Knowing God - Omnipotence
Knowing God • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
Introduction:
What is God able to do in our lives, How far does His power extend?
Jesus emphasized the fact that our sovereign Lord watches over us and cares for His children.
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
All of those passages deal with the fact that God is an omnipotent God.
We can have the confidence that His omnipotence is at work in our lives; at all times.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
If God so exercises HIs omnipotence over creatures that are not made in His image, how much more will He do it in the lives of the ones that have been created in His image?
David was confident in the omnipotence of God and was able to sleep in the midst of his enemies.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
In everything that we do, we need to and are able to trust in the omnipotent care of God.
As we truly believe that all good things are caused by God, then our hearts will indeed be full and say:
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
And because our God is omnipotent, there is no such thing as luck or change.
We can rely on our omnipotent God.
I. The Meaning of Omnipotence
I. The Meaning of Omnipotence
The meaning of Omnipotence is derived from two different words.
One is “omni” which is from the Latin “omnis” and means “all” or “universally.”
And the second part is a word that came into the English language in the 15th century and that it the word “potence, “which speaks of potency or power.
So, the perfection of God’s “omnipotence” means that God is “all-powerful.”
When most Christians talk about the omnipotence of God, they usually use that term to mean that God has the power to do anything and everything; and they would be right to a degree.
Are there things that God cannot do?
Many believe that if we limit the ability of God to do certain things that somehow we diminish His being all powerful.
However, that greatly depends on how one defines the omnipotence of God.
Because the meaning of omnipotence, if we keep it in line with the Biblical narrative and examples, does not carry the idea that God has the power to do anything and everything.
When we speak about the omnipotence of God , we mean:
Omnipotence describes His ability to do anything consistent with His nature.
The last part is the key to the meaning of omnipotence; consistent with His nature.
God would never do anything that is inconsistent with His nature.
Let me give you this to consider.
If God did something that was against His nature, then He would do things that were in contradiction to His holiness (for example) and that would be sinful.
One thing that we can say is that all of God’s perfections must be consistent with his other perfections.
And to have a God that goes against His own nature or HIs revealed will in order to perform certain acts, really, would be no God at all.
So, we must keep in mind that there are things that even omnipotence cannot do and that is to do things that go against the nature of the one that is omnipotent.
Now, just for clarification, what are some of those that go against the nature of God or His revealed will and He cannot perform.
God cannot repent, like men repent, and we talked about the difference in our last session together.
God cannot lie.
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
And speaking about His nature, He cannot go against His nature.
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
There is not the possibility that God could ever be unfaithful; either in goodness and grace to His people nor in judgment to the lost, because being unfaithful goes against His very nature, and He cannot go agains that.
God cannot be tempted, and here is an important distinction that needs to be made, so that He would ever succumb to it.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
God CAN certainly be tempted because certainly Jesus Christ was tempted.
Now, when we are speaking of the perfections of God, we need to keep in mind that we are speaking about the Godhead; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Because each member of the Trinity is co-eternal and co-equal.
When Jesus Christ was in the flesh He did not cease to be God; He was truly God and truly Man; and as a true Man and true God, He was tempted.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Not only does the writer of Hebrews inform us that God the Son was tempted, but that He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
So, God cannot be tempted to the point where He succumbs to that sin.
God cannot change in HIs essence, purposes, or promises.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Therefore, we understand that under the idea of the meaning of Omnipotence that God has the power to do anything that is in accordance with His nature and His revealed will.
There are some things that He cannot do and those are the things that are in opposition to His nature or His revealed will.
II. The Manifestation of Omnipotence
II. The Manifestation of Omnipotence
The Word of God makes it clear that God in Hi power is (technically) able to do more than what actually occurs but that His power operated within the context of His will, nature, and other perfections.
Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
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,
Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth Correct Distinctions in God’s Power
So the correct distinction in God’s power is that he has a theoretically absolute power to do more than what he actually does but not anything inconsistent with his essence.
The only real divine power is God’s “ordinate power,” that is, His ability to do everything that he has decreed he will do.
Since God’s degree is the result of all his perfections, then He would only do what He has decreed He will do.
There His ability is confined to what He eternally will to do.
III. The Material of Omnipotence
III. The Material of Omnipotence
We spent 13 weeks looking at the Names of God and many of those Names speak to us about the power of God.
El Shaddai speaks means “God Almighty”, Elohim speaks about the all powerful God-head.
As believers we understand the fact that God can do whatever pleases Him.
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he 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?
What the omnipotence of God teaches us is that God’s has the power and ability to accomplish in our lives whatever He has decreed.
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
The phrase “no thought can be withholden from thee” literally means in the Hebrew, “no plan of yours can be thwarted or frustrated.”
We can live everyday in the blessed reality that, as believers, life is not about being out there on my own doing my own thing.
There is never a time when I am outside of the plan of God, even my sin though is not approved by God, is not outside of His plan.
That is key that we understand that my sin is not approved my God.
And for the true believer they would never have the attitude that says, “well, God ordain my sin, so it is His fault.”
No, the true believer, in the habit of their life, would not sin to be a part of their lives, they never use God’s perfections as an excuse to engage in sinful activity.
But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
Since our God is omnipotent and has the power to bring to pass what is His nature or His revealed will deemed will come to pass I am never outside of His personal working in my life.
Our God is omnipotent, and is all-powerful to accomplish everything that is part of His nature and revealed will.