Can I really do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13)?

from the old testament

• God empowered His people for His purposes. He did not grant unlimited personal success. For example, God gave Moses the strength, courage, and wisdom to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3–14), but He didn’t guarantee that Pharaoh would submit immediately or that Moses would avoid hardships.
• Similarly, David faced giants, political intrigue, and exile, yet God equipped him to serve faithfully in the calling He had placed on his life (1 Samuel 17, 2 Samuel 5).

from the new testament

• Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” This verse is often taken out of context. Paul didn't mean that Christians can accomplish anything they want because Christ will enable them to do it. In context, Paul meant he could do anything God wanted him to do through Jesus' power.
• Jesus told His disciples that apart from Him, they could do nothing (John 15:5), but with Him, they could bear fruit and endure trials. The apostles experienced imprisonment, persecution, and suffering, yet God gave them the spiritual strength to carry out His mission (Acts 4:31; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

implications for today

At first reading without proper context, Philippians 4:13 seems to say that God will give His followers the power to do whatever they want. Today, we might interpret that as passing the test, getting the job, or marrying the girl. This is a common but mistaken understanding.

In writing that “all things” are possible through Christ Jesus, Paul used hyperbole, afigure of speech that relies on intentional exaggeration to stress a point. If a coach tells his team that they've trained hard and they're "ready for anything," "anything" is understood to be a hyperbole. They're prepared for the game ahead, not to go scuba diving.

The context of the passage shows that Paul's message was similar. He wanted to assure the believers in Philippi that God will empower His followers for the service He sets before us. He will not send a Christian out on an assignment without first equipping her with the necessary tools, skills, and resources. Notice, too, that in the context of this verse, Paul had just explained that he had learned to be content in every circumstance—whether in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:11–12 shows that his confidence in God’s provision was rooted in trusting Christ to strengthen him to endure any situation, not to fulfill every personal desire. In other words, “all things” refers to the spiritual and practical abilities God provides for enduring life’s trials and accomplishing His purposes, not a blanket promise to get whatever we want. This shifts the focus from self-centered ambition to God-centered reliance, emphasizing that our power comes from Christ’s enabling presence, especially when facing challenges, hardships, or service opportunities He calls us to.

God will empower us to do all things according to His divine will and purpose. For those who expect God to grant their wishes as if He were a genie in a bottle, this will come as disappointing news. For those who have been called to action, they can rely upon the faithfulness of God to get the job done.