El Shaddai

As we look at the next name of God, El Shaddai, would you take the time to think about what is going on in your life at this time.  We are faced with many giants in our lives today and you know as well as I do that there are very few places that we can find answers to our problems.  The government certainly cannot solve your problem, they might be able to put a band aid on it but they cannot heal it.  Many are out of work or struggling to keep their jobs and maintain some sort of pay in order to meet their needs, so we cannot depend on our place of employment to save us.  Many of our church's today don't seem to offer the solidity they used to, many seem to have a watered down version of God, faith and hope.  So what do we have that will carry us through this day and the days ahead.  Take some time and consider where you are in your journey through this life and determine just what you are trusting in.  Let me share with you with whom many have already found to be the solid rock on which our trust is placed.  I like many others are learning about El Shaddai, God, all sufficient and all powerful.

Let's examine the name El Shaddai for a few minutes and see just what this name entails.  Looking again at Abram's life we will find that he really had to go through some tough situations in his life and through these situations Abram was able to completely give his life over to trusting this God who said He would take care of everything.  Look at Genesis 15 (Click on blue to take you to verses) and read about how God made a covenant with Abram.  God said that Abram  through his heir, a son, would have offspring as many as the stars. Read Genesis 13:14-17 to get a glimpse of where God first told Abram about the number of descendants he would have.  This however is not where the covenant was made, but the fact that God told Abram what He would do should have been enough, Gods Word should have been sufficient.  So, many years later,  God, El Shaddai made a covenant with Abram by the shedding of the blood of some specific animals.  Once God makes a covenant He not only will not break it, He cannot break it. One fact that we must realize through the life of Abram is when God makes a blood covenant or He just gives His Word, they both are one and the same, either way God cannot go against His Word or promises.   Continuing on in the life of Abram you must realize that it took over 25 years before this promise came to pass.  In the meantime Abram and his wife Sarai were getting older.  In fact they were beyond the age of having children, way beyond before the promised son was conceived.  Abram as we learn even tried to take matters into his own hands while he was still capable of producing children.  He had a son, Ishmael, through a handmaiden Genesis 16:1-4, but as we learn this son was not the son of faith and promise.  In the Lord's eyes this child was illegitimate.  Abram had to wait for the promised son for a quarter of a century which took them both into the dried up stage of ones body.  God had to show Abram that if he was going to trust Him, he would have to trust Him with everything.  When God says that He will do something, then you and I must believe that He will do it, no matter what.

Now the time has passed and Abram and Sarai were ready to receive God's promised son.  Abram had gone through many battles that taught him just who God was, now he was going to learn another name or characteristic of God.  El Shaddai has brought Abram to that time when he must again totally believe in what God has said.  As stated earlier, Abram and Sarai had a son together and named him Isaac.  Through this son would be all the offspring that God had promised 25 years ago.   Yes, Abram's faith did waver at times.  We know that at least once it did when he had a son through the handmaiden.  Abram got impatient and did not fully trust God to deliver on His promise, so he thought he would help God bring about His promise.   Abram even questioned or challenged God at times wondering where was this promised son,  Genesis 15:2-3. So God made a blood covenant with Abram concerning His promise. Then not long after this covenant with God we found Abram giving his seed to the handmaiden, Haagar  had the son Ishmael,  Genesis 16:1-4.  It was not until Ishmael was thirteen years old that God's promise for a son would come about.  Yes, Abram faltered a bit at times and questioned God at times, but Abram was reminded again just who God was and that God will not break His promises or covenants.  Now Abram had his promised son through Sarai and raised him for several years.  You and I both know that as your children grow you become more and more attached to them.  You learn more of their personality and discover their character.  You learn what unique qualities and gifts they have.  The bond between you becomes extremely strong and you are united by virtue of a blood line that flows through your veins.  

When God says that you must obey me no matter what can place a fear in ones heart because this takes you into the unknown.  You realize that their just may be a test or trial you are eventually going to face.  Abram learned this as his son was now becoming a young man.  God was now going to reveal to Abram the character of El Shaddai.  Let me quote again from David Wilkerson's book, "Knowing God By Name."  I believe that this statement is so true and one that we must all come to realize in our own lives.

Discovering the secret that Abraham knew; Here is the secret to a godly walk: We are to receive, to acknowledge, believe, embrace and act upon--the revelation God gives us of who He is.  That is the secret, plain and simple.  We are able to walk uprightly before the Lord, but not because we have willpower, knowledge or even a covenant promise in hand.  We walk uprightly because we are fully persuaded that El Shaddai  will keep His promises to us.

Many situations took place from the time that Abram was promised a multitude of offspring and the birth of Isaac.  Battles, other covenants, parting of ways with Lot, moments of weakness and other trials that would shape Abram's faith in God.  God has now brought Abram to a place in his life where he needed to be tested with the ultimate test.  This test would determine once and for all whether Abram was going to completely trust El Shaddai or turn away and not accept God's plan.  Read Genesis 22:1-15 for the account of what took place.  Here we are going to find some amazing and yet hard facts of our life when we put our trust in this God, El Shaddai.  

This is where we will find in ourselves just like Abram had to whether we are trusting God to the fullest extent.  Abram after raising his son for several years and becoming more attached with each passing day found himself with quite a situation, obey God and maybe lose his son through his own hand or walk away.  In this passage we will notice that Abram did not falter in his response to God, why?  First we must realize that all through the battles, quarrels, weak moments, family parting ways, etc. God was preparing Abram for this test.  Abram had become convinced that God is who He said He is, El Shaddai, all powerful and all sufficient.  God had never failed Abram at any time.  God had never broken His word or went back on His promises.  Abram came to know God in an intimate way, nothing could cause Abram to doubt God again.  Abram was now asked to sacrifice his only son, the one through who all his descendants would come.  The one Abram came to love and cherish over the years.  The one who he became attached to not only by blood, but through those bonds you and I build with our own children.  Abram gathered wood for the fire, prepared for the long journey to the mountain with his son and servants.  Once Abram arrived at his destination, he took his son alone and went up the mountain to thrust a knife through his sons heart.  Abram did not look back, he just proceeded to follow the instructions given him by the Lord.  Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the sacrifice was?  Abram answered "God will provide the lamb."  As Isaac was placed on the alter and the wood was over him, Abram raised his knife and was ready to bring his hands and arms down with a force strong enough to cause the knife to penetrate Isaac's heart.  Isaac did not struggle or squirm with fear for he too knew that God was a God who kept his promises.  At that very moment God called out to Abram and told him "not to harm the boy."  God seen in Abram that he feared God because he would not even withhold his only son from Him.  El Shaddai provided all that Abram needed.  As Abram looked around he saw the ram that God had provided for the sacrifice.  So Abram and his son sacrificed the lamb to the Lord.

What caused Abram to have a trust in God that he would not even withhold his only son from Him?  One thing of course were all the tests Abram went through, but Abram also learned that God is who He said He was.  God was all powerful and Abram fully believed that if God allowed him to go through with the sacrifice, God had the power to raise his son Isaac back to life.  Abram did not doubt God and He was fully persuaded that God, All Sufficient and All Powerful, would deliver on His Word.  Abram knew that no matter what happened El Shaddai would keep His covenant concerning his offspring.

Where are we now in our walk with God?  Are we where we need to be that we too would sacrifice something or give up something that is dear to our heart in order to follow Him no matter what?  This would be a good time for us all to take a good look at our walk with the Lord and see if we may be lacking in some way concerning our trust in El Shaddai.  

Here are some lessons Abram learned during this part of his life, lessons you and I must also learn.  "David Wilkerson" says it this way in his book "Knowing God By Name."

1.  God was saying to His servant, "Abram, you already know I have power over every condition in your life.  I have convinced yoiu that I am in control of all things, that there are no accidents in your life, no situations that are merely fate or luck.  I am the head, the chief, the boss of all creation, and My word is eternal."  

2.   "I am not only in control of all things, but I always keep My word.  No obstacle can keep My word from coming to pass.  I am not bound by the laws of nature or fettered by any man.  I can do any thing at any time.  There are no mountains too high for Me, no valleys too low, no rivers or oceans too wide.  When I say something is going to be done, it is already done.  Nothing can stop My promise.  I am El Shaddai, all-powerful, all-sufficient keeper of My promises.  I guarantee My word.

3,  The Lord revealed Himself to Abram specifically as the God who gives life to the dead.  He opened Abram's eyes to the part of His nature that performs the impossible.

4.  Abraham believed what God said: that he was safe from all harm because the Lord was all-sufficient to keep His servant victorious over every evil

Only by learning and embracing the revelation of God's covenant names will we be able to lead godly lives. Have you discovered your El Shaddai, all-sufficient God? (David Wilkerson, Knowing God By Name).  Is it not time for us to stop focusing on the impossible and focus on the God who specializes in the possible?  We all need something firm and solid in our lives, so why not at this time make God, the creator of the universe and owner of all things, the God who is all-sufficient and all-powerful your focus while we journey through this troubled world.