Worship Insights: The Names of God Series - El Shaddai

God was known especially to the Patriarchs in the Old Testament by his name "God Almighty", or in the Hebrew, El-Shaddai.  The name first appears in Genesis 17:1,2 where it is recorded, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty (El Shaddai); walk before me, and be thou perfect.  And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly."  This was the confirmation of a promise that God gave Abram in Genesis 12 where he promised to make him a great nation and multiply his seed as the dust of the earth and as the stars of the heavens.  Only an Almighty God could perform and accomplish this Herculian task.  Abraham was ninety nine years old and what God was promising was impossible in the natural, but nothing is too hard for Jehovah!  All things are possible with God!  Incidently, Abram's name was changed to Abraham with the revelation of God as El Shaddai, the Almighty God.

We must look at the two parts of this name to understand the meaning.  The word El itself is translated "God" over 200 times in the Bible.   Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, and Nehemiah referred to him as El.  Shaddai means "almighty" referring to the abundant might and power of God. It clearly implies that nothing can be beyond God's power.  Some scholars argue that the root meaning means strong, powerful, or to do violence, especially in the sense of one who is powerful enough to overturn the laws of nature.  This is indeed what happened with Abraham and Sarah.  The deadness of their bodies was overcome by the awesome power and might of God.  Nothing is impossible with God!  As we saw in the first name study, Elohim is the God who creates and sustains nature, but El-Shaddai is the God who commands and compels nature to do what is contrary to itself.

When God reveals himself to you as El-Shaddai, he reveals Himself by special deeds of power.  Has God ever revealed himself to you as El-Shaddai through special deeds of power.  He has for me on several occasions, but none more dramatically than when He, the El-Shaddai, reversed my son Benjamin's  irreversible diagnosis of autism and miraculously healed him defying the doctors, experts, and the state health department who all said it was impossible.  Glory to His almighty and all-powerful name!  Yes, with God all things are possible -- and this means El-Shaddai gets the final word!  Perhaps you need God to reveal Himself through some act or special deed of power...through a divine miracle of healing, provision, restoration, deliverance, or protection.  Whatever the case may be, in these instances El-Shaddai specializes in taking the impossible and the improbable making it possible by his mighty power.

You see, nothing in our lives is too hard for this Almighty God we serve!  All we need to do is call upon the name of El-Shaddai and invoke his all-powerful name in prayer and praise through faith and watch God work.  Maybe its a soured relationship, a backslidden son or daughter, a terminal illness, or a lengthy period of unemployment.  God can turn that seemingly impossible situation into a supernatural deliverance for you.  So don't give up...don't give in...and don't turn around!  Open your eyes and see Him high and lifted up shining in the light of his glorious power and might.  Worship at his feet and keep trusting, keep believing, and keep walking, keep serving, and keep praying in faith with your eyes upon Jesus the author and finisher of your faith.  El-Shaddai is able to do exceeding and abundantly above and beyond anything you can ask or imagine.  Ask God to reveal himself as El-Shaddai in the seeming impossible situations of your life and give him praise today for his excellent greatness and His mighty power!