Immerse your mind in the ocean of God's sovereignty.

Sometimes we need to immerse our minds in the ocean of God's sovereignty. We need to feel its weight, the deep and heavy water pressing down on every pore of our bodies the deeper we sink. Billions of rivers of guidance flow into this ocean. And God Himself gathers all His countless works—from eternity to eternity—and directs them into the streams of His infallible revelation. He speaks, He explains, He promises, and His great, sovereign guidance becomes for us the place where we feel the greatest awe, security, and freedom.

Sometimes we need God Himself to remind us that His rule has no limits. We need to hear from Him that He is sovereign over the entire world and every event in it. We need His reminder that He is never powerless, never disappointed, and never hopeless. We need His assurance that He reigns over ISIS, terrorism, Syria, Russia, China, India, Nigeria, France, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, and the United States of America—over every nation, people, language, tribe, every leader, president, king, prime minister, prime minister, and politician, great and small.

Sometimes we need to hear specific statements from God Himself about His authority. It is God's words that have the extraordinary power to calm our nerves, to make us stable, wise, and courageous.

The Voice of God

On the one hand, hearing the voice of God is like a frightened child hearing a voice from downstairs and realizing: Daddy is home. Whatever those other sounds are, everything is fine. Daddy is home.

On the other hand, it's like experienced soldiers who are sitting on the front line and are about to be attacked by the enemy. But then they get the news that a thousand invincible tanks are rushing to their aid. They are only a mile away. You will be saved, and the enemy will not stand a chance.

Vague notions of God’s power are not as powerful as the voice of God himself, telling us specifically how strong He is, how great His power, how universal His authority, and how boundless His sovereignty are. And that our time is in His hands.

So let us listen. Let us treat the Bible as the voice of God. Let us transform what the Bible says about God into what God says about Himself—for that is what it is: God speaking about Himself.

And when we listen, let us praise Him. No other way of listening to God's praise is proper. This is what happens to the human soul when we immerse ourselves in the ocean of God's sovereignty.

Let's praise You, Oh my God, that all power is in Universe belongs to You.

«There is no authority except from God, but the authorities that exist have been established by God.» (Rom. 13:1) «You [Pilate] would have no authority at all against me unless it had been given to you from above.» (John 19:11).

We admire, God, that in Your freedom You do whatever You please and fulfill everything You have planned.

«Whatever the Lord pleases, that He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps» (Ps. 135:6). «In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works out all things according to the counsel of His will» (Eph. 1:11). «Remember the former things of old, that I am God, and there is none like Me. From the beginning I declare the things that are to come, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, »My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure I will do’” (Isa. 46:9–10).

We marvel, God, that You share this all-encompassing power and fullness of rule with Your Son.

«And Jesus came and said unto them, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth» (Matt. 28:18). «The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand» (John 3:35). «As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that as many as thou hast given him should have eternal life» (John 17:2). «For he hath put all things in subjection under his feet. And when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted, which put all things in subjection under him» (1 Cor. 15:27). «Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church» (Eph. 1:20–22). «Who is gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him» (1 Pet. 3:22).

We bow before You in reverence, God, because through Your Son You remove and establish the rulers of the world.

«Daniel spoke these words: Blessed be the name of God from everlasting to everlasting, for wisdom and might belong to Him! He changes times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and understanding to those who have understanding, and knowledge to those who have understanding» (Dan. 2:20–21). «He strips kings of their girdles and covers their loins with sackcloth» (Job 12:18). «And suddenly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and died» (Acts 12:23).

Truly, God, You not only raise up rulers and remove them; You direct all their actions in every era.

«The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turneth it whithersoever he will» (Prov. 21:1). «Thus saith the Lord God; I will make an end of the multitude of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon» (Ezek. 30:10). «It shall be dark in Tahpanhes at noon, when I break there the yoke of Egypt, and destroy the pride of her strength in it; a cloud shall cover it, when her daughters shall be carried away captive» (Ezek. 30:18). «But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put in my sword, and it shall break the arm (power) of Pharaoh; Pharaoh shall groan before him, wounded to death» (Ezek. 30:24). «Behold, I will give all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant. I will also give him all the wild animals to serve him. All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson, until the time comes for his land, when many nations and great kings will enslave (put the yoke) on him» (Jer. 27:6–7). «The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, »As I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand. I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains I will tread him down, that the yoke may be taken away from my people, and their (Assyrian) burden may be taken off their (Israel’s) shoulders!«» (Isa. 14:24–25). “Ask of me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and your dominion shall reach to the ends of the earth. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery” (Ps. 2:8–9).

We acknowledge with amazement, God, that no human plan will come to fruition except those which You in Your inscrutable wisdom permit.

«The Lord frustrates the plans of men; he frustrates the counsel of the peoples» (Ps. 33:10). «There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord» (Prov. 21:30).

How powerful and wise You are, God, that no man, no nation, no force of nature can thwart Your holy plans.

«I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted» (Job 42:2). «All the inhabitants of the earth are as nothing in comparison with You. He does according to His will in the heavens and among those who dwell on the earth. There is none who can stay His hand or say to Him, »What are You doing?«» (Dan. 4:32). “From everlasting to everlasting I am the same, and there is none who can snatch it out of My hand. When I do, who can turn it back?” (Isa. 43:13).

Therefore, we bow before You like dust on the scales, O God, and joyfully acknowledge that we are nothing compared to Your greatness.

«For the nations before Him are as a drop from a bucket, and as the speck of dust on the scales; in His hand the islands are as the dust» (Isa. 40:15). «My destiny is in Your hand; save me from the hand of my enemies who pursue me» (Ps. 31:14). «The Lord rules over the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He brings princes to nothing, and judges of the earth to nothing» (Isa. 40:22–23).

The joy of our hope, God, is that You magnify Your greatness, exalting the lowly and abasing the proud.

«Shall one call the king wicked, and the ruler wicked? For he is just with princes, and he shows no partiality between the poor and the rich, for they are all the work of his hands» (Job 34:18–19). «He breaks down the mighty without question, and sets others in their place» (Job 34:24). «Look again upon all the proud, and bring them low; and tread down the wicked in their place» (Job 40:12). «The Lord brings death, and brings life; he brings down to hell, and raises up to heaven. Poverty and riches are from the Lord; he brings low and makes high» (1 Sam. 2:6–7). «He has shown the strength of His hand; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly» (Luke 1:51–52).

And so it will always be, God. You rule over all, with an eternal reign, for the sake of those who trust in your Son.

«I live forever, for my kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and my dominion is from generation to generation» (Dan. 4:34). «And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away; and of his kingdom there shall be no end» (Dan. 7:14). «And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end» (Luke 1:33).

Therefore, filled with praise and gratitude, dear and holy God, we rest in Your absolute sovereignty over our lives. And we rejoice when we hear You say:

«My destiny is in your hands. Rescue me from the hand of my enemies who pursue me.» (Ps. 31:14).