A word once used for God, but not heard much lately, is the term, “omnipotence.” It is a word derived from the Latin words for “all” (omni) arid “power” (potence). When we speak of God being omnipotent, we mean that He is all-powerful. There is nothing He cannot accomplish or bring about.
We find this truth taught in the Scriptures over and over again. When God spoke to Abraham, He said, “I am God Almighty” (Genesis 17: 1). This is the English translation of the Hebrew word, el Shaddai. In the New Testament, the Greek word for “all-powerful” is used for God alone. “Almighty” is used to refer to God in our English translations 56 times.
Omnipotence is used in reference to God to describe His power to overcome humanly impossible obstacles. When Sarah was past her normal childbearing years, God still promised her a natural son. He said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). What was impossible to the human mind became quite possible because God in His infinite power made it so. In fact, the ultimate demonstration of His power was the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.
Some feel that to refer to God as being allpowerful is to deny human freedom and responsibility. They think that trusting in an almighty Deity is to resign oneself to a kind of mindless fatalism. Or others may try to accuse God of injustice or cruelty in the use of His power. Neither is the case.
Instead, we understand that God does have power without measure, but always in accord with His revealed nature. The Scriptures tell us God does act in human lives, but in such a way that our responsibility to make decisions is not violated. God cannot be unkind or unjust because He has shown Himself to be of perfect moral character. A tragic event which seems unjust or cruel may appear that way due to our limited knowledge and understanding.
God’s omnipotence means that we, as believers in Christ, can trust Him to bring about changes in events, attitudes, and lives so that He might receive the praise and glory. We need to trust the Lord knowing that our impossible circumstances will be the vehicles through which God will show Himself strong.
March/April 1992