PT 3 THE ONE TRUE GOD: OMNIPOTENT
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. 12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: 13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
It is not too difficult for us to realise that if all the universe came into existence from nothing at a finite point in the distant past, that it must have taken a force and power far greater than the combined power and energy of the universe to bring it about, this is a power that can only be described as OMNIPOTENT, “all-powerful”.
The “One True God” that we believe in is the God of the Bible and none other, he alone is OMNIPOTENT.
- The God of the Bible we discovered first is OUTSIDE of TIME. He it is that INHABITETH ETERNITY.
- Last week we saw that there is NONE GOOD BUT GOD, we considered him as OMNIBENEVOLENT, ALL GOOD, and the ONLY ONE GOOD
Those two simple points, together with the Bible presenting God so clearly as the creator of all that exists in ‘Space-Time’ domain, tells us that he must also be “ALL POWERFUL”, OMNIPOTENT.
We know that all energy and matter are made of atoms. Atoms contain the energy of the universe, and it is worth considering an example of that energy.
Nuclear Fission is that destructive force that is seen in the splitting of Atoms, the energy which was demonstrated with such historically destructive power at the end of the second world war in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.
Let’s consider an example if we could harness the full power of a number of Atoms. Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe and happens to be the lightest element.
If 1 gram of hydrogen atoms could be 100% converted into energy, following Einstein’s famous equation of Energy = Mass x The Speed of Light squared (E=MC2), it would convert to 91 Trillion Joules, or roughly 25 Billion Kilowatt hours.
When I researched this data, one commentator quickly calculated that converting a single kilogram of hydrogen atoms into energy would “meet annual global electricity consumption” [1]
If trying to comprehend the amount of energy that is contained in a measurable quantity of atoms is difficult, how much more is man to comprehend the power of the one who created it all?
OMNIPOTENCE,
The Power Of His Might
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
There must come a complete alteration in our minds when it comes to making sense of the world that surrounds us.
It makes sense that all that is made was made.
But this also means that all that is seen, is NOT all that is.
When the passage tells us that “we wrestle not aginast flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkenss of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”, we gain to ourselves an understanding that would otherwise be completely lost if we were only trying to make sense of the world by what we see with our eyes and perceive with our limited minds.
Without this special knowledge that is gleaned from the Bible, this world simply makes no sense. How can we see evident design around us, evidently created by an intellect far superior to its creation, yet attribute it to accident? Clearly, that which is not seen made all that we see. God, who we cannot see with our eyes, is perceptible also by all we can understand with our minds.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewedit unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Psalm 19:1–2 tells us
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
In both of those passages, we find the doctrine that we both KNOW God is by all we see around us, “being understood by the things that are made”, and also that God must therefore be almighty.
When we give consideration to a painting, with all its symmetry and evident reflection of those things we see in our day-to-day lives; images of people, representations of nature or historical events or even biblical accounts portrayed in paintings, WE UNDERSTAND that a PAINTER must have painted it. And, determined by the quality of the painting, we also can understand the level of skill and imagination of the painter, we can even understand a little of his character, even his state of mind at the time of painting.
The same may be said of buildings, of machinery, of anything which is made. We might not ever have seen, met or known the maker, but we understand with our minds there must be a maker behind that which is made, there must be activity behind the scenes that makes perfect sense of that which is seen.
God and the OMNIPOTENT power of God is made evident in creation itself. In this, we see THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.
POWERS AND PRINCIPALITIES
Our Ephesians 6 passage also speaks to something else that is behind the scenes that draws people to trust “in the power of his might”.
More people than I have seen in my life as a Christian, are asking questions about all that is going on in the world. People are wondering why it is that evil is being depicted around the world so obviously. Yes, we can talk about the moral depravity of the culture, the twisted minds of wokeism, and the madness of the media and politics, but it is the actual and literal portrayal of Satan that is striking the attention of many.
Since when have the artists of the world, the event creators of the world and the participants in such events, so embraced such an obvious Biblically Satanic expression of theatre? It does not matter if we are taking about the satanic Grammy Awards presentation in February this year which was dubbed “Literally a tribute to Satan” by the Daily Mail in the UK.
Or the recent Rio de Janeiro festivals where a street parade depicted Satan and devils beating up Jesus in the streets, with one float featured by a renowned Samba school in Rio, celebrating the fall of mankind by mocking the creation event titling the theme “Red Paradise”[2] The school wrote “Sin is something natural to human beings and not a consequence of disobedience.” In 2019 the same dance school depicted Satan chasing and beating Jesus, dragging him through the street.
We could look at the Satanic ritual that was evident in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.[3]. Or the evident Satanic Closing of the Olympic Games in London 2012[4]
Or, the Bizarre Satanic ceremony that opened the deepest and longest tunnel in the world, the Gotthard Base Tunnel travelling 57km long through the Alps in Switzerland in 2016. The list goes on.
WHY Satan? Are our artists SO LIMITED in artistic expression? Why portray the lowest ebb of evil as the highest representation of your culture?
Commenting in general of the recent evident “spiritual wickedness” manifesting in entertainment, Washington Times journalist Billy Hallowell wrote on the 8th of February this year saying;
“The whispers of Hollywood’s embrace of evil have always reverberated in the shadows, but, in recent years, there’s been a shift in tone — one in which satanic themes are suddenly being spotlighted in newfound and curious ways.
Gone are the days of the devil lurking undetected and disguising himself as an angel of light. Now, he’s being given a full-court press, with celebrities perpetuating occultic imagery and the public gobbling it up like esurient seals awaiting a vat of fish.”[5]
For some it was the evident witness of God in creation that drew them to believe in the power of God, to some today it is the evident witness of “spiritual wickedness in high places”. Either way, there comes a point when all of mankind will understand the reality of God, and “the power of his might”.
He is EVIDENCED in Creation, but he seems also to be evidenced in his distinction from the behaviour of those he created.
The Power of His Works
Psalm 111:6–10
6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. 7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments aresure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend ishis name. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
God showed his people “the power of his works” and he did so that he might give them “the heritage of the heathen”. God had taken Israel with many mighty signs and works, out of Egypt. The plagues he placed upon that mighty nation were plagues AGAINST THE GODS of the nation, HEATHEN who denied the great ‘I Am’.
The Power of His works were undeniable, even as he led them through the wilderness when he called his “son out of Egypt” (Hos 11:1).
He protected them from behind with a pillar of the cloud (Ex 14:9) and led them from in front with a pillar of fire. They encamped upon the banks of the Red Sea, 2 million people approximately. He parted the sea, a wall of water on the right hand and on the left, he caused a strong wind to dry the earth and they crossed over the Sea on dry ground (Ex 14:6)
God closed the sea upon the Egyptians and they all drowned in the sea. But this was not all God had done, a multitude of miracles were performed by God that he might show to his people THE POWER OF HIS WORKS, and through those works that he is GOOD.
For four hundred years Israel was in the land of Egypt. When another King arose that knew not Joseph, the Egyptians put the people into bondage and servitude. During those centuries one may have been forgiven to have thought God had departed the scene. Evil came onto the people and it might have been easy to say that there was no God to deliver them. But he would come in his time and it would be evident to both the Children of God and to the wicked through THE POWER OF HIS WORKS.
The single greatest argument in history that denies Gods existence is still relayed today, the question of evil.
“If God exists, why does he permit evil in the world”.
With evil manifesting itself so clearly today, those who are not drawn to him through creation, nor through seeing the clear distinction between good and evil manifested, use the argument of evil that therefore God is not.
If he were all-powerful, why could he not stop it?
Indeed, God both can and will. And he will do so through THE POWER OF HIS WORKS again.
Job 21:12–15
12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. 13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. 14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
For as long as we have recorded history, man has desired to turn their faces from God and then return to him only when the consequence of their own departure from him manifested in the evil they experience. Though God would be perfectly just in leaving mankind to deal with the consequences of his own decisions in both permitting the evil of others and committing his own, God indeed does intervene in the world, but he does so individually rather than corporately at this time.
God is today working in the hearts of individuals to draw them to him. So-called coincidences are leading them to recognize THE POWER OF HIS WORKS. Some ‘chance meeting’ with someone speaking of Jesus. Some events lead one thing after another until finally they are met by the Lord who transforms their heart and saves their soul.
All of mankind is to give an account of his own evil. The world is NOT evil because God does nothing to prevent it, the world is EVIL because the heart of man has turned away from all that is GOOD… “Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” and so man reaps the consequences of his own ways.
The lie that teaches man is good but society is evil, forgets what it is that makes up society.
- All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; (Isa 53:6)
- There is none righteous no not one (Rom 3:10)
- They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Psalm 14:3
- For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Ecclesiastes 7:20
- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23
Individuals are coming to see their own need for a Saviour, they see the sin represented in the world and are being drawn to God to save them from their own sin. Somehow, THE POWER OF HIS WORKS are being manifested in their lives and they seek a city that has foundations in that which is good and true. There will indeed come a time when God will intervene in this world corporately, but right now, as it has been over the last two thousand years, God is working in the hearts of individuals.
The Power of His Resurrection
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Our money will not save us. Our intellect will not save us. Our influence, no matter how great it is or how influential we are, will not save us. The political turnings of the world will not bring lasting hope, nor will the turning away of our eyes from reality. We might amuse our minds with entertainments, distract our hearts with diverse lusts or sear our conscience with all manner of vice, but none of that will bring us the hope we yearn form
We, like the apostle Paul, might turn to do all good works, to follow after those things the Bible points to as righteous. We might obey God in the Law, even to be seen by others as “holy” even to the point of reputation.
I saw a clip of Jordan Peterson the other day who was smitten to be called Rabbi by jews, and honored by Catholics, and even exalted by Muslims, but not so much cared for by Protestants. Yet he seemed to think that he will be saved by his intellect. Not so Paul.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Not only in these things could Paul boast of however, as for intellect he testified to the Jews who desired to condemn him saying;
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Not only was he high born, but he was highly educated, at the feet of Gamaliel whom the Jews understood to be one of the great doctors of the law and still alive in Paul’s day (see Acts 5:34). Paul was also “free-born”, a citizen of Rome, a highly sought-after privilege that could either be purchased at a great price or bestowed as a great honor and advantage.
So here we have Paul who could lay claim to all the right things as far as both the Law is concerned and as far as mans eyes can see, anyone would have thought he of all people should have a right to the kingdom of God. But not even this could save him;
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them butdung, that I may win Christ,
Paul testified to the Corinthians that it was not only his outwardly worthy testimony, but also his personal sufferings that should testify for him;
Turn to 2 Corinthians,
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 2 Corinthians 11:22–30
None of this would be seen as a declaration of rightlessness by Paul. Though he testifies to his sufferings for Christ, it does not testify to him as worthy for salvation, in fact, he states; If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities
Back to Philippians 3
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
The Omnipotent power of God was manifest in THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, and such a resurrection we have a share if we have believed the gospel.
The Power Of His Christ (Instruction In Righteousness)
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
THE POWER OF HIS CHRIST
The power of the messiah whom all Israel awaited and still awaits, will be fully manifested when he returns to judge the world and the Devil that deceives it.
We mentioned earlier when addressing God dealing with evil and wondering why he does not intervene, we spoke of how he does indeed intervene individually today, but there will come a time when THE POWER OF HIS CHRIST will intervene corporately when Jesus Christ returns to judge the quick and the dead. That is a time very near at hand and when it occurs it will reveal to the world both the OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD, but also once and for all put to bed the argument of evil that denies his existence.
Evil had a beginning and evil will have an end. There is no “balance to the force”, good and evil are not co-equals and co-eternal, the Bible teaches that evil is a privation of good and not an entity in itself. As death cannot exist without life, so too evil cannot be identified without good.
Both Good and Life are necessary for their anomalies to exist, but not the other way around.
- You cannot have death without life
- You cannot have evil without the standard of all that is good.
Life stands alone and was originally ordained as permanent. Good is God, who himself inhabits eternity.
SOMETHING ELSE OF INTEREST
You can view all the books on Philosophy respecting life, and one thing I have discovered in reading many of them, they all state that a definition of life is very difficult to define, if not impossible. But death is always defined as life coming to an end, or the absence of life, like a stone or carved image.
Respecting GOOD, the definitions are equally vague. Plato and Aristotle spend volumes of pages trying to define GOOD through what they refer to as “Virtue”, but never can they see the definition culminate in GOD. God’s perfect representation of both GOOD and LIFE is CHRIST.
Those who are alive in Christ today have the power of life and the victory over death when we do indeed die.
1 Corinthians 15:54–57
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now beloved, let me sum this up.
We have looked at the timelessness of God, the one and only one who is eternal in the first message. We have considered his goodness in the previous message. Today we address that God is ALL POWERFUL, even OMNIPOTENT;
Is there anything God cannot do?
If God is OUTSIDE of time and has all power to do all that he pleases, can he not this very day have prepared for you a blessing for the time you need him?
During the recent events that have caused many of you to trust in God by faith, do you really think that God only moved when you prayed? Or did he already know you would trust him and prepare for you, an answer in preparation for your prayers? Beloved, do you believe that God was unaware of the trials you would endure and therefore NOT ready to prepare a blessing when in time of need?
Do you think God was taken by surprise at your troubles?
When our small church went underground in 2022, do you think that the provision given us to gather suddenly appeared, or was there already the preparation made that God knew and simply moved the heart of a man to provide for us?
When George Muller set himself to pray, having NO money to pay for expenses that came up, when pipes would burst and surprise him with yet another cost, was GOD surprised? What are we to say when God had already prepared people to mail in donation after donation, mail that would take a week by horse, or a month by ship to arrive JUST AT THE TIME APPOINTED?
Isaiah 46:9–13
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, andthere is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
God is OMNIPOTENT.
[1] https://www.quirkyscience.com/total-energy-one-hydrogen-atom/
[2] https://winepressnews.com/2023/03/16/city-in-brazil-flooded-and-destroyed-after-parade-glorifies-satan-and-pretends-to-torture-jesus/
[3] https://jrbpublications.com/2022/08/15/the-commonwealth-games-opening-ceremony-satan-and-baal/
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHHhzCkK4QY&t=3s
[5] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/feb/8/why-disgusting-satanic-sam-smith-grammy-performanc/
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