My Problematic Emotions and
The Sovereignty of God

Definition
Sovereign: God is absolutely free to do whatever He wants, but will always accomplish

His desires consistent with His nature and character. There is nothing over which God does not have control.

No creature, person, or empire can either thwart His will or act outside of the bounds of His will.

It is the truth that God is sovereign that brings us hope, peace, and confidence.
It’s the truth that God is perfectly holy, just, perfectly loving, and perfectly wise coupled

together with His perfect power that will be our mainstay during our times of trial.

What God says about His Sovereignty
1) God says that He controls every event for His own honor and glory

2 Chronicles 7:13-14; Psalm 103:19; Psalm 147:2-5

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. NKJV

Psalms 103:19

19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
NKJV

Psalms 147:2-8

2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
6 The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground. 7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,

8 Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
NKJV

2) He determines the seasons, the weather, the growth of crops

Genesis 8:22; 1 Kings 8:35-40; 2 Chronicles 7:13-14; Amos 4:7; Isaiah 5:6; Psalm 135:5-7; 148:7; Haggai 1:9-11

Genesis 8:22

22 "While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease." NKJV

1 Kings 8:35-40

35 "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You,
when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them,

36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants,
Your people Israel,
that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk;
and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

37 "When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers;
when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is;

38 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel,
when each one knows the plague of his own heart,
and spreads out his hands toward this temple:

39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive,
and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways,
whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men),

40 that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
NKJV

Isaiah 5:5-6

5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.

6 I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug,
But there shall come up briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds That they rain no rain on it." NKJV

Psalms 135:5-7

5 For I know that the LORD is great, And our Lord is above all gods.

6 Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places.

7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
NKJV

Amos 4:6-7

"Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. And lack of bread in all your places;
Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.

7 "I also withheld rain from you,
When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city,
I withheld rain from another city.
One part was rained upon,
And where it did not rain the part withered. NKJV

Haggai 1:9-11

9 "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts.
"Because of My house that is in ruins,
while every one of you runs to his own house.

10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.

11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil,
on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."
NKJV

3) God determines the length of our lives

Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 14:5; Psalm 68:20;Psalm 139:15-16; Acts 17:24-26

Deuteronomy 32:39

39'Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal;
Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.
NKJV

Job 14:5

5 Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
NKJV

Psalms 68:20

20 Our God is the God of salvation; And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death. NKJV

Psalms 139:15-16

15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
NKJV

Acts 17:24-26

24 God, who made the world and everything in it,
since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.

25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,

4) God is completely free to do whatever He wants, including overruling our decisions

Job 23:13; 42:2; Psalm 33:8-11, 115:3; Proverbs 19:21; 21:30; Isaiah 43:13; 46:9-10

Job 23:13-14

13 "But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.

14 For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such things are with Him. NKJV

Psalms 33:8-11

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.

11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. NKJV

Proverbs 19:21

21 There are many plans in a man's heart, Nevertheless the LORD's counsel — that will stand.
NKJV

Isaiah 43:13

13 Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"
NKJV

Isaiah 46:9-10

9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,'
NKJV

5) God doesn’t need anything from us to enable Him to sovereignly rule

Acts 17:24-25; Daniel 4:35; Amos 3:6; Proverbs 16:33

Acts 17:24-25

24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in temples made with hands.

25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything,
since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. NKJV

Daniel 4:35

35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
NKJV

Amos 3:6

6 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it? NKJV

Proverbs 16:33

33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the LORD. NKJV

6) It’s God who gives us success

John 15:5; 1 Corinthians 3:7; 2 Corinthians 12:9

John 15:5

5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing.
NKJV

1 Corinthians 4:7

7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it,
why do you boast as if you had not received it? NKJV

2 Corinthians 12:9

9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
NKJV

7) God brings to Himself those whom He predestines to come to Him

Matthew 11:27; John 6:65; 12:39-49; Romans 9:15; Ephesians 1:11; Philippians 2:13

Matthew 11:28

27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son
except the Father.
Nor does anyone know the Father
except the Son,
and
the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. NKJV

John 6:65

65 And He said,
"Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

NKJV

Romans 9:15-21

15 For He says to Moses,
"I will have mercy
on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion
on whomever I will have compassion."

16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs,
but of God who shows mercy.

17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh,
"For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you,
and that My name may be declared in all the earth."

18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?"

20 But indeed, O man,
who are you to reply against God?
Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
NKJV

Ephesians 1:11

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined
according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
NKJV

Philippians 2:13

13 for it is God who works in you
both to will and to do for His good pleasure. NKJV

8) God gives gifts and callings according to His sovereign will

1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:11; Hebrews 2:4

1 Corinthians 12:11

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. NKJV

Ephesians 4:11-13

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a perfect man,
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; NKJV

Hebrews 2:3-4

3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
NKJV

9) God is sovereign over everything, even our sin, rebellion, and foolishness

Genesis 20:6; 50:20; Exodus 4:21; Romans 9:18; 1 Kings 12:15; Acts 2:23; 3:18; 5:38-39

Genesis 20:6

6 And God said to him in a dream,
"Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me;

therefore I did not let you touch her. NKJV

Genesis 50:20

20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good,
in order to bring it about as it is this day,
to save many people alive.
NKJV

Exodus 4:21

21 And the LORD said to Moses,
"When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand.
But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
NKJV

Acts 2:22-23

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth,
a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know —

23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; NKJV

Acts 3:18

18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer,
He has thus fulfilled.
NKJV

Romans 9:18

18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
NKJV

10) God is sovereign over demonic spirits

Daniel 10:13; Matthew 8:29-32; Mark 1:27

Daniel 10:12-13

12 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel,
for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God,
your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me,
for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
NKJV

Matthew 8:29

29 And suddenly they cried out, saying,
"What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" NKJV

Mark 1:27

27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this?
For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." NKJV

11) God is sovereign over Satan’s sickness-causing power

Acts 10:38; Luke 13:16; Exodus 4:11; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Acts 10:38

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
NKJV

Luke 13:16-17

16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound — think of it — for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"

17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. NKJV

2 Corinthians 12:7-9

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me,
a messenger of Satan to buffet me,
lest I be exalted above measure.

8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
NKJV

God’s Character

1) GodiscompletelyHoly
His holiness controls all His actions so that He never acts in any way that is unholy,

unwise, or unloving. (Isaiah 6:2-3; Revelation 4:8)

Isaiah 6:2-3

2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face,
with two he covered his feet,
and with two he flew.

3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"
NKJV

Revelation 4:8

8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within.
And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!"
NKJV

2) God is perfectly Wise
That means that He always knows what is best. (Romans 16:27)

Romans 16:27

27 to God, alone wise,
be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. NKJV

3) God is utterly Loving
His love always constrains and guides Him to give us what we truly need.

( 1 John 4:8-10, 16)

1 John 4:8-10

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

10 In this is love, not that we loved God,
but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. NKJV

1 John 4:16

16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love,
and he who abides in love abides in God,

and God in him. NKJV

4) God is infinitely Merciful
His mercy flows out to all of His creation at all times

in that He never gives any of us
what we really deserve. (Exodus 34:6-7)

Exodus 34:6-7

6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering,
and abounding in goodness and truth,

7 keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
by no means clearing the guilty,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children
to the third and the fourth generation." NKJV

5) God is fully Just
God rewards obedience and punishes disobedience with perfect knowledge of the action and intent of the heart

without partiality.
God will execute His perfect justice in His perfect time.

Sometimes God will execute His justice in this life
and ultimately God will execute His perfect justice in eternity. (Deuteronomy 32:3-4, Romans 2:5-11, Acts 10:34-35)

Deuteronomy 32:3-4

3 For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God.

4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He. NKJV

Romans 2:5-11

5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath
in the day of wrath and revelation
of the righteous judgment of God,

6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds":

7 eternal life
to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness — indignation and wrath,

9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;

10 but glory, honor, and peace
to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

11 For there is no partiality with God. NKJV

Acts 10:34-35

Then Peter opened his mouth and said:
"In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness
is accepted by Him.
NKJV

QUESTION: If God is in control, if He is really sovereign, then why am I facing all these problems?

Why doesn’t God just deliver me from my fears or cause the people in my life that are causing me such anxiety to change?

Why does God let me suffer through all these trials?

God’s goal for our lives is to build faith that will bring Him glory and provide us eternal happiness.

He is interested in changing our character, bearing His fruit, and freeing us from our fears. He is using the situations of your life to draw you to himself and to change you.
All that He does in you will bring Him glory.

What are some of God’s goals for your suffering?

1) God permits troubles so that we will experience His comfort and learn to comfort others and to trust in Him and not in ourselves. (2 Corinthians 1:3-10)

2 Corinthians 1:3-10

3 All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us.

4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.
When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

5 You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

6 So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.

7 We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share God's comfort.

8 I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed,
and we thought we would never live through it.

9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead.

10 And he did deliver us from mortal danger.
And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us. NLT

2) God permits tribulation so that we can grow in hope. (Romans 5:3-5)

Romans 5:3-5

3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;

4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God
has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. NKJV

3) God permits trials so that we will grow in holiness

(Hebrews 12:10-11)

Hebrews 12:10-11

10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness.

11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening — it is painful!
But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. NLT

4) Troubles are the seed-bed where faith grows. (1 Peter 1:7)

1 Peter 1:7

These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold.
So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. NLT

5) Experiencing God’s help through our trials strengthens us.

(James 1:3-4)

James 1 3-4

3 For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. NLT

6) God wants our character to reflect Christ’s. (Romans 8:28-29)

Romans 8:28-29

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
NKJV

7) Troubles humble us and cause us to run to Jesus.

(1 Peter 5:5-7)

1 Peter 5:5-7

... And all of you, serve each other in humility, for "God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble."

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.

7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you. NLT

8) God is working through our troubles to prepare us for the glory of Heaven.

( 2 Corinthians 4:17)

2 Corinthians 4:17

17 For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long.
Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! NLT

9) Our suffering produces God-focused rejoicing.

(1 Peter 4:13)

1 Peter 4:13

13 Instead, be really glad-because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering,
and afterwards you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory in that coming day when it will be displayed.
TLB

Romans 8:35-39

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?
Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity,
or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?

36(Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." )

37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't.

Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow,
and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.

39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean,
nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
NLT