Is God omnipotent? What does it mean to be omnipotent?

from the old testament

• The word “potent” means power, so “omnipotent” means all-powerful. In Genesis 1 we learn that God created everything from nothing: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). When it says, “in the beginning,” it’s talking about the beginning of time and matter. Nothing existed before the start of time; then, God spoke and suddenly everything existed. In order to exert the amount of creative power required to do that, God must be all-powerful.
• The Bible refers to God as "Almighty" forty-eight times in the Old Testament. It is a term used exclusively for God. In fact, it’s a description that God uses of Himself: “the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty’” (Genesis 17:1; c.f., Exodus 6:3). He started with this term to ground why Abram (later Abraham) was to obey Him. Being all-powerful means His will cannot be stopped.
• Being all powerful means that God can do anything. As but one example, God visited Abraham and Sarah to reiterate His promise that He would give the couple a son even though Abraham was approaching one hundred and Sarah was ninety. Sarah laughed at the idea (Genesis 18:12). The LORD then asked the rhetorical question, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14). This question introduces a theme echoed throughout Scripture: God is all-powerful and can do anything He wants.
• In the book of Job, God soundly corrects Job for thinking that He owed Job an explanation for suffering. Job repented by saying, “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). Because God is all-powerful, nothing can stop Him. Also, we are unable to comprehend all He is accomplishing because we can’t understand an infinite God.
• Jeremiah understood that we can see God’s raw power in creation. “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17). The sheer magnitude of creation testifies to God’s limitless power.
• Unlike idols, which can do nothing, Psalm 115:3 states that “our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.” Being all-powerful means nothing limits God.
• Because of His power, God can declare “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10a). He said, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose” (Isaiah 46:10b). History is moving to a specific, predetermined end because its Author is unstoppable.

from the new testament

• The word “Almighty” is also in the New Testament another ten times. While some are Old Testament quotations, others are unique to the New Testament. Like with the Old Testament, the term is used exclusively for God.
• The great end-times battle between evil and God, known as Armageddon, is also called the “great day of God the Almighty” (Revelation 16:13-14). In that day, empowered by Satan, demons, and the “beast,” all of the nations will rise up against God, but because God is Almighty, they won’t even be able to put up a good fight (Revelation 16:17ff).
• Jesus, Himself, will bring that final judgement on mankind with the power “of God, the Almighty” (Revelation 19:15).
• Indeed, the book of Revelation opens with the following statement from God: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Revelation 1:8). In other words, the entire end time prophecy is predicated on it being carried out by the only all-power being, God. No one can stop Him.
• There is nothing impossible with God (Matthew 19:26) because there is no limit to His power.

implications for today

The doctrine of God’s omnipotence gives strength to the weary and courage to the fearful. No matter how fragile or uncertain life feels, we can rest in knowing that God is not weak. He reigns with full and final authority.

This should keep us from despair. The power that created the world is the same power at work in the hearts of believers. He can forgive our worst sin (1 John 1:9), restore lives we broke with our sin (Psalm 23:3), and uphold us through the darkest trials (Isaiah 41:10). No person is too far gone and no situation too far broken for the omnipotent God (Isaiah 59:1).

His omnipotence should also humble us. We are not in control. Everything that happens is God working things out according to His good pleasure (Ephesians 1:11). While our pride makes us believe we are self-sufficient, everything we have comes from God (James 1:17). Our response must be submission and worship.

Finally, His omnipotence assures us that nothing can stop His promises. If God has spoken, He will do it. His plan will not be undone by Satan, governments, suffering, or even our weakness (Job 42:2). He is unstoppable.