The Bible is abundant with stories about the power of God and His powerful acts, and we regularly hear about them. He is “the great God, mighty and awesome” (Nehemiah 9:32).
We are instructed to put our faith in His mighty might in the face of adversity, whether that be the loss of a job, a difficult divorce, financial ruin, cruel mistreatment, a life-threatening disease, or the death of a beloved. As a Christian, you must learn to put your faith in God’s ability to accomplish His will.
Today is a time of unprecedented power. There are already nuclear weapons that can cause explosions several magnitudes more intense than the ones used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Modern nuclear weapons are so powerful that they may wipe out whole countries in seconds.
Our rockets are strong enough to transport astronauts to and from the moon. Our tremendous engines, energy plants, and electrically controlled machines and equipment would amaze anybody who lived even a few decades ago.
However, neither the powers of nature nor the products of human intelligence can compare to the might of God.
All Power Belongs To God Because God is All-Powerful
To say that God is omnipotent is to say that God possesses unlimited power in every possible situation, forever and without end. He owns all power in the universe. Everything and everyone is under his power, from the tiniest to the grandest. God’s holiness is immutable and serves no random ends.
What Is Omnipotence?
The word “omnipotence” comes from Latin. “Omni” means everything, while “potent” refers to strength. God’s omnipotence, then, is a declaration of God’s status as the ultimate source of power and might.
The triune God is credited with the three “omnis”: omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. All three agree that He possesses limitless power, infinite knowledge, and boundless presence. All three are interconnected aspects of God’s nature.
God is called “Almighty” throughout the Old Testament. Various names for God emphasize various facets of His nature, with many emphasizing His majesty and omnipotence. The Hebrew term for God, El Shaddai, evokes a sense of God’s absolute dominion.
God’s power is inexhaustible. All of creation is a testament to His power. His spoken word and the breath of His lips created the material universe and all living things. God’s omnipotence is fully displayed in His dominion over His creation and its subservience to His will.
But, as with most matters, knowing and comprehending the meaning are sometimes quite distinct concepts. We can’t fathom God’s divine omnipotence.
For all time, God has been all-powerful. It shapes the past, influences the moment, permeates the present, and determines the future. Everything in the universe, from the affairs of states to the details of individual lives to the course of history itself, is influenced by it. God rules supremely.
God’s Power As Evident In The Scriptures
If the Bible had a voice, it would proclaim, “God is Omnipotent,” from cover to cover. God’s hand is evident in ancient history, prophesies yet to be realized, and in perplexing parts of Scripture. Piece by piece, chapter after chapter, His handiwork is revealed. They show us a God who is so vast that our awe at His power grows with our understanding of Him.
God’s omnipotence is on full display throughout the entirety of God’s Word.
The book of Genesis opens with the words, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). The Bible’s concluding book, Revelation, makes a bold proclamation: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:8)
The psalms include several references to the omnipotence of God, characterizing him as mighty, plentiful in strength, and with boundless knowledge (Psalm 147:5).
Jesus taught his followers about the might of God, telling them that there wasn’t anything impossible for God to do (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). Paul refers to the eternal power and divine essence of God as characteristics that may be observed in creation (Romans 1:20). The writer of Hebrews refers to him as the “upholder of the universe by the word of his power” in his declarations about God (Hebrews 1:3).
The prophet Jeremiah testifies to God’s might in creation, “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
Why Must We Revel In God’s Omnipotence?
There is no way around denying the significance of God’s omnipotence. Without possessing this quality, God could not be considered God. He could not create (that is, make something from nothing), exist eternally, govern supremely, or save us entirely from all our problems.
Our trust in him would be misplaced due to his unpredictability, weakness, and unreliability. He would not be adequate to fulfill our requirements, offer adequate shelter or serve any useful function. We were unable to lay our faith in such a deity. If some other authority replaced Him, our trust would be for nothing. The spiritual and bodily resurrection of His and our own would become impossible.
Praise be to God, none of these descriptors apply to our All-Powerful God. Nothing is lacking in his might. He has not changed his reliable and consistent nature. He has complete authority over all that takes place in the present, as well as the yesterdays and the tomorrows. The unfolding of events and situations does not surprise or astonish him.
However, God does neither sin nor engage in the bad activity. According to Hebrews chapter 6, verse 18, God does not utter lies. His righteousness and goodness are unchangeable and impervious to corruption. His characteristics never deviate from perfection, and they constantly enhance rather than compete with one another. Each of His characteristics complements the others. They do not conflict with one another, renounce, or alter.
Championing God’s Omnipotence Drives Us
The more we accept God’s power, the more comforting it becomes. The same awesome strength that raised Jesus from the dead today sustains us. Knowing that God’s power is unrivaled, that His powers are limitless, and that His intentions are good brings enormous serenity.
Paul’s longing to understand Jesus “and the power of His resurrection” illustrates the splendor of His omnipotence and its continued influence on our lives.
“… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10)
The same power that was able to raise His body from the dead is the same power that will rescue and raise us to eternal life. God’s children are shielded, defended, and armed by His omnipotence. Everything that He permits into our life is for a reason. Since He has an infinite supply, we can rely on Him completely. His skills are undeniable. His unconditional love, kindness, and grace will never be revoked.
For the budding believer, the knowledge of God’s omnipotence becomes firm and priceless. Putting more faith in God’s ultimate control and power helps us overcome our limitations and grow. It supports us even when life’s challenges seem overwhelming. We may rest certain in his power in these perplexing and question-begging times. Even though omnipotence is difficult to fathom due to its vastness and the unfathomable nature of life’s events, it nonetheless provides the believer with a solid grounding.
A Prayer of Thanks for His Great Power
Father, Your power is incredible. What you can do is beyond my comprehension, and I am grateful. It’s proof that You’re even more magnificent than I ever imagined. I bow down before your immense power and give thanks.
God, you made all that is. Thank you for giving life to everything by simply uttering a word. You fashioned us after Your likeness. You infused into us the breath of life. We are eternally grateful for the salvation made possible by your resurrection. I am in awe of Your Infinite Power and am grateful to You.
Amen.
Check out some of our other posts!
