Evans, Our God is Awesome: God's Omnipotence

According to QI,
“Human beings are
born with only two
inbuilt fears: the
fear of loud noises
and the fear of
falling. All other
fears are abnormal
and have to be
learned”
Thursday 17 February 2011

Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the
LORD is hatred of
evil. Pride and
arrogance and the
way of evil
and perverted
speech I hate.


Psalm 147:10-12
His delight is not in
Proverbs 8:13
the strengthof the
The fear of the
LORD is hatred ofhorse,
   nor his pleasure in
evil. Pride and
the legs of a man,
arrogance and the
but the LORD takes
wayin those
pleasure of evil
   and perverted
who fear him,
   in those whohate.
speech I hope
in his steadfast love.

Psalm 111:10
Psalm 147:10-12
His delight is of the
The fear not in
Proverbs 8:13
The LORD of the
fear is
the strengthof the
beginningof
LORD is hatred of
horse,
wisdom;
   nor his pleasure in
evil. Pride and
   all those who
the legs of a man,
arrogance and the
practice it have a
but the LORD takes
wayin those
good understanding.
pleasure of evil
   and perverted
   His praisefear him,
who endures
   in those whohate.
speech forever!
I hope
in his steadfast love.

The
Omnipotence
of God

Om·nip·o·tent [om-nip-uh-tuhnt]
–adjective
1. almighty or inﬁnite in power, as
God.
2.having very great or unlimited
authority or power.


For us this means there is nothing that
God cannot do.
This is not simply ‘raw power’ but...
“God’s omnipotence includes the
exercise of his choice to use his
unlimited power to reﬂect his divine
glory and accomplish his sovereign
will.”
Evans


God’s omnipotence has a
moral base - he does not
use power simply to impress
- he uses power to
accomplish his perfect will.
In the Gospel of Thomas
there is a story of Jesus
bringing clay birds to life -
this is totally out of keeping
with the way our omnipotent
God uses his all surpassing
power.


In fact the Gospel of Thomas
describes the life of the child
Jesus, with fanciful, and
sometimes malevolent,
supernatural events,
comparable to the
deceiving / tricking nature of
the god-child in many Greek
myths. This act also
attributed to Jesus in
Qur'an 5:110 although in the
Quran it is not as a child.


1. God’s Power is Unlimited

God is inﬁnite - and his power
is unlimited.
Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you
not heard? The LORD is the
everlasting God, the Creator
of the ends of the earth. He
will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one
can fathom.


1. God’s Power is Unlimited

God is inﬁnite - and his power
Psalm 62:11
is unlimited.
One thing God has spoken,
Isaiah 40:28
two things I have
Do you not know? Have you
heard:“Power belongs to you,
not heard? The LORD is the
God,
everlasting God, the Creator
Psalm 147:5 -Great is our
of the ends of the earth. He
Lord, and abundant in power;
will not grow tired or weary,
his understanding is beyond
and his understanding no one
measure.
can fathom.


1.a. Creative Power
All that was made or ever will be
made came from God, Psalm
89:11,The heavens are yours, and
yours also the earth; you founded
the world and all that is in it.
God has created things and parts of
the universe which we have not
even discovered yet.
Evans suggests that men have used
science to take the place of God
and of his creative power - they will
not give credit to God.


Evans goes on to suggest that
true science is really about
observing the consistency of God
- men discover something give it a
law and accredit it to nature - all
they are doing is observing the
consistency of God.
Evans suggests that he can lift a
one ton weight - but only if you
change his environment from Mariusz
earth to the moon. He suggests
Pudzianowski
we have done the same with God,
made him in our own environment Has won the title of
and therefore limited his power. world’s strongest man
God belongs to a different realm!
on at least 3 occasions


1.b. “Out of Nothing” Power

Ex nihilo means “out of
nothing”
God’s power is so limitless
that he creates without raw
materials.
Evans comments that we
never create anything in this
way, nor has science ever
been able to achieve it in the
laboratory.


1.b. “Out of Nothing” Power
Romans 4:17 - as it is
Ex nihilo means “out of
written, "I have made you
nothing”
the father of many
nations"—in the so limitlessof
God’s power is presence
the God creates without raw
that he in whom he
believed, who gives life to
materials.
the dead and calls into
Evans comments that we
existence the thingsin this
never create anything that
do not exist. science ever
way, nor has
been able to achieve it in the
Real power, God’s power,
laboratory.
means he makes things
from nothing

1.c. Effortless Power

No straining, no
groaning, God does not
get weary or tired - see
Isaiah 40:28


1.d. Self Generating Power
God never needs anything
outside of himself to generate or
sustain his power - he generates
the power for all his actions within
himself.
Psalm 33:6, 9
By the word of the LORD the
heavens were made, their starry
host by the breath of his
mouth...For he spoke, and it
came to be; he commanded, and
it stood ﬁrm.

God shows this in the conception
of Jesus - Mary is a virgin - yet the
power of God comes upon her
and what was impossible is made
possible - Luke 1:26ff - v.37, For
nothing will be impossible with
God." (New NIV: For no word from
God will ever fail.”)
Mark 10:17-27 - a rich man
comes to Jesus and goes away
sad - how can the rich enter the
KOG / be saved? - v.27 “With
man this is impossible, but not
with God; all things are possible
with God.”


Does - Luke 1:26ff - v.37, For
possible
it take more effort
nothing will be impossiblean ant
for God to create with
orever fail.”)
God will
to create the
universe?man
Mark 10:17-27 - a rich
comes to Jesus and goes away
with God.”


Does - Luke 1:26ff - v.37, For
possible
it take more effort
nothing will be impossiblean ant
for God to create with
orever fail.”)
God will
to create the
universe?man
Mark 10:17-27 - a rich
comes to Jesus and goesit was
God spoke...and away
so
with God.”


2. God’s Omnipotence is
Broad in Scope
Jeremiah 32:17
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have
made the heavens and the earth
by your great power and
outstretched arm. Nothing is too
hard for you.
God created the universe -
anything else is well within his
capability - he has power over
nature, that is why we often
(mistakenly)equate nature with
God.

2. a. Power over Nature
Plenty of examples: Pharaoh -
Sodom & Gomorrah - Noah -
Jesus!
God not only creates - he
sustains nature as well - Heb 1:3
- The Son is the radiance of God’s
glory and the exact representation
of his being, sustaining all things
by his powerful word.
Sustaining includes gravity, the
right speed of rotation, the right
angle of tilt, the sun being the
right distance...from earth

2. b. Power to give Life
Psalm 139 is full of the omni -
presence, niscience and potence
of God
v.13-14 - For you created my
inmost being; you knit me together
in my mother’s womb. I praise you
because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;
Ears, eyes, legs - all are in the right
place because God made you that
way.
Evans says this is the problem with
abortion - it destroys what God
has made

2. b. Power to give Life
Psalm 139 is full of the omni -
What does this
presence, niscience and potence
of God
v.13-14 - For you created my about
mean
inmost being; you knit me together
in my mother’s womb. I praise you who
children
because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; born with some
are
Ears, eyes, legs - all are in the right
place because God made you thatof
type
way.
‘deformity’ or ‘abnormality’?
Evans says this is the problem with
abortion - it destroys what God
has made

2. c. Power over the Enemy

Jesus had power over demons
- Matt 8:28-34 -
Two men out of their mind,
violent - had been trying to
destroy the men - they did
destroy the pigs - but the men
were healed and set free


2. d. Power over Illness
There are so many examples of
this!
[One might ask why so many
people doubt God’s healing
power today - and seem set on
disproving it?]
Luke 9:11 - but the crowds
learned about it and followed
him. He welcomed them and
spoke to them about the
kingdom of God, and healed
those who needed healing.


2. e. Power over Circumstances
Jeremiah 32 tells of God’s
power over circumstances -
Jerusalem is about to be
destroyed and overrun - yet
God tells Jeremiah to buy a
ﬁeld.
This did not make sense to
Jeremiah - though he sees God
is all powerful, v. 27 - and then
god tells him he will bring the
Israelites back to the land - so it
was not a pointless deed but
one showing God had power.

2. f. Power over Death

Every person who has ever lived
on the planet will be raised from
the dead - for the judgement
before Christ.
Jesus commanded Lazarus to
come out of the tomb
A doctor might say a person is
dead - but the word of Christ will
bring them back to life, either in
this life or the next.


Purposeful
You do not get all you want not
because God cannot do it, but
because God uses his power for his
purposes - he does what is best to
magnify himself and bring glory to his
name.
Consider Abram and Sarah - an 84
year old woman gives birth, why?
Because in God’s plan he was raising
up a nation - born again in 1948. Can
God make 84 y.o. Women get
pregnant - yes - does he - not often!

I make known the end from the
Rev 19:6 - God’s sovereignty and power are linked -
“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
To get God’s power beginning, his will - God
you must be tied to
exercises his power within his will.
from days of Jesus’times, he
Heb 5:7 - During the
ancient life on earth,
offered up prayers and petitions to come. and
what is still with fervent cries
tears to the one who could save him from death, and he
wasIheard because of his reverent submission.
say, ‘My purpose will stand,
Mk 14:36 - “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible
and I will do all that I please.’
for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what
you will.”46:10
Isaiah
Jesus did not want to die on the cross - yet he saw the
The to tie the power of God with the will of God for his to
need question becomes are you submitted
- and in, the will of God?
life.


Personal
Eph 3:19-20
and to know this love that
surpasses knowledge—that you
may be ﬁlled to the measure of all
the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to his
power that is at work within us,
In biblical terms omnipotence = he
is able

4.a. He’s able to save
Heb 7:25 - ...he is able to save
completely those who come to
God through him, because he
always lives to intercede for them.
2 Tim 1:12 - he is able to guard
what I have entrusted to him until
that day.
Evans comments: You cannot lose
your salvation!
Our salvation is stable in the hands
of God, secure in him.


4.b. He’s able to meet needs

2 Cor 9:8
And God is able to bless
you abundantly, so that
in all things at all times,
having all that you need,
you will abound in every
good work.


4.c. He’s able to heal

Matt 9:27-29
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed
him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to
him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able
to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said,“According to
your faith let it be done to you”;


4.d. He’s able to deliver
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
- Daniel 3:17
If we are thrown into the blazing
furnace, the God we serve is able to
deliver us from it, and he will deliver
us from Your Majesty’s hand.
Daniel - in ch. 6 - “...has your God,
whom you serve continually, been
able to rescue you from the lions?”
Daniel answered, “...My God sent
his angel, and he shut the mouths of
the lions.”


4.e. He’s able to keep you
Jude 24 - To him who is able to
Remember:
keep you from stumbling and do
Now to him who is able to to
present you before his than all we
immeasurably more glorious
presence without according to his
fault and with
ask or imagine,
great joy
power that is at work within us,
How dobe glorythisthe church
to him we see in happen?
and in Christ Jesus in the Lord
Eph 6:10 - be strong throughout
all generations, power. and
and in his mighty for ever
ever!
God is able to make us strong -
Don’t be half to be committed to to
but we need hearted and expect
see the power of then you see him
him and his will - God - be
committed to his will
breaking through.


Four things to know

1. God is looking for a
fully committed
heart in order to show
his power - 2 Chron
16:9
For the eyes of the
LORD range
throughout the earth
to strengthen those
whose hearts are fully
committed to him.


2. You must have faith - Mk 9:22-23
“It has often thrown him into ﬁre or water
to kill him. But if you can do anything,
take pity on us and help us.”“‘If you
can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is
possible for one who believes.”
3. Be Humble - 1 Peter 5:5-6 -
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility
toward one another, because, “God
opposes the proud but shows favor to
the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under
God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you
up in due time.

4. Wait upon the Lord - Isa 40:28-31
Do you not know? Have you be heard?
Churches should not full each week
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends
ofthe earth. testifying to the
of
people
omnipotence or weary, and his understanding no
He will not grow tired of God - people who
one can power to love the unlovely,
have fathom.
He gives strength to see bills paid etc. power
heal te sick, the weary and increases the
of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and
young men stumble and fall; but those who hope ofthe
Why aren’t you seeing the power in
LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings
God in your life? and not grow weary, they will
like eagles; they will run
walk and not be faint.


Responding to God’s
Omnipotence

1. Are you trying too hard and
not letting God manifest his
power - is your walk too much
about self and not enough
about the power of God?
2. When did you last see God
move in power - why did it
happen, what were the
important factors in it?


3. Are their situations or
people that you have given
up on as impossible? It is
time to repent and in a new
spirit of faith and prayer to
believe in the omnipotent
power of God.
4.Read Isaiah 40:28-31 and
personalise it.


Evans, Our God is Awesome: God's Omnipotence

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (20)

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (20)

Mehr von Richard Chamberlain

Mehr von Richard Chamberlain (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Evans, Our God is Awesome: God's Omnipotence