Walking in Agreement with God - Is God in Control of everything?

 In the darkest moments of human experience - standing beside a hospital bed, navigating the wreckage of a financial collapse, or mourning at a funeral - there is a phrase that echoes through the corridors of our churches and homes. It is whispered with good intentions and received with a desperate hope for solace: "God is in control." On the surface, this declaration feels spiritual and comforting. It serves as an emotional anchor in the storm, suggesting that a benevolent hand is steering the ship of our lives through chaos. However, Pastor Sam Merigala presents a radical and potentially life-altering challenge to this widely accepted sentiment. He posits that while this statement is repeated without examination, it may actually be only half true, and the missing half is the very reason why so many prayers remain unanswered and why faith often feels passive and powerless.

In his sermon, Pastor Merigala uncovers a profound theological problem: the phrase "God is in control" has become a "theological blanket" that we pull over our heads to excuse spiritual lethargy. By assuming God is micromanaging every detail of existence, we inadvertently dishonor the very authority Christ died to restore to us. Today, we are going to walk through a deep analysis of this sermon to discover the distinction between being a victim of circumstance and living as a victorious child of God. Whether you are a devout believer or someone searching for the principles of how life truly operates, understanding the balance between Divine Sovereignty and Human Authority is the key to unlocking a life of purpose and power.

The "Cosmic Sadist" Dilemma

To truly grasp the magnitude of Pastor Merigala’s teaching, we must first confront the logical conclusion of believing God controls absolutely everything. If God is the micromanager of every detail, then we are forced to accept that He is also the author of evil, the orchestrator of disease, and the architect of tragedy. As Pastor Merigala astutely points out, this leaves us trying to reconcile the image of a loving Heavenly Father with a deity who deliberately inflicts pain on His children for mysterious, unexplained purposes. This theology creates a distorted image of God - part loving parent, part "cosmic sadist" - which is fundamentally unbiblical.

The danger of this belief system is that it creates a specific breed of believer: one who prays but refuses to act, who can quote Scripture but fails to apply it, and who acknowledges God's promises but never actually claims them. After all, if the outcome is already entirely pre-programmed by God, what is the function of your will? What is the purpose of your faith?. Pastor Merigala argues that this view contradicts reality. We must understand that acknowledging human authority does not diminish God’s sovereignty; rather, it honors it. It demonstrates that God is powerful enough to create beings to whom He could delegate real, tangible authority.

Unpacking the Delegation

The foundation of this teaching lies in the very beginning of the biblical narrative. Pastor Merigala directs us to Genesis 1:26-28, where God says, "Let Us make man in Our image... let them have dominion". We must pay close attention to the specific language used here. This was not a suggestion or a request for partnership; it was a transfer of dominion. God delegated real authority and real control to humanity.

This brings us to a crucial theological pivot point that the sermon highlights: God owns everything, but He has given the management of the earth to us. Quoting Psalm 115:16, Pastor Merigala reminds us that while the heavens belong to the Lord, the earth has been given "to the children of men". This authority was momentarily lost when Adam sinned and handed it over to Satan, but it was not revoked by God. The triumph of the Gospel is that Jesus died and rose again to reclaim that stolen authority and hand it back to believers.

Therefore, when we sit back and wait for God to move in areas where He has told us to move, we are living in a state of disobedience masked as piety. We justify our passivity by saying "God is in control," when in reality, we are accepting defeat in areas where victory has already been purchased for us.

Three Pillars of Sovereignty

To navigate this successfully, Pastor Merigala outlines exactly what God does control, distinguishing it from what He has delegated. This distinction is what revolutionizes how we pray and live.

1. God Controls His Nature and Character We can rest assured that God controls who He is. As Pastor Merigala references, God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). His character is immutable. When God makes a promise, it is guaranteed because He is in complete control of His own integrity. This provides the stable ground upon which our faith stands.

2. God Controls His Ultimate Plan There is a grand narrative to history that cannot be altered. Pastor Merigala affirms that God's counsel shall stand (Isaiah 46:10). We know that Satan will be defeated, Jesus will return, and the Kingdom will be established. These are "non-negotiable" events decreed by the Sovereign Lord. No human choice or demonic scheme can thwart these ultimate purposes.

3. The Crucial Exception: Human Will Here is where the sermon drives the point home: God does not control your daily decisions, your words, or your actions. He has given humanity free will. Using Deuteronomy 30:19, Pastor Merigala illustrates that God sets the options - life and death, blessing and cursing - but He commands us to choose. God empowers the choice, but He honors the chooser. When we believe God is making our choices for us, we surrender an authority He never intended for us to give up.

The Three Fruits of the "Half-Truth"

Pastor Merigala identifies three destructive byproducts that arise when we embrace the half-truth that God controls everything without our participation.

First: Passivity This belief produces spectators. If God controls it all, your actions and faith are irrelevant. This stands in stark contrast to the early church believers who spoke, commanded, and expected results. They did not wait for God to move; they moved knowing God was with them.

Second: Blame When tragedy strikes, the "God is in control" mindset forces us to blame God. We assume He either wanted the evil to happen or allowed it for a secret reason. However, Pastor Merigala points to James 1:13 to remind us that God does not tempt with evil. Evil exists because of a fallen world, Satan's operation, and destructive human free will - not because God orchestrated it.

Third: Powerless Prayer This is perhaps the most tragic consequence for the believer. If everything is predetermined, prayer becomes a timid exercise in fatalism. We end up praying, "Lord, if it be your will," regarding things for which God has already revealed His will. Pastor Merigala contrasts this with the teaching of Jesus in Mark 11:24, which calls for active faith: "Believe that you receive them, and you will have them". Real prayer is not passive acceptance; it is confident claiming.

The Shift: From Begging to Enforcing

The core of Pastor Merigala’s sermon is an invitation to shift from a posture of begging to a posture of enforcement. He clarifies that God is in control of everything He hasn't delegated, but we are in control of everything He has delegated through the authority of Christ.

Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven". Pastor Merigala poses a brilliant question: If God’s will were automatically done on earth, why would Jesus teach us to pray for it?. The answer is that earth requires the partnership of believers. We are here to "enforce what Jesus accomplished". We are not begging God to do what He has already done; we are declaring what He has already said.

Pastor Merigala uses the powerful imagery of Luke 10:19, where Jesus gives us power to "tread on serpents and scorpions". Note the dynamic here: it is not God fighting the enemy while we watch. It is us exercising the authority given to us to dominate and subdue the enemy. When Jesus says in Mark 16 that believers will cast out devils and lay hands on the sick, He is establishing that we are His "battle acts and weapons of war". We do not go to God for power; we are His power on the earth.

Practical Application: Changing Your Vocabulary and Your Life

How do we apply this? Pastor Merigala provides a practical roadmap for changing our spiritual language and approach. The shift involves moving from petition to declaration.

Instead of praying, "God, please heal me," we align with 1 Peter 2:24 and declare, "By the stripes of Jesus, I am healed". Instead of asking, "God, will you provide?" we thank Him that "My God shall supply all my need" according to Philippians 4:19. We stop begging for victory and start proclaiming 1 Corinthians 15:57, "Thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory".

This is not arrogance; it is alignment. As Pastor Merigala states, you are not trying to convince a reluctant God to act. You are exercising the authority He has already granted to enforce promises He has already made. This transforms prayer from hoping to knowing, from asking to taking.

The Call to Action: Stop Waiting, Start Moving

We must stop using God's sovereignty as an excuse for our own inaction. You are not a puppet; you are a son or daughter with real responsibility. The sermon challenges us to stop blaming God for circumstances that He has given us the authority to change.

Pastor Merigala urges us to conduct a spiritual audit when we face challenges. Instead of passively saying "God is in control," we must ask: Has God spoken about this in His Word? Has Jesus provided for this at the cross? Have I been given authority here?. If the answer is yes, we must not wait for God to move. We must move ourselves.

God is not withholding healing to test your faithfulness; He has already provided it. He isn't deciding whether to bless you; He has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). He is waiting to see if you will operate from that position. The question is not whether God is in control; the question is whether you will take control of what He has put under your authority.

The Victory is Already Yours

The profound truth Pastor Merigala leaves us with is that many Christians live defeated, broke, and sick not because God hasn't blessed them, but because they don't realize they are already blessed. We keep asking for what has already been given.

There is a fundamental truth about the Kingdom that has been buried under tradition: Victory is not a future event we hope for; it is a present reality we enforce. When you grasp this, everything changes. You stop staring at the mountain waiting for God to move it, and you speak to the mountain yourself. You stop letting life happen to you and start making life happen according to the Word of God.

Let this blog serve as a wake-up call. The theological blanket of "God is in control" may feel warm, but it is suffocating your potential. Throw it off. Stand up. Pick up the authority that Christ died to give you. The world is not waiting for God to do something new; the world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons and daughters of God who know who they are and who know what they carry. God has done His part. The next move is yours.