Reconciliation Ministries
God Is In Control - Part 1
GOD is in Control...is to Declare that He is the Governor of the Nations, setting up kingdoms and
overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties...- Psalm 22:28
TO SAY THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN
Is to declare that He, the Most High God, does according to His will in the Heavens and
among the earth, so that none can stay His hand...1 Timothy 6:15 says "- He who is
the Blessed and only Sovereign, the King of Kings and Lord of lords..."
Psalm 115:3 "But our God is in the Heavens; He does WHATEVER HE PLEASES."
Psalm 22:28-29 "For the kingdom is the Lord's and He rules over the Nations. And the
prosperous of the earth will eat and worship, ALL those who go down to the dust will bow
before Him, Even he who cannot keep his soul alive."
"GOD IS SOVEREIGN... we affirm His right to govern the universe,
which He has made for His Glory, just as He pleases. His right is the right of a potter
over his clay, to mold the clay into whatever He chooses. God is God and is under no
obligation to give an account for His business to any. He is Sovereign in all His and
exercises His Power when He wills, and where he will.
GOD IS IN CONTROL, He it is who is in CHARGE;
"God REIGNS over ALL the nations, God sits on His Holy Throne."- Psalm 47:8
"It is He who sits ENTHRONED above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are
like grasshoppers."
"For He is the Living God and enduring forever, and His Kingdom is one which will not
be destroyed, and His kingdom will be forever."- Daniel 6:26
ALL THINGS WERE CREATED FOR HIMSELF;
"ALL THINGS were CREATED by Him and for Him."- Colossians 1:16
"For Thy Pleasure they were created."- Revelation 4:11
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."- Psalm 24:1
God is Sovereign... He is Lord...He is MASTER …He is in Perfect Control..
1. - GOD IS IN CONTROL OVER HIS CREATION
"You alone are the Lord, You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and
ALL their starry host, the earth and ALL that on in, The seas and ALL that is in them. You
give life to EVERYTHING and the multitudes of Heaven worship You."- Nehemiah 9:6
"For by Him ALL things were created; things in Heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. ALL things were created by
Him and for Him." - Colossians 1:16
"The Lord has MADE EVERYTHING for His Own purpose. Even the wicked for the day of
evil."- Proverbs 16:4
"He...upholds ALL things by the word of His power."- Hebrews 1:3
He is Sovereign over His Creation;
"He upholds ALL The word of His Power..."- Hebrews 1:3 "Upholds,"
means "to support or maintain. It is used here in the present tense, which implies
continuous action. Everything in the universe right now is being sustained by Jesus
Christ!
2. GOD IS IN CONTROL OVER YOUR TEMPTATION
A. - "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful;
He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He
will also provide a way out so that you can stand under it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13
B.- " The Lord knows How to RESCUE the Godly from Temptation." - 2 Peter 2:9
3. GOD IS IN CONTROL OVER YOUR PRESENT SITUATION
The apostle Paul found himself in a Roman jail foe the sake of the Gospel. But note Paul
did not say, "I am a Prisoner of Rome." But no - Paul knew that God had placed
him there for in Ephesians 3:1 he says "I Paul the prisoner of Christ." Though
held captive by Roman soldiers yet he knew he was the Lord's prisoner...The Lord was Lord
of His circumstances...In chapter 4:1 he says "As a prisoner FOR THE LORD."...
Why was he there?
A. 3:1 - "For the sake of you Gentiles." He was there for the benefit of OTHERS.
He had not done anything wrong that God was punishing or abandoning him- no he was there
in jail- in the will of God, for the benefit of OTHERS.
B. -4:1- "...For the Lord's Sake.
C. 6:19-20 "For the sake of the Gospel."
"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I
will fearlessly make known the mystery of THE GOSPEL, for which I am an AMBASSADOR IN
CHAINS..."
D. Phil 1:12" My CIRCUMSTANCES have worked out for the Advancement of the
Gospel."
Paul did not complain about His circumstances, but knew God was in CHARGE of his
CIRCUMSTANCES, it was God Himself who never took His eye of Paul and who loved Him ...It
was He, Paul knew was over his Present Situation...as He is yours, dear friend!
Instead of moaning and complaining about being confined he was Proclaiming Jesus Christ!
If you believe God is in Charge, that He is Sovereign, and He is ... then in the present
Situation you find yourself in, look at them as opportunities to LOOK AROUND and see who
is in your circumstances and LOOK OUT to see how you can share the Gospel of God with
them. And LOOK Up to God to see that His desire for you is to make His Son known.
E. Phil 1:14 "Because of my CHAINS, most of the brothers in the Lord have been
ENCOURAGED to speak the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly."
Paul's imprisonment was for the Lord's Benefit...for the benefit of OTHERS to Hear the
Gospel and indeed for the Brothers in the Lord to be ENCOURAGED by his fearless example t
so that they too took courage and spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Your PRESENT SITUATION and Circumstances afford you opportunities to Represent Him,
Proclaim Him, Encourage those belonging to Him and sharing the Word of God with those who
do not Know Him. So instead of Complaining start Proclaiming! God is Lord over your
circumstances! Have an Eternal perspective...His Perspective on your circumstances. An old
Missionary used to say "Make peace with your circumstances... God purposes a
crop." We so often fight against our circumstances, blaming the devil and anyone else
we can - when at times God has placed you there [As long as it is not in sinful
disobedience to His Word...Stay, unless He moves you on!] to Represent Him to OTHERS...
4. GOD IS IN CONTROL OVER SALVATION
A. -" Hallelujah! Salvation and glory belong to our God." - Revelation 19:1
B. - " I Am THE Way, THE truth and THE Life, no one comes to the Father EXCEPT
THROUGH Me."- John 14:6.
C. - " I GIVE Eternal life to them, and they shall NEVER perish; and no one shall
snatch them out of My hand." - John 10:28.
D. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under Heaven
that has been given among men, by which we MUST be saved."- Acts 4:12.
5. GOD IS IN CONTROL, ULTIMATELY, OVER YOUR FINAL DESTINATION
A. - " Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."-
Matthew 25:34
B. - " Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into
the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels...And these will go
away into Eternal punishment, but the righteous into Eternal life."- Matthew 25:41,46
C. -See Revelation 20:11-15...
God is in Charge...Over His creation...every raindrop falls exactly where He desires
it.... He is in Control over Creation, providing a way of escape for every Temptation to
sin against Him that comes your way... He is in Charge of your present situation, He is in
Charge of Salvation, and ultimately your Final destination... He has the Final say…
God is God
APPLICATION:
WHAT SHOULD THIS MEAN TO A FOLLOWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?
A. - It should be a Source of COMFORT.
"God works all things together for good..."- Romans 8:28-29 Joseph was sold into
bondage because of his brothers jealousy, ended up in prison because of a woman's false
accusation. But God was preparing and molding and dealing with him to such an extent that
when he became ruler of Egypt and a famine came upon the land, Joseph had prepared for
it...and when his brothers came to him and when they recognized him Joseph was not
vindictive but listen to what he said after all his "unfair" treatment at the
hands of others..."...God sent me before you to preserve your life...Now therefore,
it was not you who sent me here, but GOD; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord
of al his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt." -Genesis 45:3-8
B. - It should be a Source of COMMITMENT
" ... They who live should NO LONGER live for THEMSELVES, but for Him who dies and
rose again on their behalf."- 2 Corinthians 5:15
"But I do not Consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may
finish my course, and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus..." - Acts 20:24
"As for me and My house we will serve the Lord."- Joshua 24:15
"For me to live is Christ"- Philippians 1:21
C. - It should be a Source of COURAGE -
"Be strong and courageous, do not fear do not be discouraged For I am with you
wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9
D. - It should be a Source for CONFIDENT LIVING.
"Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? For I AM CONVINCED that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
"I KNOW Whom I have believed and I am CONVINCED that He is able to guard what I have
entrusted to Him until that day." - 2 Timothy 2:12
E. - It should Be Evidenced in a CHANGED LIFE.
"And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's
work, CONDUCT YOURSELVES in REVERENCE during the time of your stay upon earth; - 1 Peter
1:17
F.- It should Lead to CHEERFULNESS
"Serve the Lord with Gladness" - Psalm 100:2
G. - It should lead to a CONSTRAINING LOVE - for the souls of men.
" For the love of Christ CONTROLS us... He died for all... Therefore we are
Ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of
Christ, be reconciled to God."- 2 Corinthians 5:14,15,20
APPLICATION
What should it mean to those who do not submit to the Lord Jesus Christ?
A. - CAUTION!!
"The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels in
flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not
obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." And these will pay the penalty of Eternal
destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when he
comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among ALL who have
believed..."- 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10
Let God be God; in our thinking and living out our lives; The Bible says in John 4: That
the Father seeks for those who will worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH." And indeed
to worship Him aright, we must Know the Truth about Him less we offend Him by making Him
less than Who He is... We can Worship...ascribe worth to Him because He is ALWAYS in
Control... God is God and ultimately He who has the first say has the Final say... and for
those who Know Him we can RELINQUISH our burdens to Him knowing he cares for us- 1 Peter
1:7 and we can REJOICE IN HIM- Philippians 3:1 and REST in His Love for us, John 15:9
God bless you and encourage you Bless the Lord- Who is In Control!!
What are some of His Attributes that reveal God's Sovereignty?
Go to..."God is in Control - Part 2"
PRAYER,
Father, I thank You for your Greatness and that You are always in control. "
Back to Reconciliation Ministries Home Page