God is All Powerful

Luke 1:34-36, Genesis 1:1-24, Exodus 14:21-29, John 10:27-28, Psalm 50:15, Romans 8:28

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As we continue our series “What is God like?” we come to some pretty big words that describe God. And they’re the Omnis, sometimes they’ve been referred to. That God is omnipotent, that he is omnipresent, that he is omniscient. What do those words mean?

I think a good way to think about that prefix omni, for those that live in the Midwest, is maybe think about the Minnesota Science Museum up in St. Paul. They have a large theater known as the Omnitheater. It’s a domed IMAX theater. As you look up into that dome you can see 180 degrees as you can see everywhere around you. It is all around you.

So that term omni simply means all. And so the first word we’re going to tackle today is that God is omnipotent. All powerful.

When the angel came to Mary to announce her that she was going to be the mother of the Savior, Mary was quite confused. ‘How is this possible?’ she wondered. ‘Since I am a virgin.’ The angel explained to her that the Holy Spirit was going to come upon her and that the child to be born of her would be from God. The angel went on further to say “for nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:34-36)

God can do anything. We don’t just see that in the virgin birth. We also see it at creation as God speaks the word and things come into being. (Genesis 1:1-24) We see it again with God’s people as they’re facing enemies, even as they’re pinned up against the Red Sea, and Pharaoh is coming out against the children of Israel. God parts the waters and allows them to come safely through on the other side. Then brings those waters crashing down on Pharaoh and his army. (Exodus 14:21-29)

God is all powerful and we see that in so many ways in the Bible. As I mentioned before, really the descriptions of God that we see in scripture are ones that can sometimes terrify us, but also comfort us. The fact that God is all powerful is in many ways terrifying. Because it means that God at any time could squish us like a bug. We know we certainly deserve it because of our sins. God who is holy and righteous and just certainly would have every right just to do away with us, to destroy us, to make our lives miserable on any occasion. The only thing holding him back from that is himself.

But it’s truly comforting, especially for us as Christians, that God is all powerful. It’s comforting especially when we’re afraid of enemies or evil forces or the devil himself turned against us. Jesus said in John Chapter 10 these words:

My sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)

Nothing is greater than God or can snatch us out of his hand. What a comfort that is. But there’s even more comfort to be found in the fact that God is omnipotent or all powerful. That we can know that whatever we face, no matter what adversity, what struggle, no matter what sort of things we are going through, that God can handle them and we’ll do so according to His Will. He invites us in the Psalms,

Call upon me in the day of distress. I will deliver you and you will honor me. (Psalm 50:15)

And we also hear in Romans chapter 8 this truth: That we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

So we know that God uses his power for good, in our own lives. That God can use all things, whether we view them as good or bad, he can use them for our ultimate good according to his will. So be comforted by the truth that God is omnipotent or all powerful.

Let’s pray. Dear God, comfort us with the truth that you are all powerful and help us to be confident that you are able and will work all things together for our good, amen.