Is God Really in Control? Pt 1

Well ……

I realise that even this title will create a reaction in some people’s hearts but I’d like you to come on a journey of discovery with me.

What do the following verses have in common?

“As you go ….. heal the sick and raise the dead” – Matthew 10:7-8
(You) “resist the devil and he will flee” – James 4:7
“Humble yourselves“ – James 4:10
(You) “Submit to God” – James 4:7
“Building yourselves up on your most holy faith” – Jude 20
“keep yourselves in the love of God” – Jude 21

Did you catch it?

These are all things that God told YOU and ME to do.

Wrong Beliefs Are Dangerous

There is an erroneous belief in Christian and non-Christian circles alike that God is in control. This is not only false theology but it is extremely damaging to the Christian walk as a whole and it gives more power to the demonic realm than is due.

Believing that God is in ‘control’ releases mankind from taking responsibility for what is happening around them, in them and through them.

Believing that God is in ‘control’ means that God is good AND evil. It means that He is behind every tragedy, every disaster and every painful event in your life. It eliminates the real cause of pain – ourselves and the demonic kingdom.

Now, before you click away, let me explain.

‘In control’ or ‘Sovereign’

There is a significant difference between being ‘in control‘ and being ‘sovereign‘. In summary, God is indeed sovereign but He gave control over to mankind when He said to Adam in the Garden of Eden, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (NASB) The only ones we are not to control are other people but we have the full capacity to control ourselves.

When we say that God is in control, we are saying that God is causing all the devastating things that happen in the world simply because He chooses to. It gives us an excuse to sit back and blame God because if He is in control, then we have no ability to change anything.

Have you ever thought about it? What do you do when you hear bad news? Do negative thoughts immediately bombard your mind and you think, “Oh that’s terrible!” and go on your way because it’s too overwhelming to think about? Or do you get before the Lord and ask Him how to pray about the situation and ask if He wants you to do anything about it? If you do the latter, I guarantee He will always meet with you. (I write about how to do this here.)

Jesus calmed a violent storm in Matthew 8:26. This same Jesus lives in you. You can command any storm to be still. You have the same power, Holy Spirit, living inside of you.

Think about it.

If God is in control, there’s no point praying. Why would you? He will do whatever He wants anyway with this line of thinking.

It’s just not true.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”  2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)

There is no freedom in a controlling environment.

If God is in control, then He must control you as well – except He won’t do that. He gave you a free will and He will not override that. He created you as an amazing human being with a beautiful ability to choose.

God wants to be loved and adored and followed because you WANT to – not because you have to. The Father loves you because He chooses to. Would you like your children, your friends, your family to love you just because they have to? No. That’s not real love. As I have said before, 1 Corinthians 13 describes love and the words are all verbs, action words. Love is a choice and it’s a choice that God gave to us as His children.

If God is in control, He will need to be divided against Himself. If God brings calamity, sickness, injury, death and lack into your life, then there was no point in sending Jesus to die – because He has just become divided. (Mark 3:1-26)

John 10:10 says that Jesus came that “they may have life, and have it abundantly.” There is no life in calamity, sickness, injury, etc. Jesus is for life, for health, for abundance, for joy, FOR YOU!

God gave you the freedom of choice.

It’s time to take back your life. It’s time to take back your health and it’s time for you to be in control of your own actions, your own thoughts, your own life!

God wants to partner with you in your life. I will explain more next week but for now, understand that God will not move a parked bus. You have to turn the engine on and take off the handbrake. I say to our children all the time when they are complaining about not moving forward or something that’s bugging them. God moves with you, not always just for you. YOU have a major part to play in your destiny and that part, my friend, is not God’s job. It’s yours.

Apart from the amazing gift of salvation, God gave us the precious ability to choose. Everything in life is a choice. Even when bad things happen to you, you have the incredible capacity to choose the right and healthy way to respond. Is it easy? Sometimes no, but know that you have the choice and the help of your Heavenly Father who loves you ferociously – ALWAYS.

Next week I will tell you the revelation I received and the outworking of that revelation so that you too can apply it to your own life. I can assure you, it will bring you incredible freedom and it will vastly reduce the fear and trepidation of coming before God as Father and moving ahead in your life into all that is available to you.

It’s so exciting! See you then.

I would love to know your thoughts. Have you ever sat and really thought about this subject? What feelings arose in you as you read this post? Was it a struggle to keep reading or did hope arise in your heart?

Please share below as I would love to know.

Have an amazing week and remember – You were born to be amazing!

Is God Really in Control? Pt 2

(Photo Credit – www.pexels.com)