God’s omnipotence means that His power is completely unlimited. He has the power to do whatever He wants to do.
If you could have any super power, what would you want? Personally, I’d like to be able to fly. The sheer number of super hero movies that have been produced shows that people have a fascination with super power. It seems like we would all like to be able to break the laws of nature by flying unassisted or lifting impossibly heavy loads or moving faster than the speed of light. Unfortunately, our frail human bodies make that impossible. We are extremely limited in what we are capable of. So, we just watch the super heroes on TV and wish we could do what they do.
Even super heroes have limited power, however. Most of them only have certain super abilities, and they all seem to have a weakness, such as Superman’s vulnerability to kryptonite. The only Being to have completely unlimited power is, of course, God. He is omnipotent, or all powerful. God ia sovereign, which means He has the authority to do whatever He wants. His omnipotence means that He has the power to do whatever He wants. Whatever God wants to do, He can do.
Let’s discuss a few specific aspects of God’s omnipotence.
His power is unfathomable.
God’s unlimited power is beyond our comprehension. It’s unlike anything in our experience. Our own weakness makes it extremely difficult to imagine One with no weakness whatsoever. Whatever we think God capable of is just a drop in the bucket of what He can really do. Consider the following verses:
- Ephesians 1:19: And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
- Ephesians 3:20: Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
His power is unlimited.
God’s power is infinite, without limits or boundaries. As I’ve already said, God can do whatever He wants to do. He can fulfill His every desire. He never gets frustrated because something is too hard for Him. No problem is too big for Him. He never has to ask for help because He just can’t do it on His own.
I do want to make something clear here, though. There are some things that God cannot do. He cannot do anything that is in violation of His character. He cannot use His power for evil. God cannot lie, or be tempted to sin, or die. I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point. God can do anything He desires that is in keeping with who He is as God. The following verses discuss God’s unlimited power:
- Jeremiah 32:17: 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.
- Matthew 19:26: But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
His power is unchanging.
Our strength ebbs and flows. As we grow from childhood, we get stronger. As we pass a certain age, our strength begins to wane. We grow old and frail, but God does not. He never gets stronger or weaker. There will never come a day when God is just not capable of sustaining the world any longer. He’ll never grow tired or need a break. His power does not change, as we see in Isaiah 40:28-3, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
His power is unbeatable.
God’s power is superior to any other power in the universe. He is truly invincible. No power on heaven or on earth can defeat Him. No one can resist or spoil His plan.
In fact, whatever minimal power that we posses is delegated to us from God. So, it’s impossible that we could possess more power than He does. Even Satan is limited in the amount of power that God has granted Him. Consider these verses:
- Job 42:2: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
- Daniel 4:35: All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
Importance of God’s Power:
God’s power is essential for…
- Our salvation (Romans 1:16)
Without the power of God working in us, we could never be saved. We were dead in our sins. We could not possibly bring ourselves back to life. God, however, has the power to bring the dead back to life. He has the power to replace our heart of stone with a heart of flesh so that we might be saved.
- Our glorification (Philippians 3:21)
One of the perks of heaven is that we will exchange our weak frail human body for a new spiritual body, one that will never grow sick or old. Just as God exercised His power in the initial creation of our bodies, He will use His power to give us a new body that will live forever with Him.
- Our daily faith (Philippians 4:13)
Living a life of faith in Christ can be difficult. We cannot do it on our own. We aren’t strong enough to endure without Christ. He will help us to make it through whatever trials we face. He will give us the strength we need to stand firm in our faith.
- Our service (Colossians 1:29)
Serving God can also be difficult. It’s easy to burn out when we’re constantly giving to others. However, God will give us the strength to carry on when we feel like giving up. Christian service is actually allowing God to work through you to minister to others. We become the hands and feet of Christ.
Implications of God’s Omnipotence:
We can pray boldly, knowing that God has the power to answer our prayers.
No matter what problem or trial we’re facing, it’s not too hard for God. He can help us with ever the toughest situation. So, we can pray confidently, knowing that God hears and will answer in the way that brings Him the most glory and us the most good. We can pray for the salvation of our loved ones, even those who seem to hardened for salvation. No heart is too hard for God to save.
We can live boldly, knowing that God has the power to overcome the world.
No matter how challenging things are in our world, or how overwhelming, God is still in control. He is still guiding everything that happens to His desired end. He has not been overthrown and His plan is not derailed by the events going on around us. The political leaders and the terrorists and the protestors do not have more power than God. We can live without worry or anxiety, knowing that He who is in us is greater than He who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
This post is part of a series entitled Seeking God’s Face: Discovering the God of the Bible, which is based on a Bible study I’m teaching at my church. In this study, we’ll be rethinking our impressions of God by searching the Scriptures to find out who He really is. You can find other posts, as well as additional Bible study resources, here:
SEEKING GOD’S FACE: DISCOVERING THE GOD OF THE BIBLE
The information in this post was based on the following resources:
None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us by Jen Wilkin
Taste and See that the Lord Is Good: A Study of the Attributes of God by Joel James
The Attributes of God DVD by Steven Lawson
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
