To listen to Nancy’s answer recorded from Moody radio, click below.
Many believe in God but still feel they need to control their life. As a result, most live in fear for the well-being of their family, friends, and country. I know that people say that God is in control of all things, but how can I know this for sure? Is God really in control? The Bible teaches us that God is sovereign, meaning He has complete and total knowledge and power over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history, past, present, and future.
“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” Abraham Kuyper
“If there is one single molecule in this universe running around loose, totally free of God’s sovereignty, then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled.” R.C. Sproul
Nothing gives us strength and confidence more than an understanding of the sovereignty of God in our lives. God is sovereign. He is subject to none, influenced by none. He is independent. He is perfect and never makes a mistake.
“The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, ‘Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand'” (Isaiah 14:24).
Nothing is random or comes by chance, especially not in the lives of believers. God has resolved to do what He will do, and nothing and stands in His way. He “purposed” it. That means to decide to do something deliberately.
“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isaiah 46:10). This is our powerful, purposeful God who is in control of everything.
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all “(1 Chronicles 29:11).
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11).
God is sovereign over all things. He has given us free will to do what God allows us to do. He uses the suffering of this world to draw us closer to Himself and better understand how to minister to those who suffer as we suffer. God has commissioned us to go into homes, neighborhoods, and the workplace to love and disciple others with the good news of Jesus.
Our all-knowing God foreknew that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, that He would grow and claim to be God, the Savior of the world. Jesus knew before the beginning of time that He would be beaten by the Romans , plotted against by the Pharisees, betrayed by Judas, and left alone to die by most of His disciples.
In the same way, Jesus had foreknowledge of everyone He creates, including you. No one has been created without the blessings of God. All of us are made in God’s image, which means all can choose to have a loving relationship with God. With this comes our responsibility to love others well, even our enemies. This is why God sent us the Holy Spirit to live in us, teach us, and help us grow in our trust and faith in Jesus. Our feelings might differ, but the Holy Spirit and the Word of God affirm to all believers that God is in the midst of trials. God never has, nor will he ever abandon us. He is in complete control.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:3-5).
We are born with a yearning for a God who loves, and protects us. We want to have a relationship with a God that we can trust. There are no short cuts when it comes to knowing and trusting God of the Bible. The vast majority of those who identify as Christian do not know God and therefore struggle with trusting in Him. Less than 2% can tell you why they believe in Jesus, and only 6% are living out their faith daily. Simply said, there is only one way to know and build trust in God, and that comes from reading and studying His Word.
Confidence in knowing the scriptures takes effort and discipline. The more we soak in the Bible, the more the Holy Spirit will fill our minds and hearts with the truth of God. Studying God’s truth teaches us to trust Him in all areas of our lives. When this happens, we will trust God in His sovereignty and celebrate Him in our lives in good and challenging times.
“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalms 34:8)