Phil 4:19

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

What does this verse mean? Has God promised to supply the physical needs of every believer? Or has He perhaps promised to supply the physical needs of only every believer who is a generous giver (or maybe just walking right with Him)? Or, is this verse not referring to physical needs at all, but spiritual? How can that be, though? Verses 10-18 are all speaking about the physical needs of Paul being met by the generous believers of the Philippian church. So it stands to reason that verse 19 is then speaking of physical, not spiritual, needs as well, right? Not if we look back and read verses 11-13:

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

But, what exactly does "according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" mean? We tend to leave that part off when quoting this verse. What of "His riches in glory?" And "in Christ Jesus?" Is God going to supply all of our physical needs because we are in Christ Jesus? Does God supply every believer's physical needs because they are in Christ Jesus and walking right with Him? Of course we must agree this is not so; look at how many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are struggling at bare subsistence levels, even starving to death, in third world countries.

Perhaps the answer is to be found in "His riches in glory." Rather reminds me of Matt 6:20-21, "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (See also Matt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 12:31, 18:22)

But, all these verses are found in the gospels — before Christ's death and resurrection. Does this make a difference to us? Well it certainly means the disciples, whom Jesus was addressing in all these verses, were not in Christ Jesus...yet. But in the book of Philippians the believers being addressed there ARE in Christ because by that time Christ had died, risen, ascended, and the Holy Spirit was living within them (Rom 9:22-24). Therefore, Phil 4:19 speaks of "His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Col 1:27).

It also says that our needs will be supplied "according to" His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. The word "according" followed by the word "to" can have three different connotations/meanings: 1) "as claimed by" or "in the opinion of"; 2) "in keeping with" or "in conformity with" or "as stated by"; and 3) "in relation to" or "proportional to" or "commensurate with". It certainly can't be the first meaning. The last connotation deals more with comparison with a payment involved, so it can't be that one either. It makes the the most sense to say, "in keeping with" or in agreement with" or "in conformity with" His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Okay, so what are "His riches in glory in Christ" by which all our needs will be met?

We are complete in Him (Col 2:9-10)
Possess every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3) – (“One could say that he will live for the Lord in order to be blessed, but since we have already been blessed with all spiritual blessings, no amount of good works can add to that fact.” – Charles C. Ryrie in The Grace of God)
Heirs of heaven (1 Pet 1:4)
Adopted as full grown sons (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:1-7)
Chosen in Christ or set aside before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4; 2 Thes 2:13)
Born of God (Jn 1:12-13; 3:6-7; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 1:23; 1 Jn 5:1)
Saved by grace, through faith, entirely apart from works (Rom 4:4-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5)
Made acceptable in the Beloved One (Eph 1:6-7)
Forgiven our sins (Eph 1:7-8; Heb 1:3; I Jn. 1:9)
Justified by the finished work of Christ (Acts 13:38-39; Rom 3:24; 5:8-9; 8:33-34; 1 Pet 2:24; 2 Cor 5:21) – (Justification is more than the forgiveness of sins. It is to be in Jesus Christ, clothed in His righteousness; standing before God as though one had never sinned.)
Kept by the power of God (Rom 8:29-31; 1 Pet 1:5; Jude 1, 24)
Never can be separated from the love of Christ and of God (Jn 13:1; Rom 8:31-39)
Have received everlasting life (Jn 3:36; 6:47; Rom 6:23; Rom 11:29)
Will never perish (Jn 3:16; 6:37; 10:28)
Have a standing before God in grace (Rom 5:1-2; 6:14)
Have a standing before God in Christ (2 Cor 5:16-17; Eph 1:6; 2:10)
“Perfected forever” by “one offering” (Heb 10:10, 14; 13:12)
Already seated in the heavenlies in Christ (Eph 1:3; 2:6; Col 3:1-2)
A member of the Body of Christ (Rom 12:5; 1 Cor 12:12, 27; Eph 1:22-23; 5:30-32; Col 1:18)
Built into the temple of God (1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:19-22)
Taken out of the realm where Satan holds sway and placed in the realm of the Son of God (Col 1:13; Jn 17:11, 14)
Reconciled to God (Rom 5:10; Eph 2:12)
Made nigh to God (Eph 2:13)
Heirs of God (Gal 4:7; Col 1:12; Eph 1:18)
Given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of this inheritance unto the day of redemption (Eph 1:6, 13; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:20-22)
Objects of God’s unfailing care (Rom 5:8-10)
Objects of His never failing love (Rom 8:38-39)

Grace. God's grace toward us through His Son has and will continue to supply our every need.

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor 12:9-10).