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Is God in Control?

Gordon

Gordon

Member
I was listening to a series of lectures from an evangelist on this topic and he made some points that made sense to me. His main point was that when something bad happens like a group of missionaries getting into a fatal car crash we shouldn't say well "God is in control". So I started to wonder what is going on. To what degree is God in control of our lives? To what degree does Satan effect our lives? To what degree do things just happen?

One of his main points is what we pray in the Lords prayer. We pray for God's Kingdom to come. We pray for God's will to be done on Earth as it is in heaven. This suggests his will is not done in all cases. It also implies prayer is effectual and that by prayer God will intervene where he otherwise wouldn't.

He asks the question if God is in control of everything would we say he is doing a very good job? This point kind of hit me because I think of people starving and people who have never heard the Good News. Would Jesus ordain someone into childhood prostitution or starvation? Heaven we believe is a perfect place where God rules but if we believe Earth is under the same control wouldn't things be much better? Also what is the point of Jesus' reign if God is in complete control of things now?

I also think of what Satan has been allowed to do on Earth. He offered Jesus the entire world. He struck at Job when God allowed him to be tested. Satan has been given rights and will be allowed to tempt the world. Personally I have also dabbled in the occult and I believe I allowed the devil certain rights to effect my life. God's angel was resisted by a demon. I think of the woman Jesus freed bound by Satan. To what degree are our lives being effected by the demonic?

I know the lord directs our steps and I see God at work through people. I know ultimately God is in control and I see God working in my life. I find this idea empowering that through prayer and God working in us we bring God's rule to Earth. I'd rather have a correct understanding than an empowering one however.

I'm sure there are people who will strongly disagree. If I could get your thoughts without insults for entertaining these ideas that would be helpful.
 
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Gordon said:
What is the point of Jesus' reign if God is in complete control of things now?
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I'll just bring forth a couple ideas for your consideration.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The above scripture presents problems to many.

Verse eighteen presupposes Jesus ruling with all power, but has He taken that place yet? Hebrews 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Verse nineteen sees the command to teach and baptize nations that will occur during the millennium. Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once?

Verse twenty tells us of the end of the world, better interpreted as the end of this present age when Jesus will take the authority as King of kings and Lord of lords putting down Gentile nations ruling in usurpation.

If this makes sense to you I will go further with your post. Blessings in Christ Jesus.
 
Thank you for the reply I was starting to think I asked a stupid question. Thank God there are teachers of the Word. So what I am getting is that as of now the world is not in subjection to Christ. What about God working in our lives? For example I have heard many people suppose God will lead them to the right woman or man? Is this a realistic expectation? Does God plan the day to day stuff of our lives? Is prayer the key to God's intervention? How hands on is God with spirit filled Christians? Also if Christ hasn't subjectated the world yet does that mean it is under the power of Satan? Or is it just freewill human beings that are directing the world?
 
Gordon said:
I was listening to a series of lectures from an evangelist on this topic and he made some points that made sense to me. His main point was that when something bad happens like a group of missionaries getting into a fatal car crash we shouldn't say well "God is in control". So I started to wonder what is going on.
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I think God HAS control, but does not exercise it.

To what degree is God in control of our lives? To what degree does Satan effect our lives? To what degree do things just happen?
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Again, He does not choose to exercise control. He does, I am convinced, respond to prayer - but He does it in odd (to us) ways. I will post more about this in a moment in a separate post.

Satan, I believe, has influence, but I am unsure how it all works. I DO believe "The Screwtape Letters" tells a story that is not that far off the mark....

Things DO just happen, but they are driven mostly by human action.

One of his main points is what we pray in the Lords prayer. We pray for God's Kingdom to come. We pray for God's will to be done on Earth as it is in heaven. This suggests his will is not done in all cases. It also implies prayer is effectual and that by prayer God will intervene where he otherwise wouldn't.
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I agree on all counts. There is NO WAY that some of the evil of this world are God's will. I believe it goes back to the fall - things really changed, and not for the better. We no longer have a "walking together, almost hand in hand" relationship with God in this life.

"Well, God is in control".... that sentence helps when used as comforting words to someone who has suffered loss. But it is no license to sit back and do nothing, no matter how much faith you employ. "God is in control" seems to miss the point - hence, my sigline, "He is not here, but we are".
 
Pizzaguy said:
I think God HAS control, but does not exercise it.

Again, He does not choose to exercise control. He does, I am convinced, respond to prayer - but He does it in odd (to us) ways. I will post more about this in a moment in a separate post.

Satan, I believe, has influence, but I am unsure how it all works. I DO believe "The Screwtape Letters" tells a story that is not that far off the mark....

Things DO just happen, but they are driven mostly by human action.

I agree on all counts. There is NO WAY that some of the evil of this world are God's will. I believe it goes back to the fall - things really changed, and not for the better. We no longer have a "walking together, almost hand in hand" relationship with God in this life.

"Well, God is in control".... that sentence helps when used as comforting words to someone who has suffered loss. But it is no license to sit back and do nothing, no matter how much faith you employ. "God is in control" seems to miss the point - hence, my sigline, "He is not here, but we are".
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Hey Pizzaguy thanks for your thoughts. I don't know if my questions are really answered by the Bible. I think prayer is key too and I get what your are saying about odd ways because His ways are above our ways. I see you think God is fairly hands off and it's us behind events. I will try reading the screwtape letters for an understanding of what Satan is doing in our lives.
 
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Why would that be wrong?

I have no idea. I am asking more knowledgeable Christians to what degree God is in control of our lives because I don't know.
 
I will say that God has control, and as with Satan used in Job's life it was for his instruction and benefit. We read the same in Paul's teaching given him by revelation concerning God's own. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

What? Paul could have asked after praying three times for the thorn in his flesh to be removed; how come Lord? The answer is shown us in (2 Corinthians 12:7), And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

(John 15:7) Jesus said, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you. Also in (John 14:13-14), and whatsoever ye ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask anything in my name, I will do it

Have we've really received everything prayed for in Jesus’ name?

(1 John 5:14). And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he heareth us.

God is never going to fail or forsake us, and He will do always those things that are right for us. We might bring to mind 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, and this again is for our good even though we cannot see it at the time.

As to leading us to the right choice in anything we ask of God, He has never left me without witness even if I don't receive the answer I want. Though not the context we might use the following advice by David as applying to all things. (Psalms 27:14) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

God bless you in Jesus' name.
 
It is really important to remember that a life that is totally surrendered to God is really important. If God says no and you keep begging, He might permit you to get what you want but it may not be the best thing for you. 'Nevertheless not my will be done but thine" is the best attitude. A pastor once prayed for a girl to be his wife, till he saw her at his high school reunion. Now he is thankful for the "no" answer.
I believe that God has appointed a time for us to live--to be born and to die. Don't know the scriptures, probably in Ecclesiastes.
Like, who was really in control of Jesus' death? We know that the time of his birth was prophesied as well as what kind of death He would die. So was satan in control? Or did God let satan have his way in order to use it for good? I believe the latter.
If you have repented of your past and surrendered you life to God, then greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
You may have less freedom to participate in some things . I can't even read fortune cookies because I know that my grandfather was deeply into the occult. I don't want it to be a temptation so I stay clear of it all, including that on TV.

Jesus' reign on earth starts in the millenium. Don't blame the evil in this world on God. We are only promised that He will go through hard times with us and give us strength. He will comfort us, guide us and help us. Occasionally He will rescue us out of the circumstances.
Have you ever read "The Hiding Place" about Corrie tenBoom ? She was released from Auschwitz ?sp? by a clerical error. The rest of her family died in German concentration camps. Afterwards she went all around the world to the most horrible prisons preaching God's love and that you don't have to go through it alone. Watchman Nee was imprisoned in China. He kept leading his guards to the Lord. They provided him with paper so he could write to his churches, sort of like St. Paul.
Satan tempts us as he did Christ in the wilderness. His battlefield is our minds. But he doen't have control over us and we don't belong to him. He came to lie, to steal and destroy. He torments us with lies, he steals our joy and he destroys marriages and homes. But we don't have to put up with it or listen to him.
 
Thanks for all the great replies. I like to believe that all things work together for our good. I have heard people say that is a misunderstood verse. I read a book maybe it was 90 minutes in heaven where a child who died in an accident met a man in heaven because he made him think about God.

I wonder about the day to day events of my life. Like am I encountering tests or opportunities to witness to people set up by God? I know we are to trust in God to provide for us and not worry about our basic needs. And that if we seek first the kingdom these things will be added to us. This tells me God is very much at work.
 
These are excellent questions imo Gordon.. perhaps the question of questions for many people, regardless of whether or not they're a Christian etc..

Who is in control...

Right now, as we converse here in a forum.. Satan is the god of this world.. and we wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high places.. against the rulers of the darkness of this world..

Does that mean that God is not ultimately in control.. ? Of course not.. for He has already told us the end of the matter and it is for ever settled in heaven.

Although it is vitally important for a Christian to at least understand that basic premise.. that Satan is the god of this present evil world.. and that we wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high places.. how else would we be able to account for all of the evil that IS in the world today.. it would be absolutely absurd to attribute these things to the Lord Jesus Christ..

This is why we are being called and delivered OUT of this present evil world.. because according to the Apostle John.. it is passing away.. and the Apostle Paul writes that we are to set our affections on the things which are above, and not on the things on earth..

Once again, excellent questions imo and worthy of serious discussion on behalf of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
This is a good question, it is asked all the time.
If God was in total control we would be robots.
I don’t know the answers, no one knows, but through scripture we may get a hint of what is going on.
There is good and evil in this world, what we think is good is more than likely wrong.
God’s ways are not our ways, His thought are not our thoughts.
Jesus said there is not one good, not one.
Babies are killed every day by abortion. This is one if not the most heinous act known.
There seems to be more evil than good, much more.
Remember we are talking about the flesh.
John 6:63
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
-Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
This evil fleshly world will not be saved, it is eroding into chaos. It is destined to end then the new world order begins. Evil will be kept in check. This new order according to scripture will be ruled by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Satan will be bound for a thousand years. after this come the end then Judgement
Our treasure is in heaven, we will be like Him.
 
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Thanks Eventide. This is what the Evangelist also said that we are living in a rebel world on rebel territory. That our role as Christians is to bring Kingdom rule to Earth through prayer, giving, and spreading the gospel. Even that our prayers and answers to prayer must get through enemy territory. He gave the example of God's angel that was resisted by the demon until Micheal came. He suggested Satan is behind a lot of world events. It would be cool if you guys well versed in this weigh in as a discussion because I think we could learn a lot.
 
Carolyn, great post. I completely agree with the last paragraph.

I also believe that when Jesus died He gave us the power and authority to conquer satan, in His name with His help, not only in our lives but in the lives of others. I always wonder what people think the whole armour of God is really about? It describes our battle gear and it's not metaphorically speaking when it comes to doing battle. It's very very real.

I always enjoy your well thought out posts please keep sharing.
 
Any specific things that you'd like to address..?

I'll certainly try as best that I can to explain scriptural principles etc, as I'm sure that others will.
 
Well the Evangelist said that God is in control of our lives to some degree so to what degree? Should I assume a lot of day to day events are the work of God guiding me in answer to prayer. Are the situations I find myself in part of God's plan for me or is it just if I prayed or what?
 
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