"And the Power"

Temple Baptist Church 2-17-2008
Matthew 6:13

Introduction: What is a kingdom without “the power?” If God has a “Kingdom” without absolute power, then He has nothing!

A. The world has a warped view of God.

This view has been molded through weak, worldly churches and the TV media. God has been described as a confused, invisible apparition that weak people petition when in dire need. His wonderful name has been blasphemously used by both Hollywood and religious charlatans for many years. This view characterizes the general consensus of American religion. God is simply a life preserver who is “hung on the wall” until His help is required. Then, at best, He is only able to do some things and is limited in His power to help.

B. I fear that this line of thought has been passed on to the Bible believing churches of America also.

God is God but not God enough to depend upon when the “chips are down.” We will never have a right perspective of God until we seen Him in light of Scripture.

C. I believe that it is essential to right praying to have a right understanding of the power of God to answer!

There is no sense praying to a God that is limited in His power because you can ask for something that He cannot perform. How many times does Scripture place “believing” on the same plane with “receiving?”

1. Believing brings receiving - Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

2. Believing brings confidence and, therefore, peace - Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

D. I want to look at a portion of Scripture this morning that we read and quote too often without comprehending!

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Exodus 20:11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (These simple statements of the fact of creation should boggle the minds of believers! God simply spoke the word and it was done! It took 6 years to build the Biltmore House. God created the universe in and all that is therein in six days simply because He took His time!)

E. God’s power is:

1. Both Self-existing and Self-sustaining – it neither increases nor diminishes! We are born weak and helpless; we then grow in strength and power; we later diminish in strength and power as we grow old; we eventually become weak and die.
Psalms 62:11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power [belongeth] unto God.

2. Absolute – He can neither be opposed nor overthrown!

2 Chronicles 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

Psalms 18:13-15 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire. 14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

3. Limitless – there is nothing that He cannot do! We cannot have a right conception of God unless we think of Him as all-powerful, as well as all-wise. He who cannot do what he wills and perform all his pleasure cannot be God!
Genesis 18:14a Is any thing too hard for the LORD?
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

a) His promises would be empty if He could not perform them!
b) His mercy would be pity if He could not help us!
c) His warnings would be futile if He could not enforce them!

F. God is clothed with omnipotence!

We must pray believing!

1. There Is No Sin That God Cannot Forgive!

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2. There Is No Sinner That God Cannot Save!

1 Timothy 1:15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

a. He Is Powerful To Convince
b. He Is Powerful To Convict
c. He Is Powerful To Convert

3. There Is No Need That God Cannot Meet!

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

4. There Is No Situation That God Cannot Deliver From!

Psalms 121:3-8 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

5. There Is No Saint That God Cannot Lift!

Psalms 145:14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all [those that be] bowed down.

a. He Gives Stability
b. He Gives Stillness
c. He Gives Security

6. There Is No Unbeliever That God Cannot Condemn!

Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Conclusion: “And the power!” Psalms 27:1 The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?