How is God Almighty?

Quick answer

God being almighty refers to His infinite power and sovereignty over all things. God being almighty calls us to respond to Him in worship and reverence.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The name "God Almighty" or "Almighty God" attributed to the Lord in the Old Testament is from the Hebrew name El Shaddai usually translated "God, the All-powerful One." In contrast with the numerous gods of the nations surrounding Israel, God was to be known as the almighty God who reigned over all. The gods of the nations were unable to compare or compete with God Almighty. God performed miracles through Moses and overpowered the sorcerers of the Pharoah (Exodus 7—12). Elijah’s call out to God brought a consuming fire upon the priests of Baal and their altar (1 Kings 18). First Samuel 5:1–8 recounts the idol of Dagon, god of the Philistines, falling down before the ark of the covenant of God twice, once his hands cut off and lying on the threshold of the pagan temple. The people were also afflicted with tumors. All this was a demonstration to the Philistines of God’s almighty power and might over the false gods. God being almighty calls us to recognize who He is and who we are in light of that.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

It is clear that God is Almighty in the sense that He is all-powerful. There is no act of strength too big for Him. There is no other person or so-called god who compares with His power. As the people of Israel discovered many times in the Old Testament, the Lord Almighty could conquer any enemy and provide answers when there appeared to be no answer. More pertinently, God overcomes sin and death in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15). By His grace, through faith, we can be reconciled to God and to one another (Ephesians 2). He can take us from death to life (2 Corinthians 5:17–21). When He does, He gives us His indwelling Holy Spirit who is at work in us (Ephesians 1:3–14; Romans 8). We have the Spirit’s power and we’re called to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13). We are invited into God’s work in the world (Matthew 28:18–20; John 15:1–17). Our belief in an all-powerful God should give us the confidence to pursue the things He entrusts us with, knowing that we are not alone, that we have the Creator God working on our behalf, and that He will accomplish all of His good purposes (Ephesians 3:14–21; 1 Peter 1). Understanding His almighty power not only gives us confidence; it causes us to look to Him with a deeper, more reverent sense of worship and to give Him praise.

UNDERSTAND

REFLECT

ENGAGE