Trusting in the Supply of the Holy Spirit

In our last article, we left Paul in prison awaiting the decision of the judge. Would he live, or would he die? But while waiting, Paul wasn’t discouraged. In fact, look at what he wrote in Philippians 1:19: “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” He would either be released from prison and continue preaching Christ, or he would be executed and ushered into eternal bliss in the presence of His Lord.

But what gave him this confidence? In the last article, we looked at the prayers of the saints on his behalf. He was confident that their prayers would be powerful and effective. But what about the next phrase, “the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ?” This, perhaps, gave Paul even more confidence.

That word, “supply,” means a full, bountiful, sufficient provision of what is needed. It was first applied to the lavish provisions a city would have on hand for a festival they were planning. But this here is applied to the Holy Spirit. We can trust that Christ’s Holy Spirit will be enough. It will be sufficient.

Do you have that kind of confidence in the Spirit of God? You ought to! Remember, as a believer the Spirit of God dwells within you. As 1st John 4:4 says: “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

If you have never encountered this verse, Ephesians 3:20, you need to do so now: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

Doesn’t that give you confidence? Nothing you can imagine is too tough for God. You can never ask God to do something that is too hard for Him. The problem is never God’s ability, but our faith. We’re too afraid to ask God to do the difficult things. And we never imagine asking Him to do the impossible, so it never happens, to our shame. As it says in James 4:2, “You have not because you ask not.” How often do we not ask because we think it is too tough?

Then in the next verse, James 4:3, we read: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Ah, how true that is. What we ask for is usually to satisfy our desires, not God’s . We ask amiss by wanting only the things that make us feel good, or comfortable. Be honest. Isn’t that the way you usually pray? But Paul was praying for release, not to make life easier for him, but so that He could go on preaching the Gospel.

Do you see? Paul was confident of his release for two reasons. The first was that people were praying, and the second was that the God, who answers prayer, is all powerful. He assumed God would want to answer these prayers for his release because this wasn’t a selfish request. His personal security wasn’t the motivation. He prayed for release, not to make his life easier, but so that he could continue preaching the Gospel. His execution would certainly end that.

Then, in the next verse, we see other reasons why Paul desires to be released. Philippians 1:20 continues the thought: “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Paul didn’t want the official verdict to be, “Criminal, evil doer, rebel!” He didn’t want the shame of being officially declared a trouble maker or a rabble rouser. He longed for vindication because, more than anything, he longed for God to be glorified. And not just in heaven, but here and now through his own body which he had presented to Christ as His holy sacrifice.

We need to desire that same thing, that our lives will glorify God. If you don’t, Paul has this to say to you in Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

If you do that, you can rest content in whatever God does. And that’s precisely Paul’s attitude. He is content to trust God to deliver him “whether by life or by death,” he says at the end of verse 20.