God Almighty can fulfill His promises to you
(Gen 17:1-4 NIV) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty (El-Shaddai); walk before me and be blameless. {2} I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." {3} Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, {4} "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
God Almighty can empower you and make you fruitful
(Gen 28:3 NIV) May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.
The El-Shaddai was the One who made Abram fruitful. Abram did not rely on his own strength to become fruitful.
(Eph 3:20 NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Are we relying on our own strength to do His work? Why not let the El-Shaddai work within us to do even more than we can imagine?
God Almighty does not want to cause us misfortune
(Ruth 1:21 NIV) I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."
It was natural for Ruth to feel that way. She had just lost her husband and sons. It is interesting she used the name Almighty for God. It is as if she wanted to say, “God, in all His power, did nothing to help me!”
We sometimes feel this way as well. If my God is Almighty, why didn’t He prevent all this misfortune from falling on me?
Ruth would later learn that God Almighty did not fail her. God got her a good husband Boaz.
Job felt the same way Ruth did.
(Job 6:4 NIV) The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God's terrors are marshaled against me.
God works in ways we do not understand. Paul was one person who beseeched the Lord to take away a physical ailment from him. God did not. And it was not because the Almighty God was unable; it was because God had something higher in mind.
Are you in a situation that God is seemingly “unable” to help? Why not trust God that He knows what He is doing and that He has a purpose for it?
Fear God Almighty
(Gen 17:1 NIV) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.
Because He is God Almighty we need to fear Him and walk blamelessly.
Many people do not lead holy lives because there is no fear of the Lord. We need to fear God because He is God Almighty and He has the power to inflict punishment if we do not obey.
(Job 5:17 NIV) "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
When God disciplines us, we should be thankful. Because He is reminding us that He is God Almighty and that we need to walk blameless before Him.
