Section 1: God
Week 1: God Is Great
Day 4: God Is All-Powerful
Eph. 3:14-20
Theologians like to say God is omnipotent. That’s just a fancy way of saying God is all-powerful. Oddly, when we say that, we don’t actually mean he can do absolutely everything. There are, in fact, certain things God can’t do. He cannot lie, for example (Titus 1:2). He cannot be tempted (James 1:13). He cannot sin in any way.
God Is Able to Do Anything He Wants to Do
If there are things God can’t do, why call him all-powerful? God is all-powerful in the sense that he can accomplish anything he desires. But he never desires anything that is inconsistent with his nature. So he never sins because he never wants to sin, and he never wants to sin because such a desire would be contrary to his essential nature.
But, if God wants to do something, there is nothing outside of his own nature that can stop him.
Omniscience + Omnipotence = Plenty of Reasons to Trust Him
Practically, what does this add to our knowledge of God? Lots. We said earlier that God knows everything. As a result, he always knows the best course of action to take. But knowing what to do doesn’t always translate into results.
I like to golf, and I’ve read many an article on how to properly swing a golf club. Yet I regularly find myself behind a tree or in a sand trap instead of on the fairway or green. The mere fact that I know what to do doesn’t mean I can make it happen. God doesn’t have the same problem. God isn’t just omniscient, he’s also omnipotent. So there’s no gap between his knowledge of what is best and his ability to make the best a reality.
Challenge:
Make a list of the problems you’re facing right now.
Reflection Questions:
Is any one of those problems beyond God’s power to solve? Does that mean he will use his power to solve your problems the way you want? Why not? What can we expect from God then?
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