"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus," Philippians 4:19.
Here is an assurance given by one who may be called an authority on God and His faithfulness in answering prayer. These are the words of Paul.
"But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me," Acts 27:21-25.
In our text we have:
"God shall supply." Paul can so speak because:
1. Of the promises of God to answer prayer. "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it," John 14:13-14. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us," 1 John 5:14.
2. God has all power to answer prayer. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think," Ephesians 3:20. "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" Genesis 18:14. "Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" Jer 32:26-27.
3. The history of God's response to His people's cries. "And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments," Exodus 6:5-6.
"Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God," 2 Chronicles 33:11-13.
"According to his riches in glory."
1. Immeasurable riches. Who can measure God's riches. "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein," Psalm 24:1.
2. Eternal riches. They do not decline or lessen.
3. Freely available riches. God possess all things and He can use them as and when He likes! Jonah's whale. The locusts and flies of Egypt. The colt the foal of an ass.
"By Christ Jesus." The Saviour is the means by which God's blessings come!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ," Ephesians 1:3.
"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell," Colossians 1:19.
"In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Colossians 2:3.
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Colossians 2:9.
"And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do," Genesis 41:55.
"His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it," John 2:5.
It is to the Saviour we must go.
It is His name we must plead.
It is upon His merits we must rely.