The Lie That Sounds Holy
There is a doctrine circulating widely among Christians today—one that many hold to without question—that I believe is the worst doctrine in the body of Christ. In fact, I would go so far as to say it has its origins in the pits of hell. The doctrine I’m talking about is the sovereignty of God as it is commonly taught.
I believe God is sovereign in the sense that He is almighty, the supreme ruler of all, and first in rank above everything else. But there is a version of God’s sovereignty that the church has adopted that completely misrepresents who He is—and that version is what I have a serious problem with.
What I’m referring to is the idea that God controls absolutely everything that happens in your life. There’s a belief that if something happens—good or bad—then it must have been God’s will. Some people even believe that Satan himself is controlled by God, like a dog on a leash, only able to do what God allows. This view goes so far as to claim that every tragedy, hardship, and sickness is somehow God’s will.
I am in one thousand percent disagreement with that—because the Bible disagrees with it. That is simply not what the Word of God teaches.
Why Would We Be Told to Resist?
One of the most damaging aspects of believing that God just controls everything is that it takes away your incentive to seek the Lord. There’s no point in resisting the devil if you believe that God has a purpose for turning him loose on you. I know I might be stepping on some toes, but you need to examine what you believe in light of what the Bible actually teaches. The enemy wants to keep you in a place of passivity. He wants you to believe that whatever happens is somehow God’s will, even if it’s destructive to your health or happiness.
One key scripture that challenges this way of thinking is James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James tells us that there are things we are meant to submit to—things that are from God. And then there are things we are to resist—things that are from the devil. Now, if God is truly the one who controls everything, then why would James tell us to resist the devil? Shouldn’t we just accept whatever happens because it’s all God’s will? Of course not! We are clearly instructed to resist the devil, and it’s not a passive resistance.
Questions No One Seems to Be Asking
Believing that God is in control of everything raises some difficult and confusing questions. For example, if it’s God’s will for you to be sick, then why resist sickness? Why go to the doctor or take medicine? It’s hypocritical to say, “God gave me this sickness,” and then try to get out of God’s will. Of course, I don’t believe that, and you shouldn’t either. But that is what the sovereignty of God teaching implies. The truth is, God is not the author of sickness. He gave you the power and authority to fight back against the works of the devil.
Jesus gave His disciples the power to heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead. If God were controlling everything, then there would be no need for that power. Why would Jesus tell us to cast out demons if God is the one sending them? Why would He tell us to heal the sick if sickness were God’s will for them? The fact that He gave us authority over sickness proves that He didn’t intend for it to control us.
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Matthew 10:1
If you enjoyed what I shared here, visit my website at awmi.net, where you’ll find additional free teachings and resources. If you need prayer, I encourage you to call my Helpline at 719-635-1111, where one of my trained prayer ministers would love to pray with you.
We love you,
Andrew and Jamie
