Can we rely on the power of God?

from the old testament

• God's power is unmatched and sovereign. He created the world by His word (Genesis 1:1-3), parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), and defeated armies for Israel with His own strength (2 Chronicles 20:15-22).
• God’s power has no limits; what seems impossible to us is entirely possible with Him. Genesis 18:14 tells us this when the Lord asks rhetorically, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
• Deuteronomy 10:17 describes God’s power as unmatched: "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God..."
• All power, authority, and victory belong to God (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).
• Even the glimpse we have of God’s power, such as with thunder, is awe-inspiring and beyond full comprehension (Job 26:14).
• True power isn’t found in people or possessions but in God alone (Psalm 62:11).
• God’s power is paired with perfect wisdom, making Him worthy of our complete trust (Psalm 147:5).
• Isaiah 40:29 says, “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” We can rely on the power of God.
• The God who created the universe by His power can surely handle anything in our lives (Jeremiah 32:17).

from the new testament

• God is powerful enough to do anything. As Jesus said after talking with the rich young ruler, "For all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:17-22, 27; see also Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37).
• God’s power is displayed through Christ. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, calmed storms, and expelled demons from people—revealing divine power over nature, death, and evil (Mark 2:1-12, 4:39; John 11:43-–44; Mark 5:1-13).
• Creation testifies to God’s eternal power and divine nature (Romans 1:20).
• Jesus is the embodiment of God’s power and wisdom, given to us (1 Corinthians 1:24).
• God’s power shines brightly in our weakness, reminding us to depend on Him (2 Corinthians 12:9). We can rely on His strength instead of our own.
• The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in believers today (Ephesians 1:19-20). That is power we can rely on because it’s not dependent on our strength, but on God’s. His power enables us to face trials, resist sin, and live boldly for Christ.
• God’s power exceeds our expectations and works within and through us in surprising ways (Ephesians 3:20).
• God’s power equips us with everything we need to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).
• The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live boldly and as faithful witnesses for Him (Acts 1:8).
• Although there is nothing God can’t do, there are restrictions on what He will do. In John 14:14, Jesus says, "If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (emphasis added). This promise says two things: 1) we must ask in His name (that is, in accordance with His will), and 2) there is nothing that is in His will that He won't do if we ask it. This is a great promise of His power.

implications for today

As Jesus' promise states, what we ask must be in accordance with His will. In order to be sure that we are in accordance with His will, we must continually be in a right relationship with Him. That means that we must continually strive to do according to what we know is His will and we must confess our sins as soon as we are aware that we have committed them. In the latter case, we are assured that He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness and restore us to a right relationship with Him (1 John 1:9). It also means that we must constantly seek to know His will. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit, who will never leave us (John 14:16) and "will teach [us] all things" (John 14:26), and this includes what His will is. But not everything we want when we are in a right relationship with Him will necessarily be in accordance with His will. For example, Paul tells of a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) that he was afflicted with. He prayed earnestly for God to take it away, but instead God told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul did not know the will of God when he prayed, but God's will was made clear to him afterward. Then, based on the rest of the passage, Paul, who wanted the will of God, was not only willing to put up with the problem, but he rejoiced that he had the problem.

We know, from the word, that He "is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). In addition, we have faith, given from God, (Ephesians 2:8-9) to act according to that power so that "for those who love God all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28). Since God is the one who works all things for our good and He has the power to do anything, we can rely on His power in everything. If we love Him, are in a right relationship with Him, and ask according to His will, we can rely on His power in all circumstances.