The Sovereignty Of God Series

Isaiah 44:6-8 The Sovereignty of God 15Jan2012 1539

If you ask me what gives me the greatest security in life – I would say the understanding of the sovereignty of God.

• That is, that ALL things (not just some things) are under God’s rule and control, and that nothing happens without His knowledge or permission. Nothing takes Him by surprise.

• Not just sometimes, on certain occasions, but always and without exception.

This understanding is the anchor to my soul. It gives me calmness in the midst of chaos.

• I am less perturbed by the calamities of life or harsh realities, because every situation that happens, would have taken place under the jurisdiction of God.

• God knows it, God allows it, and it is likely that He is using it to accomplish His purposes.

Personally I am more disturbed by difficult people than by difficult circumstances.

• The greatest security you can have in life is to see and understand the sovereignty of God.

Let’s see Isaiah 44:6-8

6 "This is what the LORD says - Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.

7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come - yes, let him foretell what will come.

8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."

(1) GOD HAS NO EQUAL

The Lord says He is the first and the last. He said it again in Rev 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

• To be Alpha, to be First, to be the Beginning, means everything started with Him. He is before all things.

• To be before all things means everything that existed comes through Him.

• John says “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3)

• Nothing comes before Him. He is not subjected to anything, or under anything.

“Apart from me there is no God.” God is the One and Only (John describes Him).

• No one above Him. No one on par with Him. He is the supreme One.

• He’s the boss. He calls the shots. He is the authority. He does not seek permission or consult another’s opinion.

The right response to a sovereign God is to BOW AND WORSHIP Him.

• There will come a day when “where knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God.” (cf. Rom 14:11)

• We worship Him because He is sovereign. We can only worship because He is sovereign.

• Anything less cannot be our object of worship, and is not worthy of our worship, because anything less means there’s someone greater, and that greater one ought to be worshipped.

This explains why we trust Him, and are willing to give our lives over to Him.

• He is my God and there is no other.

• He has no equal. He has no competitor. Nothing comes close to even become a threat to His authority.

Let us seek God and God alone, for there can be no other gods.

• No gods of any kind – whether seen (made of wood) or unseen (idols of the hearts).

• We displace God as sovereign when something else becomes more important to us than God, or when we seek something else to give us what only God can give.

It is good to ponder and ask ourselves:

• Does God holds the same place in your heart that He holds in the universe?

• Is there anything in your life that you have not submitted to Him? Your time? Your relationships? Your future? Your money?

• Let us recognise Him as Lord and worship Him as the One and only God.

(2) GOD IS MY LORD

If He is sovereign, then He must be Lord of my life.

• God cannot be a subset of my life. He is not one out of the many different parts of my life – my work, my family, my school, my ministry, and then my God.

• He is not one of the many parts of our lives and we try to fit Him in.

• He is the Lord in every area of our lives – your studies, your career, your family, our ministry.

God is not like an overseas friend who comes to stay at your house only for a period. He stays in the guest room, does not use the kitchen much, will not dare to switch on the TV, and will not walk into your bedroom uninvited. He is just a guest.