"Then Job answered the LORD and said: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You” (Job 42:1–2).
The God we worship is not one who is constrained by natural causes, nor is He powerless against the devices of men and fallen angels, but He is all-powerful, omnipotent, almighty. El-Shaddai has been translated as “He who is sufficient,” “the thunderer,” and “the overpowerer,” and the Greek translation is “the one who is all powerful.”
When the Bible refers to God as El-Shaddai, as it does when He made Himself known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Ex. 6:1), the designation is emphasizing God’s power. When God dealt with Moses, He revealed Himself as being able to do all that He had said (Num. 11:23). Moses allowed fears of his own inadequacy and impotency to cloud his judgment. He did not, at first, trust in the power of God but only saw the frailty of his own ability. Too often, Christians act like Moses did when God commanded him to lead the people out of Egypt. They think they are incapable of obeying God because they see their own weaknesses. But God gives His people the ability and the strength to fulfill His purposes and His will.
A right understanding of God’s power should not only comfort us but should cause us to humble ourselves before Him. When Job came face to face with the whirlwind of God, he was humbled before Him. His eyes were opened to the power of God, and he realized his utter frailty before that divine power.
God’s people often struggle with doubts about Him because they do not truly believe or know that He is able to do what He says. We are like the disciples, tossed about on the unruly waves amid a storm. Instead of having faith that Christ can do all things, we are afraid. We may have faith that God can save us for eternity, but we allow the trials and sufferings of our everyday lives to evoke fear and doubt.
When we worship God, we should strive to remove all doubt and put our trust wholly in Him. He is able to keep us from falling and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and blemish. He is able to protect us from the error of others. He is able to shield us from the sin in our own hearts. He is able to restore joy to our lives when all we see is darkness. Our God is able!
Memorize and meditate on Jude 24–25. Think about each characteristic attributed to God in this inspired doxology. How does God’s power and authority relate to your security in salvation? Next time you worship, use this passage to prepare your heart to praise His glorious power.
