Focus: Behold Your God! (Pt.5)

Text: Isa.40:9

"Say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God!"

I believe you are still beholding your God in His manifold majesty.

*The next point is that God is able.

God is absolutely able. Paul says, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Eph.3:20). This is a declaration of certainty by Paul. God is ABLE to do…God is ABLE to do EXCEEDINGLY… God is ABLE to do exceeding ABUNDANTLY… God is ABLE to do exceeding abundantly ABOVE… God is ABLE to do exceeding abundantly above ALL that we ASK or THINK… God has infinite ability to do more than we ask for. 

A good example is Solomon. He asked God for one thing: wisdom. The first thing to note is that "the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon has asked this thing." And then God says to him, "Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast thou asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also GIVEN THEE THAT WHICH THOU HAST NOT ASKED, both RICHES, and HONOUR: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days" (1Kgs.3:10-13). Solomon got more than he could ask or imagine. God is able. 

God does beyond our petitions and wildest dreams.

The book of Ephesians says a lot about the power of God. In 1:19,20, Paul prays for the believer to know "what is the EXCEEDING GREATNESS of his POWER to us-ward who believe, according to the WORKING of his MIGHTY POWER, Which he WROUGHT in Christ, when he raised him from the dead…" God is capable of the impossible. Beyond creation, God demonstrated His power by raising Jesus Christ from the dead. 

God has creative, redemptive, curative, conquering, and resurrection power.

In Eph.3:7, Paul says, "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the EFFECTUAL WORKING of his POWER." In 3:16, Paul says, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be STRENGTHENED with MIGHT by his Spirit in the inner man." In 3:20, Paul says that God will do much more than we ask or think "according to the power that WORKETH in us." Our God is indeed all-powerful. In 6:10, Paul exhorts the believer to be "STRONG in the Lord, and in the POWER of his MIGHT." One thing you must never doubt about God is His limitless power. The universe is a testimony to the power of God. Even now, He is upholding all things by the word of His power (Heb.1:3). 

God's power is the guarantee for the fulfillment of God's promises. He has adequate or sufficient power to accomplish all His agendas and projects. He uses His power to do us good and bring glory to Himself.

*The last point (as far as this series is concerned) is the fact that God is faithful.

Moses calls Him, "The FAITHFUL God" (Dt.7:9). Paul declares that "God is FAITHFUL" (1Cor.1:9; 10:13). He says also, "FAITHFUL is he that calleth you, who also will do it… But the Lord is FAITHFUL, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil… If we believe not, yet he abideth FAITHFUL: he cannot deny himself" (1Thes.5:24; 2Thes.3:3; 2Tim.2:13). The writer of Hebrews says that "he is FAITHFUL that promised," and we read that Sarah "judged him FAITHFUL who had promised" (Heb.10:23; 11:11). Peter describes God as "a FAITHFUL Creator" (1Pet.4:19). John says that if we confess our sins, that "he is FAITHFUL and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness… And from Jesus Christ, who is the FAITHFUL witness… The FAITHFUL and true witness… and he that sat upon him was called FAITHFUL and True" (1Jh.1:9; Rev.1:5; 3:14; 19:11). The psalmist declares, "Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very FAITHFUL" (Ps.119:138). 

God is faithful to Himself, to His word, to His covenant, to His promises, to His causes, and to His people. He is royally loyal.

You can trust Him at all times and in all circumstances. He never abandons His own, no matter what. He is perfectly consistent and flawless in character. Jeremiah declares, "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are NEW every morning: great is thy FAITHFULNESS" (Lam.3:22-23).

Behold your God in all His holiness, power and glory! He is worthy and wonderful, mighty and majestic. You are safe in His hands for all time and for all eternity. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter