Life application on El-Shaddai, God Almighty of all-sufficiency

El-Shaddai is translated in English Bibles as God Almighty. The name captures the attribute of God who is all sufficient in his power to carry out his will according to his nature. According to Exodus 6:3, God appeared to Abraham as God Almighty, El-Shaddai. Consider Abraham’s spiritual journey in different stages of his life and see how he came to know God as El-Shaddai, God Almighty of all-sufficiency.

Great Start: Read Genesis 12:1-9 and consider when Abraham met God at the age of 75 when he was known as Abram.

• From the promises God made with Abram at the age of 75 in verse 2-3, to make him a great nation, to bless him, to make his name great, to make him a source of blessing for all people, what attribute do you see in God?
• From what God told Abram and the way he responded to God, how would you describe Abram’s faith?

Testing: Read Genesis 12:10-20 and consider how Abram acted in Egypt.

• What do you think motivated Abram to pretend Sarai was his sister?
• What does this say about his faith in God?

Read Genesis 16:1-4 when Abram was about 86 years old.

• What does the action Abram and Sarai took to have a child say about their faith in God?

Purified faith: Read Genesis 17:1-10; 17:15-21. El-Shaddai gave his promises to Abraham at 75 years old. Now at the age of 99, God came and reaffirmed his promises to Abram and solidified his promises by changing Abram and Sarai’s names to Abraham and Sarah and through circumcisions.

• Why do you think God waited 25 years to give Abraham and Sarah a child to begin fulfilling his promises?
• Abraham had feeling of doubt in 17:17 and yet we see him undergoing circumcision in obedience in 17:23-27. Can you draw a spiritual principle from this?

Life application

• Share your testimonies when you have experienced God’s all-sufficiency.
• God uses our pains, trials, waiting, fears, and doubts in our spiritual journey to perfect our weak faith in his all-sufficiency. Pray together to know him deeper as your El-Shaddai.

Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”