This is a profound question that many people have asked throughout history. The short answer according to the Bible is – yes, with God all things are possible. However, there is much more nuance and depth to this topic that requires a thoughtful examination of Scripture.
First, it’s important to understand what is meant by “all things.” This does not mean that God will grant any frivolous wish or desire we may have. Rather, within the context of God’s will and His purposes, He is able to accomplish things that are humanly impossible. With God, nothing that aligns with His character and plans is beyond His ability to achieve.
There are many examples in the Bible where God did the impossible through the faith of His followers. In Genesis 18, God promised Abraham and Sarah – who were advanced in age and barren – that they would have a son. And against all odds, Sarah gave birth to Isaac in their old age. In Judges 7, God reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 to just 300 men and then enabled them to route the Midianites who greatly outnumbered them. Time and again, the God of the impossible used weak and insignificant people and circumstances to accomplish His purposes.
When the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah as a virgin, her response reflects an incredible faith that with God nothing is impossible. “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” she asked the angel. Gabriel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God…For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:34-35, 37).
Jesus reiterated this same truth several times in teaching His disciples. After the rich young ruler walked away sad when Jesus told him to sell his possessions, Jesus remarked, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). On another occasion, the disciples expressed astonishment that it was difficult for the rich to enter God’s kingdom. But Jesus affirmed, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).
Clearly, Jesus established that God is able to overcome any human limitation, provide in any need, and solve any problem that aligns with His purposes. He makes possible what is humanly impossible. The limiting factor is not on God’s side, but rather on our side – we must believe, obey, and align our heart with His.
This truth is evident in one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” With Christ strengthening and empowering the believer, His divine power working through our weakness enables us to accomplish His will.
While God can do anything, He has chosen to limit Himself to what aligns with His character and plans. As 1 John 5:14 says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” God will not grant requests contrary to His nature or outside of His sovereign will. So praying for selfish and immoral desires will not be honored by God.
Some specific things the Bible indicates God cannot do include: Lie (Hebrews 6:18), Be tempted by evil (James 1:13), Deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13), Change (Malachi 3:6). He will not do anything unholy, unwise, unjust or contradictory. While God’s power has no bounds within His purposes, He nonetheless restricts Himself to remain consistent with His divine character.
Sadly, many people blame God when He does not do something they desire – failing to understand that their request may not align with His sovereign will. Other times, we may become disillusioned because God does not work according to our preferred timing. In reality, God is capable of far more than we are capable of imagining (Ephesians 3:20). We should avoid placing limits on Him based on our human limitations.
Some key truths about God’s power and ability include:
- God is all-powerful (omnipotent) – nothing is impossible for Him. “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).
- He has unlimited resources and complete authority to accomplish His purposes.
- He supersedes all human limitations of physics, time and circumstances.
- His plans cannot be frustrated – “The Lord of hosts has sworn: As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24).
- God’s power is perfected in our human weakness – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
While God’s power is limitless, He invites us to participate in seeing His purposes fulfilled on earth in our lives. But this requires faith in His supernatural ability when confronted with challenging circumstances. We can confidently obey the Lord’s commands, trusting Him for the results. When God calls us to take a step of faith in line with His will, we do not need to fear or be discouraged by our inadequacies – His strength will be enough.
Some examples of God’s power at work through faith include:
- Sarah conceiving in old age because she considered God faithful to His promise (Hebrews 11:11).
- God providing the resources to build the tabernacle according to His instructions to Moses – the people brought more than was needed because God stirred their hearts (Exodus 36:5-7).
- The Lord providing the widow of Zarephath daily flour and oil in the midst of famine because she obeyed Elijah’s words to feed him first (1 Kings 17:8-16).
- The disciples following Jesus’ instructions to let down their nets, resulting in a miraculous catch of fish though they had caught nothing all night (Luke 5:1-7).
- Jesus commending those who persevered in faith despite His apparent delays: “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8).
One danger we need to avoid is presuming upon God’s power while not aligning our lives to His will. We cannot claim “all things are possible” while living in disobedience. King Saul learned this when God rejected him as king. “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). We need to humble ourselves and surrender to God’s ways.
In summary, while God’s power has no boundaries, He aligns His actions with His perfect purposes and character. As we walk in obedience to Him, we can trust Him fully to do immeasurably more than we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20). With God, nothing is impossible if He ordains it. He delights in demonstrating His glory and might through those who put their confident faith in Him.
Some key Bible verses about the extent of God’s power include:
- “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
- “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)
- “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” (Matthew 19:26)
- “Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible for one who believes.'” (Mark 9:23)
- “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)
- “I am the Almighty God. Walk before me, and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1)
- “The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man…His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all he did to succeed in his hands.” (Genesis 39:2-3)
In concluding this overview on the extent of God’s power, we can have complete confidence that He is able to do far more than anything we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Nothing is too difficult for the Lord (Genesis 18:14). But we must trust Him wholeheartedly, submit to His perfect will, and walk in humble obedience to experience the fullness of His mighty power working on our behalf.
With man many things are impossible, but our limitations are not binding on an all-powerful God. He is unlimited in what He can do. As Scripture says, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). When we align ourselves with God’s purposes through faith and obedience, we will experience firsthand the profound truth that nothing is impossible with God.