Impossible situation? Find hope in El Shaddai: There's power in the name! (part 11)
Do you feel hopeless or stuck in an impossible desert without end?
Draw your strength and hope from God Almighty, ultimate authority. When you find yourself in a difficult situation, calling on God is the best thing you can do. God has the final word. Nothing is impossible with God.
When God Almighty steps in miracles happen, the power of God is revealed, lives are changed, and God receives the Glory. Are you trusting Him with your troubles, weaknesses, and impossible situations?
Keep believing. El Shaddai knows what He is doing. The God you worship is the God who loves you with an everlasting love. Knowing God’s character will help you stand firm in faith and in the power of His might.
Understanding His names is a means to understand who God is—and, in turn, how important you are to Him.
Today we learn about El Shaddai: The Lord God Almighty.
The names of God convey the truth of His power, love, sovereignty and authority. He created you, loves you and His desire is to be intimately involved in your life. He sees you; He has a purpose for your life that is important to Him.
In a difficult situation? Call on God Almighty, ultimate authority. When God steps in, miracles happen.
The Names of God
We have been looking at different names of God that are found in scripture. The names we’ve studied so far are:
Elohim - the strong creator.
Jehovah - the self-existent One, the I Am.
Adonai - Lord and sovereign God over all creation.
Jehovah-Jireh - the Lord will provide.
Jehovah-Rapha - the Lord who heals.
Jehova-Shalom - the Lord is peace.
Jehova-Rohi - the Lord is my shepherd.
Jehovah-Nissi - the Lord is my banner.
Jehovah-Mekoddishkem - the Lord who sanctifies.
Jehovah-Tsidkenu - the Lord Our Righteousness.
El Elyon - the Most High God.
Today we will learn the name El Shaddai - The Lord God Almighty; this name has the meaning of one who is mighty and able to satisfy and nourish.
Nothing is too hard for God Almighty
When you find yourself in a difficult situation, calling on God by name is the best thing you can do.
Knowing God’s character will help you stand firm in faith and in the power of His might.
He is your peace, your comforter, your righteousness and healer.
He is the one who sanctifies you and can provide for you in times of need.
Knowing that God, El Elyon, is the Most High God and that there is no authority over Him is reassuring, especially when the enemy of your soul doesn’t realize that tyranny towards God and against the children of God is simply limited.
A word from the Most High God will increase your faith and bring you spiritual victory. Today we will see that God is El Shaddai; He is “God Almighty” and nothing is too hard for God.
El Shaddai is totally sufficient to supply your every need.
Know that El Shaddai is your source of blessing and fruitfulness in life.
Realize, as with El Elyon, El Shaddai is the ultimate authority and that nothing, no one has the means to completely satisfy your soul’s need or any true need you may have in your life other than El Shaddai, God Almighty.
When El Shaddai Speaks, the Outcome is Sure
My prayer is that you will learn not to fear the troubles or trials in life, and not to worry about any insufficiency you may experience, because it is in times of difficulties and trials when your personal insufficiency and weaknesses are exposed that God shows himself strong.
When God Almighty steps in miracles happen, the power of God is revealed, situations and lives are changed, and God will receive the Glory.
El Shaddai, God Almighty, will speak life into lifeless situations. Faith and hope are grounded and anchored in El Shaddai’s presence. Peace and joy are received within your heart and spirit when God steps into the situation, and life will spring forth from what appears to look impossible or dead.
He is all you need. El Shaddai is God Almighty and He is all Sufficient. When El Shaddai shows up, spiritual victory is the outcome, promises are kept, and situations no longer appear hopeless. When El Shaddai is in the house, when El Shaddai is involved, you can be sure the outcome will glorify God Almighty. When El Shaddai speaks, the outcome is sure.
‘When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” 3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” 9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised’ (Genesis 17:1-10, NIV).
Abram and Sarai had no children; yet the LORD Jehovah told Abram that He would give Abram offspring and land. The name Abram meant exalted father. Yet Abram had no children. People can be cruel and insensitive at times. You can only guess how people must have ribbed and kidded Abram about his name.
Last week we learned that Abram was blessed by Melchizedek, priest of El Elyon, the God Most High. I wonder what went through Abram’s mind when Melchizedek told Abram he was blessed by El Elyon, the God Most High. Did he think, “I have no children, I have no land, where is my blessing?” Did Abram complain to God? Did Abram connect the success and victory of returning with Lot and all that was recovered as the blessing of God? Maybe.
Abram honored and trusted God with his future and he illustrated it by giving a 10th to God, and not taking any of the spoils the king of Sodom offered him.
It was 24 years since the first time God spoke to Abram about decedents. Abram is now 99 years old and Sarai is 89. It is here that we read the LORD Jehovah appeared to Abram.
In an impossible situation, when it looks hopeless, El Shaddai shows up and makes the impossible possible.
Abram’s name was changed to Abraham and God called on Abraham to obey the covenant. As Abraham obeyed God, God fulfilled His part of the covenant and blessed Abraham with a son, and now the name Abraham means a Father of many nations.
Abraham’s name and the meaning of his name is changed, but it is still another year before Isaac is born. I want you to notice something: God spoke to Abraham in the past tense, “I have made you a father on many nations.” No longer is Abram known as exalted father but now Abraham’s name means a father on many nations. Yet still no son for another 9+ months.
God’s Timing is Always Perfect
Friends, God’s promises will be fulfilled on time; God is never late; God’s timing may not be your timing, but it is always perfect.
El Shaddai will sustain and nourish your spirit in times of a seemingly impossible situation. El Shaddai is the only one who is all-sufficient; He is the only one who is Almighty; He is the only one who is able to do all that He says He will do.
I want you to notice something, because it is worth repeating.
God told Abram when He changed his name to Abraham that He spoke it as if it were already done: “I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.” Abraham was told this even before Isaac was conceived. I believe for Abraham, God’s covenant was confirmed in his heart when God said, “I have made you…” It’s as if it were already fulfilled.
Trials Bring You Strength and Give God Glory
It was not in Abraham’s strength, but rather in Abraham’s weakness that God proclaims He is El Shaddai, God Almighty.
Friends, God doesn’t need anything in order to accomplish or fulfill His plan. He knew, way in advance, how and when He was going to do it. All Abraham and Sara needed to do was believe and wait upon the LORD. To wait on the Lord and to trust and obey is the hardest thing you can do.
El Shaddai is God Almighty. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).
Are you resting in the shadow of God Almighty?
Are you trusting Him with your troubles and trials?
Are you trusting El Shaddai with your weaknesses and your seemingly impossible situations?
Are you holding on to the promises of God?
Are you abiding in God?
Wait upon the Lord and your strength will be renewed.
Are you resting on the promises of God?
Are you abiding in Christ?
Are you spiritually nourished and bearing fruit for others to see and glorify God; or are you attempting like Abram and Sari to do things on your own?
Are you worried God has forgotten you and are you beginning to take things into your own hands?
Stop and trust God Almighty. Trust El Shaddai. God’s timing is always perfect.
What has God promised you?
Eternal life with him in glory?
Joy unspeakable?
A new body?
Your name written down in the lamb’s book of life?
A new name written down in glory?
Are you continuing to trust and abide in Christ, while walking in faith and victory?
Maybe you are believing God regarding the promise of a certain family member’s salvation, but it has been years. Keep believing. Hold on to the promise of healing or some other promise you have had in your heart for years.
Maybe you are beginning to question or doubt the promises of God that you have in your heart? STOP! El Shaddai knows what He is doing.
Do you feel God has forgotten you? He hasn’t. He remembers His promise to you.
As a believer you are a child of God and you are also of the seed of Abraham. I want you to know God has not forgotten you. He knows your name. His promises are yes and amen
God Almighty knows your name, and when you placed your faith in Jesus your name is in the book of life and He will confess your name before God Almighty. Call out to Jesus; call out to El Shaddai, God Almighty. Draw your strength and hope from knowing El Shaddai and remember He is able to speak life into a hopeless situation such as in Abraham and Saria’s situation. He will do the same for you. He is God Almighty. Do not limit the blessings of God in your life. God wants to bless you, at times the situation may look like as if it is more than you can handle. It may seem impossible. Never disregard the blessing of God; it just may be God fulfilling His promises.
Suggested Praise and Worship:
Genesis 37:2-4, 50:18-21: Learn how to live with integrity and see past your circumstances. God will use you if you let Him. Like a spiritual marathon runner, keep the faith and see the hand of God in your life.