Nothing is too Hard: The Omnipotence of God By Catherine Martinez
I love a good superhero movie. Something in my heart instinctively knows that the world needs a hero, someone powerful enough to conquer evil and rescue the distressed. But all superheroes have their own version of kryptonite, something that leaves them vulnerable to the villain’s evil schemes. They may have special powers, but they are not all-powerful. Even in fictional stories, we all know that human power has its limits.
While humans are limited in power, God is all-powerful and sovereign over His creation.
Theologians call this attribute of His character His omnipotence. And even better than a superhero story, the Lord’s power is real and always on the side of truth. When we understand God’s omnipotent nature, it will fill our hearts with peace, knowing that our God can turn the impossible into possible for our good and His glory.
The Bible is filled with declarations and stories of God’s infinite power, “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” (Jeremiah 32:17).
The Old Testament gives plenty of memorable examples of what Jeremiah describes, including God creating the world out of nothing in just six days (Genesis 1-2), delivering His people out of slavery on dry land through the Red Sea (Exodus 14), leading the Israelites into the Promised Land by toppling the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6), defeating a false god in an epic fiery mountain showdown (1 Kings 18:20-40), and commanding a great fish to spit a wayward prophet onto the shores of Nineveh (Jonah 2:10).
In the New Testament, God sent Jesus, who demonstrated His power through humility. Jesus took on human flesh and lived among us, becoming a servant to secure our salvation. He was born of a virgin, demonstrating God’s authority and control over the laws of nature. Jesus lived a perfect life while performing miracles such as healing the sick, multiplying a small meal to feed a large crowd, and turning water into wine. In the ultimate demonstration of His power and love for us, He defeated sin and death with His sacrifice on the cross and rose again in victory at the resurrection.
In the book of Acts, God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell the hearts of all believers in Jesus, which empowered the gospel to be spread through the apostles. The Holy Spirit still moves, convicting hearts and working through believers to do the will of God.
Even though “with God all things are possible,” there are some things He cannot do (Matthew 19:26). God cannot do anything that goes against His holy will or against His character because “he cannot deny himself” (1 Timothy 2:13). Wayne Grudem summarized this well, “God cannot lie, sin, deny himself, or be tempted with evil. He cannot cease to exist, or cease to be God, or act in a way that is inconsistent with his attributes.”
This truth should fill our hearts with comfort and hope! With too much power, humans will always misuse it. But God will always use his power for what is good, right, and true. When the circumstances of our lives feel impossible, we can trust that He can and will do what’s best for us. This trust changes the way we live. Because of God’s omnipotence…
We can pray big prayers – We can pray boldly and confidently, knowing that nothing is
too hard for the Lord (Genesis 18:14). Dear friend, whatever your big prayers are, don’t
give up on them. God can change hearts, heal illnesses, provide for our needs, and bring
peace in chaos. He sees the big picture and will always answer our prayers in the right
way and at the right time, able to give us “more abundantly than all that we ask or
think” (Ephesians 3:20).
We can fight back against the enemy – Each day, we fight a spiritual battle. But as
believers in Christ, we are on the winning team! We can “take up the whole armor of
God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand
firm” (Ephesians 6:13). We are not only protected by an all-powerful God, but we are
equipped to fight back!
We don’t have to be afraid of anything that comes our way – When the world is in
chaos, understanding that God is in control over all things and His will cannot be
thwarted can fill our hearts with courage and confidence. Like Paul reminded Timothy,
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).
We can know that His power is at work within us. Don’t forget that the Holy Spirit
dwells within all believers in Christ, empowering us to do God's will. If He has called you
to do something hard, take heart that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to
completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
We can feel secure in our salvation – Because of Christ’s power over sin and death, our
eternal future is secure! Our salvation doesn’t depend on us but on what He has already
accomplished. Because of the resurrection, we are “born again to a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3).
Friends, next time your heart longs for a hero—remember that our sovereign God is mighty to save His children. Let your heart rest easy in the truth of His infinite power and grace.