God Is In Control Series

The Character of God: God Is In Control

Psalm 139:15,16 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

I. God has a plan for your life.

A. God revealed to Jeremiah that God has good plans for his people.

Jeremiah 29:10,11 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

B. God has a plan of salvation that was being worked throughout all of Scripture, from the Fall of Man—to the Law of Moses—to the Life, Death, & Resurrection of Christ—even to the present age—and into the future Return of the Lord.

C. God had a plan for your personal salvation—he doesn’t just have a grand scheme, but he has an individual plan that embraces you. He ordained each of your days.

Ephesians 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Psalm 139:16a All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

D. Example: God had a plan for Joseph—which he revealed to Joseph.

Genesis 37:5-7 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."

II. God is in control of that plan. Even though it may not always seem so.

A. In Joseph’s situation… it didn’t seem like God was in control, but in the end he was.

Genesis 50:19,20 But Joseph said to them, "Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

B. In fact, not only for Joseph, but for us, we know that God makes everything to work for good—toward his good plan for our lives.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

C. Those times when it seems that God is not in control are not examples of God’s limitations, but our limitations.

Isaiah 55:8,9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

It is not his lack of control, but our lack of understanding.

D. So, when we cannot see God’s control—we must believe in faith that he is in control.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

III. God even has control over his “enemies.”

A. God demonstrated control over Satan in the case of Job.

JOB 1:12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

JOB 2:6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

And let’s not forget—that in all this God had a plan for Job. To bless him double—and to reveal Himself personally to Job.

B. We often think of the Cosmic Struggle between good and evil—but the enemy has no chance. God will not only win a final victory—but manipulates the plans and actions of the enemy even for his own good.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Satan hates God, God’s plans, God’s people, and God’s plans for his people. And yet, he is an unwilling servant whom God uses to bring about his perfect plan. Only God can take the personification of evil and using his sovereign control—and use those evil schemes for His own good.