Thursday, March 17, 2016

The Omnipotence of God by Lewis Kiger

 “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Revelation 19:6. The word Omnipotent or Omnipotence comes from “Omni” meaning all and “potence” meaning power. It means that God is all-powerful; that He possesses absolute authority and has infinite strength. Over fifty times He is called the Almighty in Scripture. The very name El-Shaddai means God Almighty. He is the Divine Sovereign of the Universe.
                                                                                                
  Each Sunday, men rise to stand behind pulpits and talk about a god that is far different from the God of the Bible. God is likened to some old, weak, hand wringing, gray haired grandpa who really, really wants to do this or that, but is either unable or unwilling. This is not the God of Heaven and Earth that is revealed in Holy Writ. This pocket-sized powerless god is of human invention. He may fit well into the mind of the self-sufficient, but is of no true value to the desperate.

 Men will say things such as “God is trying” or “God has done all He can”, but this is mere religious superstition. The God of the Bible is not governed by anyone or anything, except His own good pleasure. God has never “tried” to do anything and the suggestion that the Almighty is handcuffed by the will of man is mere folly. Listen to what this Babylonian king said of God in Daniel 4:35 “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he (God) doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”  Does this sound like a God who has done all He can and is now dependent upon man? Does this sound like some impotent deity pacing the halls of Heaven, hoping His purposes will be accomplished? No, no, a thousand times no. God never has, and He never will ask mankind’s permission to do anything. Rather let the words of faithful preachers and a devoted multitude ring from the rafters: The Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

 The God we serve is able to accomplish whatever He desires to do. He possesses all might, He never grows old, or tired, or weary. He has never had to “call for back-up” because He was overrun or overwhelmed. He has never needed a vacation or even needed to rest. He is eternally, omnipotent. How encouraging is this truth that the God we depend upon is supreme in power. Paul gives great encouragement to our prayer lives when he is inspired to write in Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

 Consider the words of the prophet Jeremiah, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.” (Jer. 32:17). He created everything out of nothing, merely by the word of His power.

 Nothing is too hard for the Lord. God has never sought to do something that His omnipotence could not carry out. He caused it to rain manna from Heaven and He brought water from a rock. Christ fed a multitude with five loaves and two fish. He healed the sick, cleansed lepers, and raised the dead. He restored broken bodies and restores broken families. He even walked on water! His power is unlimited.

 Finally, God alone has redemptive power. We do not have the strength to save ourselves. God alone has the ability to raise the spiritually dead. The disciples asked Jesus a very pertinent question; who then can be saved? His reply was this: in Matthew 19:26 “with men this is impossible, but with God; all things are possible.”

 The Gospel of His Son is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone that believeth. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again in glorious power. And now ever lives to make intercession for us.
 
 What a glorious Omnipotent God we serve!




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