My strength does not come from me. It comes from Christ.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
What does it really mean to say:
In Him® I Am Strong?
We live in a world that often tells us to be strong on our own.
Be independent.
Push harder.
Never give up.
Believe in yourself.
Be your own strength.
And there is certainly value in courage, perseverance and determination.
But there comes a point in every person’s life when we discover something important:
We are not strong enough for everything.
There are circumstances we cannot control.
Battles we cannot fight in our own strength.
Losses we cannot undo.
Questions we cannot answer.
Situations we cannot fix.
And sometimes, even getting through another day can require more strength than we feel we have.
This is where the message of In Him® becomes so important.
Because being strong In Him does not mean that I never become weak.
It means that when I am weak, I know where my strength comes from.
What Does Philippians 4:13 Really Mean?
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Philippians 4:13 is sometimes understood as a promise that, with Jesus, we can accomplish absolutely anything we want.
But when we look at the verses surrounding it, we discover something much deeper.
Paul was speaking about learning how to live through very different circumstances.
“I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound…” Philippians 4:12 (KJV)
He had experienced having plenty.
He had experienced having very little.
He knew what it was like to be full.
He knew what it was like to be hungry.
He knew abundance.
He knew need.
And yet he had learned something:
His circumstances did not determine his strength. -Christ did.
So when Paul says:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,”
he isn’t simply saying:
“Jesus will help me achieve whatever I want.”
He is saying, in essence:
“Whatever circumstances I find myself in, Christ gives me the strength to endure and remain faithful.”
That is a very different kind of strength.
And, in many ways, it is a much greater one.
Strength Is Not the Absence of Weakness
Sometimes we think being strong means never crying.
Never being afraid.
Never struggling.
Never asking for help.
Never admitting that something hurts.
But Scripture gives us a different picture.
Paul himself experienced tremendous weakness.
He prayed repeatedly about his suffering and received an answer that became one of the most powerful statements about strength in the entire Bible:
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)
Think about that.
His strength is made perfect in weakness.
God did not tell Paul:
“You need to become stronger before I can use you.”
Instead, God showed him that His grace was sufficient.
That means we don’t have to hide our weakness from God.
We can bring it to Him.
Our fear.
Our exhaustion.
Our disappointment.
Our uncertainty.
Our failures.
Our pain.
And even the moments when we simply say:
“Lord, I don’t think I can do this.”
Sometimes the strongest prayer we can pray is simply:
“Jesus, help me.”
When You Don’t Feel Strong
There may be days when you don’t feel strong at all.
You may wake up tired.
You may be facing something you never expected.
You may be carrying responsibilities that feel overwhelming.
You may be grieving.
You may be uncertain about the future.
You may be struggling with fear.
Or perhaps you have simply reached the point where your own strength has run out.
If that is where you are today, remember this:
Your weakness does not disqualify you from God’s presence.
You don’t have to pretend before Him.
You don’t have to put on a brave face.
You can come exactly as you are.
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)
He cares.
Not just about the big things.
He cares about you.
Be Strong in the Lord
The Bible gives us another important instruction:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Ephesians 6:10 (KJV)
Notice what it doesn’t say.
It doesn’t say:
“Be strong in yourself.”
It says:
“Be strong in the Lord.”
That little phrase changes everything.
Our strength is not ultimately about how capable we are.
It is about where we place our dependence.
A person can be physically strong and still be emotionally broken.
A person can be financially successful and still feel empty.
A person can appear confident while secretly being terrified.
External strength cannot solve every internal battle.
But when our lives are rooted in Christ, we have somewhere to turn when our own strength fails.
The Armour of God
Immediately after telling us to be strong in the Lord, Scripture begins describing the armour of God in Ephesians 6.
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 (KJV)
Paul speaks of:
Truth.
Righteousness.
The Gospel of peace.
Faith.
Salvation.
The Word of God.
This is important because Christian strength isn’t about becoming an invincible person who never struggles.
It is about learning to stand.
Sometimes victory looks like moving forward.
Sometimes victory looks like overcoming.
And sometimes victory simply looks like refusing to give up when everything around you tells you to.
You stand.
Not because you are strong enough.
But because Christ is your strength.
When Life Changes
One of the greatest lessons in Philippians 4 is that Paul’s circumstances changed, but his source of strength did not.
He knew abundance.
He knew need.
He knew freedom.
He knew imprisonment.
He knew joy.
He knew suffering.
Yet Christ remained.
That gives us an incredible perspective.
Our circumstances can change overnight.
Our health can change.
Our finances can change.
Relationships can change.
Jobs can change.
Plans can change.
People can change.
But Jesus Christ does not change.
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8 (KJV)
If our strength is based entirely on our circumstances, then our strength will rise and fall with them.
But if our strength is rooted In Him, we have something deeper.
Something stable.
Something eternal.
You Don’t Have to Carry Everything Alone
Perhaps you’ve been trying to carry something by yourself.
Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that you must handle everything.
Maybe asking for help feels like weakness.
But Scripture tells us:
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 (KJV)
Trust does not mean that we stop thinking.
It means we acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers.
We don’t see the entire picture.
God does.
Sometimes strength means taking another step.
Sometimes strength means waiting.
Sometimes strength means forgiving.
Sometimes strength means walking away from something unhealthy.
Sometimes strength means beginning again.
Sometimes strength means admitting:
“I need Jesus.”
And there is absolutely no shame in that.
Strength Through Christ
There is a beautiful connection between the words “In Him” and the words “through Christ.”
Philippians 4:13 doesn’t point the attention back toward Paul.
It points toward Christ.
Paul’s confidence wasn’t:
“Look how strong I am.”
It was:
“Look who strengthens me.”
That is the heart of Christian strength.
It is not self-glorification.
It is dependence.
It is not:
“I don’t need anyone.”
It is:
“I know where my help comes from.”
The Psalmist wrote:
“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2 (KJV)
What Does This Mean for Me Today?
Maybe today you are facing something difficult.
You don’t know how everything will work out.
You don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
You don’t know whether you have enough strength to keep going.
Start here:
You don’t have to know everything today.
You don’t have to solve your entire future.
You don’t have to carry tomorrow before it arrives.
Jesus said:
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” Matthew 6:34 (KJV)
Sometimes God gives us enough strength for today.
Then tomorrow comes, and His grace meets us there too.
When You Feel Like Giving Up
If you are reading this during a particularly difficult season, I want you to pause.
Take a breath.
And remember:
You are still here.
Perhaps the road has been harder than you expected.
Perhaps you’ve fallen.
Perhaps you’ve been disappointed.
Perhaps you’ve questioned everything.
But falling does not mean the story is over.
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” Proverbs 24:16 (KJV)
There may be times when you have to get back up slowly.
That’s okay.
You don’t have to pretend you weren’t hurt.
You simply take the next step.
And if you cannot see the whole road, trust the One who can.
In Him® I Am Strong
The words “In Him® I Am Strong” are therefore not a declaration that I am powerful enough to handle everything life throws at me.
They are something much more humble.
They are a declaration of dependence upon Christ.
In Him, I can stand.
In Him, I can endure.
In Him, I can face tomorrow.
In Him, I can find courage when I am afraid.
In Him, I can find peace when circumstances are uncertain.
In Him, I can begin again when I have fallen.
In Him, I can persevere when the road is difficult.
Because my strength does not ultimately come from me.
It comes from Him.
If You Are Not a Christian
Perhaps you have never really understood what Christians mean when they talk about finding strength in Jesus.
Maybe you’ve always thought Christianity was simply about following religious rules.
But at the centre of Christianity is not a list of rules.
It is a person.
Jesus Christ.
The Gospel tells us that God loved us enough to send His Son to save us.
Jesus came into the world, lived without sin, willingly gave His life on the Cross, shed His blood for our redemption, and rose again.
And He invites us into a relationship with Him.
You don’t have to have everything figured out before you seek Him.
You don’t have to become perfect first.
You can simply come honestly.
You can say:
“Jesus, I need You. Help me to know You.”
That can be the beginning of a very different journey.
A Prayer for Strength
Heavenly Father,
Thank You that I don’t have to depend entirely upon my own strength.
You know the things I am carrying.
You know the battles I cannot explain.
You know the fears I keep hidden.
You know where I am weak.
And You know where I need You most.
Help me to stop trying to carry everything alone.
Teach me to trust You.
When I am afraid, give me courage.
When I am tired, give me strength.
When I am discouraged, give me hope.
When I fall, help me to rise again.
When I don’t understand, help me to trust You.
When circumstances change, remind me that You do not change.
Help me to put my confidence not in myself, but in Jesus Christ.
Teach me to be strong in You and in the power of Your might.
Thank You that Your grace is sufficient.
Thank You that Your strength is made perfect in weakness.
And thank You that I never have to walk alone.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Carry This Truth With You
When you feel strong, remember where your strength comes from.
When you feel weak, remember where your help comes from.
When you succeed, give Him the glory.
When you struggle, run to Him.
When you fall, get back up.
When you don’t know what to do, trust Him with the next step.
And when you wonder whether you are strong enough to face what lies ahead, remember Paul’s words:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
Not because I am enough on my own.
But because Christ is enough.
In Him® I Am Strong.
A Final Thought
There is a beautiful difference between saying:
“I am strong.”
and saying:
“In Him® I am strong.”
The first places the emphasis on me.
The second points to Him.
That little phrase is at the heart of everything In Him® represents.
We live In Him.
We move In Him.
We have our being In Him.
And when our own strength runs out, we discover that His never does.
“For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts 17:28 (KJV)
LIVE • MOVE • BE
In Him®.
About These Reflections
The In Him® Reflections are personal reflections through Scripture and faith, shared from my own journey of discovering the truth of God’s Word and what it means to live In Him.
I am not a pastor, theologian, or ordained minister. These reflections are not intended to replace biblical teaching, pastoral counsel, or the fellowship of a local church.
They are simply what I have learned, experienced, and discovered through reading God’s Word, and what I feel led to share with others.
My prayer is not that you would simply believe my words.
My prayer is that these reflections encourage you to open the Word for yourself, seek Jesus for yourself, and discover the truth of who you are in Him.
