Focus: The Mighty God

Text: Isa.9:6

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

After the names of Wonderful and Counselor, the next name of Christ according to Isaiah is "the mighty God." Christ is the mighty God in human form. The fullness of God dwelt in Him bodily, according to Paul.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are known for power. In God we find might, majesty and mystery. Moses says, "For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a MIGHTY, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward" (Dt.10:17). Our God is mighty. Nehemiah says, "Now therefore, our God, the great, the MIGHTY, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy…" (Neh.9:32). The psalmist declares, "Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and MIGHTY, the LORD MIGHTY in battle" (Ps.24:8). 

Our God is infinitely mighty, and a mighty warrior. He never loses a battle. Isaiah says, "The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the MIGHTY God" (Isa.10:21). Jeremiah by the unction of the Spirit describes God as "the Great, the MIGHTY God, the LORD of hosts, is his name" (Jer.32:18). Job has this to say about God: "he runneth upon me like a giant" (Jb.16:14). The word 'giant' is the same as 'mighty' in the Hebrew. In the book of Samuel, we read, "And when the Philistines saw their CHAMPION was dead, they fled" (1Sam.17:51). The word 'champion' is the same word in Hebrew as 'giant' and 'mighty.' Our God is the great giant, the ever living champion and the mighty God. 

Zephaniah says, "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is MIGHTY; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing" (Zeph.3:17). 

The mighty God is in our midst, and that is an awesome privilege. We are the powerhouse of God. His power is lodged in us.

It is amazing to know that God never uses His strength arbitrarily; He rather uses it in service to humanity. In Luke, Mary testifies, "For he that is MIGHTY hath done to me great things; and holy is his name" (Lk.1:49). He uses His power to do good. Matthew reports that "when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?" (Mt.13:54). Mark puts it this way, "From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?" (Mk.6:2). Luke writes, "And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus DID…" (Lk.9:43). 

God uses His power to save, heal and serve us. What He does with His power makes us wonder. He uses His power to help us and meet our needs.

In Luke we read of the conversation that happened between the Lord and two of His disciples: "And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people" (Lk.24:19). Christ is mighty in deed and word. He acts out His name. He speaks words of power and does mighty deeds. Peter speaks of the "mighty hand of God," and it is of paramount necessity that we humble ourselves under such a powerful hand (1Pet.5:6).

Ezra testifies, "And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me…" (Ezr.7:28). He infuses His energy into us, and also gives us His power to make wealth. He says to us, "Let the weak say, I am strong" (Joel 3:10). He wants us to be His channels of power. God says through Isaiah, "I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness" (Isa.13:3). 

We are God's sanctified and mighty ones. He wants us to know "what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power" (Eph.1:19). Christ is the mighty God both in name and in works.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter