GOD IS IN CONTROL

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

JULY 13TH,  2021

TOPIC: GOD IS IN CONTROL

 BY T. O. BANSO 

“For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37 New King James Version).

Sometimes, because of the widespread evil in society which also affects Christians at times, many people tend to wonder whether God or Satan is in control of this earth. While many don’t doubt that God created the earth,  they are not sure if He is still in charge!

Many are concerned that if God is in charge, as the all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present, He would not have allowed all the violence, maiming, killings, injustices, and all the terrible things happening on the earth.

Some people would argue that God is no longer in control because He had handed over the earth to Adam to manage on His behalf and whatever happens on the earth is none of God’s business.

While it is true that God gave the earth to Adam to manage and He handed over the authority God gave him to the serpent when he and Eve disobeyed God, He hasn’t renounced ownership. This earth belongs to God and God is in charge. 1 Corinthians 10:26 says the earth is the LORD’s and everything in it. Satan can only do as much as God permits him. This becomes evident in the story of Job in the Bible. He couldn’t afflict Job beyond the limit God permitted.

Job 2:4-6 says, “So Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!’ And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life’” (New King James Version).

Indeed, Satan is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). Jesus referred to him as the ruler of this world and said he would be cast out (John 12:31). But the Bible also says Jesus, having disarmed principalities and powers, made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15). God is in control; Satan is not.  Satan is not omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, only God is. God is still in control of the earth. He rules over the kingdoms of the earth.

God demonstrated that by humbling proud Nebuchadnezzar, removed him from his throne, and made him eat the grass like animals for seven seasons. He told him, “You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses” (Daniel 4:25 New Living Translation).

After Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity returned, he was a changed person. He was not bragging again, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30 New King James Version).

Rather, he acknowledged that God was in charge; He was in control, not himself. He said, “And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Daniel 4:34-35 New King James Version).

Let nobody be in doubt that God is in charge. He is in control of this earth, which He created. Truly, the Bible says the heavens, are the LORD’s but the earth He has given to the children of men. That, however, does not mean He has abdicated His responsibilities over the earth. That was why when man fell, He came into the Garden of Eden and passed judgment on the serpent, Eve, and Adam (Genesis 3:14-19).

In addition, God, right there in the Garden of Eden, announced a programme of redemption for man, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). God is in control of the earth. Satan is not God’s rival; he is no match for God. He cast him down from heaven when he plotted against Him.

Isaiah 14:12-15 says, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit” (New King James Version).

While it is right to be concerned about the evils in society, which many Christians have also been victims of, nobody should ever be tempted to assume that God is not in control. He is. We must never think that all the prayers for His intervention, especially for the sake of His children are in vain. God will act at the time He has decided.

Concerning the oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptians, the LORD said, He had surely seen their oppression in Egypt and heard their cry because of their taskmasters. He said He knew their sorrows and had come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites (Exodus 3:7-8).

In verse 9, the LORD said the cry of the children of Israel had come to Him, and He had also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppressed them. Therefore, He sent Moses to Pharaoh to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.

The LORD said again in Exodus 6:5 that He had also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians kept in bondage, and He had remembered His covenant. God heard their groaning but He decided the time He would act to deliver them. He was in control but it looked as if the Egyptians were the ones in charge. He heard and eventually delivered the Israelites because He was in control. He has heard your groaning also and will save you.

God is in control. Romans 13:1 says there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. But God is still in charge. He rules over the affairs of men. “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2:21-22 New King James Version).

1 Samuel 2:7-8 says, “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory” (New King James Version).

God is in control. He is in control of your life. Fear not. Nothing is impossible for God to do. The devil may do the worst he can do, don’t be moved. God will cause everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). He will do that for you. You are not at the mercy of Satan. God is for you; nobody can be against you (verse 31). Those who assemble against you shall fall for your sake (Isaiah 54:15).

God is in control. Believe in God for the impossible. Jesus said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20b New King James Version). Have faith in God.  He is in control and can do all things. “Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible’” (Matthew 19:26 New Living Translation). Mark 10:27 and Luke 18:27 say the same thing.

The angel Gabriel told Mary, “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37 New King James Version). In Ezekiel 37, we see God in control. Through the prophetic message of Ezekiel, God caused dead bones to come together, muscles and flesh formed over the bones, skin appeared to cover the bodies, and breath entered into the dead bodies. They stood upon their feet and became a great army.

God is in control. Don’t lose hope.  Don’t believe the devil or those who say you’re finished!  Romans 4:17 talks of God who brings the dead back to life and who brings into existence what didn’t exist before. God can perform creative miracles. He can bring the dead back to life. He can restore your health, your marriage, your business, etc. He will do it for you.

Have faith in God. Believe Him for His will for your life to come to pass, no matter what Satan does. God, not Satan, is in control.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, I thank You that You, not Satan, are in control of the world. Thank You that You are also in control of my life. I shall not lose hope or be afraid. Let Your will for my life come to pass. Let everyone in the valley of dead bones receive Your breath and live again.

(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

 T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org