All-encompassing power is one of God’s many marvellous attributes. He can do whatever he plans to do. For example, by his might the lights will shine eternally in heaven. Nothing will be able to put them out. As part of the attributes of God series, this article focuses on God’s omnipotence.
Human Power and God’s
God has entrusted us with power to a certain degree. As creatures fashioned by his hand, one of our duties is to rule over his creation (Genesis 1:26-28). Our wielding of power is to be done humbly and in submission to the Father. Ultimately, our exercise of power on earth should bring blessings from heaven – to us and to the rest of the created order.
God has entrusted us with power to a certain degree.
However, due to our sin nature and the fact that we live in a fallen world, human exercise of power is riddled with flaws. We tend to use power to oppress and suppress. Power is so often abused by key players in society such as business leaders, entertainment industry executives, and even by some church leaders.
Omnipotence and Spiritual Warfare
A major flaw in the human exercise of power is our kooky perspective on spiritual warfare. Some congregations engage in spiritual warfare in the misguided belief that humans can successfully, sufficiently fight—and win—battles against principalities and powers. It is true that the devil has more tricks up his sleeve than we could dare to imagine, but he is not omnipotent, while our God is.
Spiritual warfare is about God’s omnipotence, not our own.
So God’s omnipotence has implications for our stance on spiritual warfare. He is more powerful than Satan. In another article I argued from the Old Testament name “El-Shaddai” that God, who is near to us Christians, is in charge of heavenly hosts. God overcomes all his enemies (Exodus 15:6). This is a comfort, because it is often tempting to direct defensive prayer towards Satan. But we would do well to follow the archangel Michael’s example (Jude 9).
Spiritual warfare is about God’s omnipotence, not our own. Thankfully God is an active, involved Creator. He is not an absentee landlord, setting up creation then toddling off elsewhere to tend to other affairs. This God sets limits on creation, including the devil. As annoying as Satan is, he is still a created being subject to God’s mighty reign. He had to ask permission before he could do any harm to Peter or Job.
The Power of the Resurrection
God’s omnipotence should cause us to put less confidence in human displays of power.
God’s omnipotence is evinced magnificently in Jesus Christ. Salvation and resurrection power shine through his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. In his commentary on Ephesians 1, Matthew Henry observes how difficult it is “to bring a soul to believe in Christ, and to venture its all upon his righteousness, and upon the hope of eternal life.” Henry concludes that it takes “an almighty power” to work this work in people’s hearts.
God’s omnipotence should cause us to put more trust in his absolute might; and less confidence in human displays of power. His power keeps us and upholds us in our daily walk before him.
