Sovereignty means that God, as the ruler of the Universe, is free and has the right to do whatever He wants. He is not bound or limited by the dictates of His created beings. Further, He is in complete control over everything that happens here on Earth. God’s will is the final cause of all things.
Sovereignty is often expressed in the language of kingship: God rules and reigns over the entire Universe. He cannot be opposed; He is Lord of heaven and earth. He is enthroned, and His throne is a symbol of His sovereignty. God’s will is supreme.
The sovereignty of God is supported by verses in the Bible, among them:
I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 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.’…What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. Isaiah 46:9-11 NIV
Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him. Psalm 115:3 NIV
Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. Psalm 135:6 ESV
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 NIV
God’s sovereignty is a stumbling block for atheists and unbelievers, who demand that if God is in total control, that He eliminate all evil and suffering from the world. The Christian’s answer is that the human mind cannot grasp why God allows evil; instead, we are called to have faith in God’s goodness and love. God’s sovereignty is beyond human understanding.
It is obvious from Scripture and from life that people do have free will. We make both good and bad choices. However, the Holy Spirit prompts the human heart to choose God, a good choice. In the examples of King David and the Apostle Paul, God also works with man’s bad choices to turn lives around.
We cannot manipulate God in prayer. We cannot expect a rich, pain-free life. Neither can we expect to reach heaven because we are a “good person”. Yet, in one of God’s Other Ways, Jesus Christ has been provided to us as the way to heaven. (John 14:6) Part of God’s sovereignty is that despite our unworthiness, He chooses to love and save us anyway. He gives everyone the freedom to accept or reject His love.
- Author Unknown
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In his book, Great Days with the Great Lives, Pastor Charles R. Swindoll writes about the sovereignty of God and penned these words:
“Whatever your circumstances, I want to to remind you that our heavenly Father cares about areas of our life that would seem insignificant to a distant deity. He’s never too busy to hear your hurts, to wipe away your tears, to whisper words of encouragement, and to put His big shoulder under your load. He’s the God who cares about the details.
“Remind yourself that He is sovereign. He has everything under His control. He will have His way in his time, for His glory, which includes your life, your position and your future. Worrying over any of that is a waste. He’s got every detail covered—every one.
“Think of it this way; there’s no such thing as God’s being almost sovereign.”
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If you have a story that you think might bless others, I invite you to send it by email to me (Kenneth Kersey) at godsotherways@me.com.
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