You probably know this already but there are some people in the world who can lift way more than their own body weight. Amazing. Are you one of them? In this world, there are those who can lift. Then there are those who can really lift. In the World’s Strongest Man competition, competitors lift five round stones in excess of over 350 pounds, onto high platforms. They pull buses, train cars, fire trucks, even airplanes, across a 100-foot course. A competitor named Paul Anderson once lifted a whole table—oh, with dozens of people sitting on it!
Have you ever heard of the word “omnipotent”? It is a compound word. The first word is omni, meaning “all,” and the second word is potent, meaning “power.” Putting them together, “omnipotent” means all-powerful, and Christians use the word to refer to God, even though the words “omnipotent” or “omnipotence” are not found anywhere in the Bible. I suppose the closest word in meaning to “omnipotent” is the word “almighty,” and it appears pretty much in every book in the Old Testament. “Almighty” is a good word. Once in a while, you may catch Billy address God as “Almighty” when he prays.
Okay, so we know that omnipotent means “all-powerful.” But have you really thought through what does that even mean? How is someone all-powerful to you? Does this mean he is able to lift a gazillion tons? When someone asks you in what way is he all-powerful, what will you say?
Some say this means God’s power is limitless. Humans face all kinds of physical limitations. I can fill a bathtub with water, but after that, I will not be able to move it. It takes a hundred men, if not more, to lift a downed tree. God, on the other hand, has power over wind, water, gravity, physics, and so on.
Come and see the works of God; he is awesome in his doing toward the sons of men. He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the river on foot . . . he rules by his power forever; his eyes observe the nations; do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. (Psalm 66:5-7)
Others say this means God does not get tired. Do you know of anyone who doesn’t get tired, besides little children, that is? I help my wife with a little yard work. I lay out my tools, and it is time for a break. God does not ever grow tired. He does not need breaks to regain his strength.
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. (Isaiah 40:28)
Yet others say this means God’s plans cannot be thwarted. If there were someone or something to stand against him, he or it would not succeed. There cannot be anything so powerful that can stop God in his tracks from doing what he had set out to do.
The LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’S power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.” (Numbers 11:23)
I am a simple man. I think in simple terms. To me, when I think about God’s omnipotence, I simply think of how he can do anything and everything. There is nothing out there that is too hard or too impossible for him to do.
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? (Jeremiah 32:27) Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. (Genesis 18:14)
The debate concerning just how omnipotent is our God is settled when we are told he raised the dead. Magicians, sorcerers, wizards and magi have all done powerful acts. But not one has been known to take a dead person, and breathe life into him again. God raised Lazarus. He raised Jairus’s daughter. And let us not forget he also raised the son of the widow from Zarephath and the son of the Shunammite woman. When God raised people from the dead, he demonstrated his power over life and death. Death is no match for him. Jesus defeated death, once and for all, and to restore sinners back to God. Now that is true power.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. (Hebrews 2:14)
It is not easy for our minds to wrap around the fact that there is someone out there who is omnipotent. But verses after verses in our Bible say our God is exactly that. There is One who is all-powerful. We are not talking about the World’s Strongest Man any longer. There is no one like him. If this is true, and I do believe it is, then you and I need to learn how to ask him in prayer for everything and anything. Whatever it is that is heavy on our hearts. Whatever it is that is making it hard for us to breathe. Whatever it is that is keeping us up at night. Why not say a short prayer to the Almighty? What reason is there to hold us back? This is the kind of God whom we are dealing with.
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)