BUT GOD

BUT GOD

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: Ephesians 2:4

Key Verse: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.” — Ephesians 2:4 (KJV)

Supporting Texts: Ephesians 2:1-10; Genesis 50:20; Exodus 14:13-14; 1 Samuel 17:45-47; Psalm 30:5; Romans 5:6-8; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.

Description: This message reveals how God's intervention can completely change a hopeless situation, turning defeat into victory, bondage into freedom, sorrow into joy, and spiritual death into life.

INTRODUCTION

There are moments in life when everything appears to be going in the wrong direction. Circumstances may say “impossible,” people may say “finished,” experience may say “there is no way,” and the enemy may suggest that your situation can never change. Ephesians 2:1–3 describes humanity in a desperate condition—dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, and living under the influence of disobedience. Humanly speaking, there was no solution.

Then two powerful words appear in verse 4: “But God.” These words introduce divine intervention. When man had no answer, God had an answer. When sin had brought death, God brought life. When humanity was helpless, God acted in mercy and love. “But God” means that the present condition does not have the final word when God steps into the situation.

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly changed impossible situations. Joseph's brothers meant evil, but God used it for good. Israel stood before the Red Sea with Pharaoh behind them, but God made a way. David faced Goliath, but God gave him victory. Jesus was crucified and buried, but God raised Him from the dead. Therefore, whatever your present situation may be, never forget that God's intervention can change the story.

1. “BUT GOD” MEANS YOUR CONDITION IS NOT YOUR CONCLUSION

Ephesians 2:1-3 describes a terrible spiritual condition, but verse 4 shows that the condition was not the conclusion. God's intervention changed everything.

Your current situation may be real, but it is not necessarily permanent. The fact that something has existed for years does not mean God cannot change it. When God enters a situation, He introduces a new possibility.

a) When We Were Dead, God Gave Life (Ephesians 2:5) – We were dead in sins, but God made us alive together with Christ. Spiritual death could not prevent divine intervention.

b) When We Were Far Away, God Brought Us Near (Ephesians 2:13) – Those who were once far from God were brought near by the blood of Christ. Distance from God is not beyond His power to overcome.

c) When We Were Condemned, God Provided Salvation (Romans 5:8) – While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God's love intervened before we could make ourselves worthy.

d) When We Had No Hope, God Became Our Hope (Ephesians 2:12-13) – Those who were once without Christ and without hope were brought into God's covenant through Jesus.

Biblical Example: The prodigal son reached a point where he had lost everything, but his story did not end in the pigpen. He arose and returned to his father, where restoration awaited him (Luke 15:17-24).

2. “BUT GOD” REVEALS THE RICHES OF HIS MERCY

Paul does not simply say “But God”; he immediately tells us why God intervened: “who is rich in mercy.” God's mercy is His compassionate response to people who are in desperate need.

We often fail, but God's mercy is greater than our failures. We may deserve judgement, but God provides an opportunity for restoration. Mercy does not excuse sin; it provides a way for the sinner to be rescued from its consequences through Christ.

a) God's Mercy Is Great (Psalm 103:8) – The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. His mercy is not scarce or limited.

b) His Mercies Are New Every Morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) – Every new day is evidence that God's mercy has preserved us. His faithfulness gives us reason to hope.

c) His Mercy Can Restore the Fallen (Micah 7:8) – Even when a believer falls, God's grace provides a pathway to rise again. Failure does not have to become permanent defeat.

d) His Mercy Endures Forever (Psalm 136:1) – God's enduring mercy demonstrates His covenant faithfulness. He remains compassionate towards those who turn to Him.

Biblical Example: David committed serious sins, yet when he repented, he cried for God's mercy and restoration (Psalm 51:1-12). His story demonstrates that genuine repentance can be met by extraordinary mercy.

3. “BUT GOD” IS THE POWER OF DIVINE INTERVENTION

There are situations that human beings cannot solve. There are battles where experience, connections, money, education, or physical strength cannot provide the answer. But God is not limited by human limitations.

When God intervenes, He can do what no human being can do. He can open doors that no one can shut, make ways where none appear to exist, and accomplish what human strength cannot accomplish.

a) God Makes a Way Where There Is None (Isaiah 43:19) – God declares that He can make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. His creativity is greater than the limitations of circumstances.

b) God Does the Impossible (Luke 1:37) – What is impossible with men is possible with God. Divine intervention begins where human ability ends.

c) God Fights for His People (Exodus 14:14) – Israel stood helpless before the Red Sea, but Moses declared that the Lord would fight for them. God took over the battle.

d) God Opens Impossible Doors (Revelation 3:8) – Christ has the authority to open doors that no person can shut. Divine opportunity cannot be cancelled by human opposition.

Biblical Example: The Israelites were trapped between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea. There appeared to be no escape, but God divided the sea and gave them a pathway through the impossible (Exodus 14:21-22).

4. “BUT GOD” CAN TURN EVIL INTO GOOD

One of the greatest demonstrations of divine intervention is God's ability to take what was intended for evil and work it into His purpose. God does not need favourable circumstances to accomplish His plan.

The enemy may manipulate people against you, but he cannot control God's ultimate purpose for your life. What looks like a setback can become preparation for something greater when God is involved.

a) God Can Turn Betrayal into Promotion (Genesis 50:20) – Joseph's brothers intended evil against him, but God used their actions to position Joseph for leadership and preservation.

b) God Can Turn Trials into Testimonies (James 1:2-4) – Trials can produce patience and spiritual maturity when submitted to God.

c) God Can Turn Mourning into Joy (Psalm 30:5) – Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. God has the power to change emotional seasons.

d) God Can Turn Defeat into Victory (Romans 8:37) – Through Christ, believers are more than conquerors. The presence of opposition does not mean the absence of victory.

Biblical Example: Joseph was hated, thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Yet God eventually lifted him from prison into the palace (Genesis 41:38-41).

5. “BUT GOD” CHANGES THE IMPOSSIBLE INTO THE POSSIBLE

The Bible is filled with situations where human beings reached their limits and God demonstrated His unlimited power. Divine possibility is not determined by what human beings can calculate.

Faith begins to rise when we stop making human limitations the measure of God's ability. The God who performed miracles in Scripture has not lost His power.

a) God Can Revive What Is Dead (Ezekiel 37:1-10) – God brought life into dry bones. What looks completely finished can receive divine restoration.

b) God Can Provide in Scarcity (2 Kings 4:1-7) – The widow had only a small amount of oil, but God's power multiplied what she had until her need was met.

c) God Can Heal the Impossible (Luke 8:43-48) – The woman with the issue of blood had suffered for twelve years, but an encounter with Jesus changed her condition.

d) God Can Raise the Dead (John 11:39-44) – Lazarus had been dead for four days, but Christ called him out of the grave. No condition is too difficult for the resurrection power of Jesus.

Biblical Example: Abraham and Sarah faced the impossibility of having a child in their old age, but God fulfilled His promise and Isaac was born (Genesis 21:1-2).

6. “BUT GOD” DEMANDS FAITH AND EXPECTATION

Knowing that God can intervene should change how we face difficulties. Faith does not deny the existence of problems; faith believes that God is greater than the problems.

The believer must therefore refuse hopelessness and cultivate expectation. We must pray, obey God's Word, remain faithful, and trust God even when we cannot see how the answer will come.

a) Believe God's Word (Romans 10:17) – Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. God's promises give us a foundation for expectation.

b) Refuse Fear (2 Timothy 1:7) – God has not given us the spirit of fear. Fear magnifies the problem, while faith magnifies God.

c) Pray with Confidence (Philippians 4:6-7) – Instead of being controlled by anxiety, believers should bring their requests before God with thanksgiving and trust.

d) Wait for God's Intervention (Psalm 27:14) – Waiting on God requires courage and faith. God's timing does not mean God's absence.

Biblical Example: David did not allow Goliath's size to determine the outcome of the battle. He trusted God and confronted the giant with confidence in the Lord's power (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

CONCLUSION

“BUT GOD” is a declaration of hope in the middle of impossible circumstances. It tells us that our past is not our conclusion, our weakness is not our destiny, our failure is not the end, and our present challenge is not greater than our God. God's mercy, love, power, and wisdom can intervene in any situation. When God steps into the story, He can change the direction completely.

Therefore, do not surrender to despair because of what you see today. Trust God, pray with faith, obey His Word, and expect His intervention. The God who raised the dead, opened the Red Sea, delivered Joseph, restored David, and raised Jesus from the grave is still God today. Your story may look impossible, but God has the final word.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, thank You because Your mercy and love have preserved my life and given me hope, in Jesus name.

2. Lord, let Your divine intervention enter every difficult situation in my life, in Jesus name.

3. Father, let every situation that appears impossible before me become possible by Your mighty power, in Jesus name.

4. Lord, turn every negative situation in my life into a testimony that will glorify Your name, in Jesus name.

5. Father, let Your mercy speak for me wherever judgement and condemnation are speaking against me, in Jesus name.

6. Lord, make a way for me where there seems to be no way and open every door You have ordained for my life, in Jesus name.

7. Father, turn every evil plan of the enemy against me into an instrument for my advancement, in Jesus name.

8. Lord, restore everything that has been lost, damaged, delayed, or stolen from my life according to Your perfect will, in Jesus name.

9. Father, increase my faith and help me to trust You even when I cannot see the way forward, in Jesus name.

10. Lord, let my life become a living testimony of the power of “But God,” and let many people glorify Your name through my testimony, in Jesus name.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS

1. Your present condition shall not be your final condition; God is stepping into your situation to rewrite your story.

2. Where people have concluded that there is no way forward for you, God shall make a way that will surprise them.

3. The mercy of God shall speak loudly over your life, and every voice of condemnation, accusation, and destruction shall be silenced.

4. Every situation that has been marked “impossible” in your life shall encounter the intervention of the God of possibilities.

5. What the enemy intended for your harm shall be turned around by God for your advancement, testimony, and greater purpose.

6. Every closed door that God has ordained for your destiny shall open, and no power shall be able to shut what He has opened.

7. Every dead dream, dead opportunity, dead relationship, or dead area of your destiny that is within God's purpose shall receive fresh life and restoration.

8. Your season of prolonged sorrow shall give way to divine joy, and your season of tears shall produce a testimony.

9. You shall witness divine intervention in areas where human strength has failed, and you shall testify that only God could have done it.

10. Your story shall become a testimony of “BUT GOD”—where there was death, you shall see life; where there was defeat, victory; where there was lack, provision; and where there was no way, God shall make a way.