, teaching in the month of July, and how amazing you are that you close it out by reminding us that everything that you started in us you will complete. That promise is still true. So, for those who are feeling discouraged today, maybe you've given them the promise of a new home, a promise of a job. Maybe you've given them the promise of a good health report. You're going to bring them through some things that you will still complete that and I thank you for who you are. We worship you, lord, and I thank you. Amen. Amen, isn't that amazing? I hope that encourages you. I know this went a little long y'all, but I can't cut out the teaching when he gives me.

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We're in the Facebook streets on Come Out of the Wilderness prayer ministry. If you're not on Facebook, you can also watch the videos on YouTube. Mrs Pai, you can go to graceandgreatmediacom. We have live events. We have an in-person coming up here in Georgia in September, so maybe I get to meet some of y'all there. That'd be really nice. Come out and meet us. You can register. It's free. You can register at graceandgritmediacom. And again, I pray that this really bests. Drop me some notes in the comments and let me know how you're doing. Where can we stand in prayer and in agreement? I pray that God blesses you today and that everywhere that your feet go, you are blessed and that you are experiencing real breakthrough, spiritual breakthrough this month. And, oh God, I pray that you'll encounter the Holy Spirit like I do. He's amazing. He's my friend. Amen, all right, I love y'all. Jesus loves you more. Take care.