“GOD IS” SERIES
God is Sovereign and in Control
Sovereign – “Possessed
of supreme power. Unlimited in extent. An acknowledged leader”.
Webster’s Dictionary
GOD IS SOVEREIGN –
God is in control
·
The Word sovereign means chief, highest or supreme.
·
When we say God is sovereign, we are saying that he is the number one
ruler of the universe.
·
Nothing is outside of God’s control, and his plans do triumph.
Psalm 103:19 says:
19 The LORD has established
his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Romans 9:20-21
says:
20But who are you, O man, to
talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did
you make me like this?' "[a] 21Does
not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery
for noble purposes and some for common use?
Revelation
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Psalm 18 (pg. 389)
says:
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom
I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn [a] of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed
me.
5 The cords of the grave [b] coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains
shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded. [c]
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies
,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he
has rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my
God.
22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in
his sight.
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself
blameless,
26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself
shrewd.
27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are
haughty.
28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troop [d] ;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were
destroyed.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.
42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
I poured them out like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations;
people I did not know are subject to me.
44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cringe before me.
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their
strongholds.
46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my
Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
I will sing praises to your name.
50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his
anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
AS A “CHRIST
FOLLOWER” GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE IN THE
1) God____________(Saves) me from sin.
John
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and
only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.
2) God gives me
the_____________(spirit) of __________(joy) and
___________(peace) – The Holy Spirit lives in me!
Galatians
22But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.
3) God_____________(Sanctifies) me so I become more like Jesus and less like
the world.
1
Thes.
5:23-24 says:
23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and
through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The
one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
4) God_____________(keeps) _______(me) from falling away from Him.
Jude 24 says:
24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present
you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
5)
God_____________(Protects) me from harm and
destruction.
Proverbs 3:25-26
says:
25 Have no fear of sudden
disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.
6)
God______________(Provides) abundantly for me, my
family and my church family.
Matthew 6:25-24 says:
25"Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the
body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of
the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who
of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies
of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I
tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was
dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes
the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the
fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So
do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What
shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.
7) God______________(loves) me without stipulations - when I seem unlovable
that’s when he loves me the most!
Romans 8:28-39
says:
28And
we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed
to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30And those he predestined, he also called; those he
called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for
us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his
own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any
charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than
that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness
or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be
slaughtered."[c] 37No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons,[d] neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in
all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians
13:4-8 says:
4Love is patient, love is
kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It
is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It
always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will
cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge,
it will pass away.
8) God____________(Listens) to my prayers and ______________(answers) them.
Mark 11:22-24
says:
22"Have[a] faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain,
'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes
that what he says will happen, it will be done for
him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in
prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
9) God gives me
wisdom, __________________(guidance) and direction.
James 1:5-8 says:
5If any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it
will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe
and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and
tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will
receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded
man, unstable in all he does.
10) God__________(uses) me to advance his Kingdom – that is God’s sovereignty
at work!
1 Corinthians
12:12-27
12The body is a unit, though
it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one
body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized
by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or
Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do
not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of
the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I
am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason
cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were
an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear,
where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has
arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to
be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body
be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need
you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be
weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think
are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are
unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while
our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the
members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that
its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If
one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every
part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a
part of it.
How do these promise become a reality in my life?
They are mine in
theory, but how do they become reality?
TO MAKE GOD SOVERIEGN
AND IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE, I MUST:
1. Submit to the
_______________(lordship) of Jesus Christ and give him
________________(control) of my life.
2. Read the _____________(Psalms) and other _________________(Scriptures) that emphasize
that God is Sovereign and in control.
2. _______________(Meditate) on God’s _________________(promises) for
salvation, protection, provisions and guidance.
Isaiah 13:2-3
says:
2 Surely God is my
salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my
song;
he has become my salvation."
3 With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
3. ______________(Speak) God’s _____________(promises) for salvation, protection,
provisions and guidance out loud because “faith comes by hearing the spoken
word of God”.
Romans 10:17-18
says:
17Consequently, faith comes
from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."
To get God’s Word
sown in your heart it must be spoken by your lips.
TRUTH: OUT OF THE
OVERFLOW OF THE MOUTH THE HEART SPEAKS AND WHAT YOU SPEAK GETS _____________(SOWN) IN YOUR ____________(HEART) AS ____________(SEED)!
4. Thank
and_________________(Praise) God that he is in control
and you are not.
Psalm 34:1-8 says:
1 [a] I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in
him.
5. Release past
failures and future anxieties to God and trust him in the _______________(present) _________________(moment) now.
Philippians 4:4-8
says:
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will
say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace
of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus.
6. Place your _________________(identity) in Christ/God and not in the outer conditions
and circumstances you are experiencing.
·
The best way to get your identity in Christ is to ______________(plant) God’s ____________(word) in your ___________(heart)
like a farmer plants the seed in good soil.
Psalm
119:9-16 (pg. 437) says:
9
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to
your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
7. Think, feel,
act and live in _____________(Christ) just like a ____________(fish)
lives in ___________(water).
Acts
27:28 says:
28'For in him we live and move
and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not
think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by
man's design and skill. 3
8. ________________(Manage) what you allow to get into your mind,
_____________(heart), and soul because it will eventually come back out of your
____________(mouth).
Philippians 4:4-8
says:
8Finally, brothers, whatever
is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think
about such things.
NOTE: WHAT YOU
ALLOW INTO YOUR _____________(MIND) WILL EVENTUALLY
GET PLANTED IN YOUR ____________(HEART) OVER TIME….WHAT GETS PLANTED IN YOUR
HEART GROWS THERE WILL AND EVENTUALLY COME OUT OF YOUR _______________(MOUTH)!
Matthew 12:32-34
says:
33"Make a tree good and
its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a
tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers,
how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the
heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good
things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things
out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that
men will have to give account on the day of judgment
for every careless word they have spoken.
9. Build your life
on God’s Word - His ___________________(commands) and _______________(promises)
and not on your fears, emotions or compulsions.
Matthew 7:13-27 (pg. 685) says:
13"Enter
through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads
to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small
is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,
and only a few find it.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter
the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in
heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,
did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name
drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I
will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you
evildoers!'
TIPS ON GETTING
GOD’S WORD PLANTED IN YOUR HEART:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1) Read and Memorize
God’s words.
2) Meditate on
God’s Word.
3) Speak God’s
Word often.
4) Pray God’s Word
5) Write down
God’s Word in a journal
6) Act on God’s
Word.
7) Teach God’s
Word
CONCLUSION: GOD IS
SOVEREIGN AND IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE. TO BELIEVE AND LIVE THE PROMISES OF THAT
TRUTH I MUST GET GOD’S WORD SOWN IN MY HEART.
·
WHEN I ______________(BELIEVE) GOD IS SOVEREIGN
AND IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE, I WILL ______________(THINK) _______________(SPEAK)
AND _____________(ACT) LIKE IT! ______________(SOWING)
THE WORD IN MY ______________(HEART) ALLOWS ME TO THINK, SPEAK AND ACT LIKE GOD
IS IN _______________(CONTROL) WHEN THE OUTWARD CIRCUMSTANCES SAY OTHERWISE.