Big Subject. “Omnipotent”. Omni= all; Potent= Powerful.
Since the first century Christian Church there has been a discussion of whether or not God is truly “omnipotent”. Can God truly do anything He wants? Can he make a triangle into a square? Can he create a rock so big even He cannot lift it? Can God make 2+2=5? These are not the correct questions to be asking about God’s omnipotence, they are simply jumbled inconsistent words without meaning or logic. In the physical world the answer to these simple questions is no. What God can do in the spiritual world we do not yet see clearly (I Cor. 13:12), nor do we totally understand His power and magnitude.
Omnipotent means, “almighty or infinite in power, having unlimited authority.” We know God has “all power” but it is His “unlimited authority” that truly defines His omnipotence.
First; let us understand what God cannot do. It is important to note God cannot do anything that is contradictory of His nature. Being omnipotent, God can do anything which is part of His nature. However, that doesn’t mean God has lost His omnipotence when the Bible says that He cannot do certain things. He does not lack the power to lie he simply wills that He does not lie as it is in His authority to make that decision. He will not sin and destroy His own moral perfection. Heb. 6:18…”it is impossible for God to lie”… See also Titus 1:2. God cannot deny Himself (II Tim. 2:13). God cannot sin (I John 3:9-10). God has willed Himself to not break His own spiritual eternal moral laws. This is the unlimited authority of omnipotence. Let us not allow our physical human inability to understand His spiritual nature hinder our understanding of his omnipotence.
Second; Does it say in the Bible God is all powerful? Yes it does multiple times. Matthew 28:18 is one of the most interesting verses about God’s omnipotence because in the New International Version it uses the word “authority” and in the King James Version it uses the word “power”. These are the two words used in the definition of omnipotence to describe God. John 3:35 God has placed everything in Jesus’s hands. John 13:3…”all things under His power”. Rev. 4:8 “LORD God Almighty”. Gen. 35:11 “God almighty”. Other verses showing or alluding to the omnipotence of God: I Cor. 15:26b; Rev.16:7; Deut. 4:35; 10:17; Psalm 24:10; 33:6 and I Tim. 6:15-16. Power over all things. Phil. 4:13; Eph. 3:19-21; Job 42:2. The Bible clearly states God is omnipotent through His power and authority.
Third, how does God show us His omnipotence? He rules over a) the universe and His entire creation. The earth is the Lord’s (Psalm 24:1). “…who alone stretched out the heavens (Isa. 44:24); Gen. 1&2; Job 38-41; Psalm 139:7-10; Jere. 23:24; John 1:1-3. He rules over b) the spiritual realm, God threw Lucifer out of heaven after his rebellion (Isa. 14:12; Ezek. 28:16 & Rev. 12:9). God gives limits to what Satan could do to Job (Job 1:12). Jesus told Satan to “get thee behind me, Satan” (Matt. 16:23; Mark 8:33). God restrains the demons and Satan in hell (Gr. Tartaroo- a place of restraint, II Pet.2:4). God has the power to destroy Satan and his demons (Rev. 20:10). God has ALL power over the spiritual realm. He rules over all c) humanity. By His sacrifice God is able to keep us faultless before His presence (Jude 24-25). His understanding is “infinite” (Psalm 147:5). He has the ultimate power of life and death over humanity and mankind’s salvation. He judges us by His perfect wisdom and love (Rev. 20:11-15). He is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16).
God is truly “omnipotent”! Rev. 19:6 “…Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigheth.”
