"MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND"

 

 

"...no plan [of God’s] can be thwarted." Jb. 42:2 (NIV)

 

Truth demands to know, "Who is so great a God as our God?"Psa.77:13. "The great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts is His name."Jer.32:18. God, as the Hebrews saw Him was "the Lord of all the earth" (Josh,3:11), the supreme sovereignty, "Yahweh", the Self existent One. Jehovah God wills to be all that He is and in His choice, is all that He wills to be. God, also ever successfully, does all that He wills to do—always without hindrance or chance of failure.

Failure is not possible nor present in His nature and therefore not possible in His ways and His acts. He cannot be made to fail by any creature. These are very basic principles of some great biblical truths. Truth is perfect in God and God is perfect in all truth. Christ was the natural and divine expression of God’s word and truth-Jn.14:6; 17:17.

Biblical truth declares that GOD IS PERFECT. "His love is perfect" (1Jn.4:12), "His work is perfect" (Deut.32:4), and "His way is perfect" 2Sam.22:31; Psa.18:30. It could therefore be said of a truth, that His way of love is a perfect work. It is a work that cannot in any way fail to accomplish its intended results.

"In the beginning" (Gen,1:1), God, the way of perfect love and work, and the "wise Masterbuilder" (1Cor.3:10) of all that was to be, formulated (Isa.44:10) a perfect and regal plan of works in His creation, that was to increasingly manifest the existence of His infinite power and glory in a majestic and mysterious way. This wondrous plan and purpose of the ages (Eph.3:11), was to include perfectly executed and divinely unique stages of advancing development in creation (Jn.1:3; Prv.26:10), in regeneration and redemption (2Cor.5:14,15), and finally in the total universal restoration and reconciliation of all imperfect things remaining in the creation-Col.1:20; Eph.1:10; 1Cor.15:28.

In Gen. chapter one , we observe this plan being put into motion, and as Christians, we see it presently being carried out and being perpetuated through "the Prince of Life "(Ac.3:15; 5:31), even our Lord Jesus Christ-Jn.1:4,9. The true "church" and body of Christ, plays a major role, and is an integral part in the implementation of this plan.

There is none like our God in His ways or works, "declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, MY COUNSEL (plan, purpose, determination) SHALL STAND (rise and abide, continually accomplish, succeed, uphold) AND I WILL DO ALL MY PLEASURE."Isa.46:10. It is the Almighty One who has deliberately purposed and spoken the pleasure of His counsel into being, and promises He will fulfill every intention of His plan-Isa.46:11. 

Known only unto God " are all His works from the beginning of the world (ages)." Ac.15:18. His omnipotent working power is found in the precious Lamb who was slain for all mankind before the foundation of the earth (Rev.13:8), and His purposes are being accomplished even now, through "hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory."1Cor.2:7; Prv.21:30. More importantly, it is also unto His glory-Eph.3:21; 1Cor.1:29-31. 

Amazingly, many still liken God’s plan, including His wisdom and foresight, like unto the man who intends to build something great, but does not count the cost whether he has sufficient resources to finish it. Then, after he has laid the foundation, he is not able to finish it-Lk.14:28-30.

The vast majority of Christ’s church today is still limiting God to the boundaries of their own intellectual wisdom and their own carnal doctrines, especially those concerning "resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."Heb.6:2. In doing so, they are denying the efficacy and total effectiveness of the cross and the blood of Christ by trying to qualify and limit the power of God in fulfilling all His purposes and intentions. Although it may be unintentional, they are demeaning the absolute sovereignty and immutable effectiveness of God’s supreme power by believing in an ultimately ineffective and impotent God, whose plan, because of rebellious man’s resistance, is destined to fail and fall far short of its original purpose and goals. In other words, somehow they believe in a God who is perfect in all His ways and works and absolute in power, yet whose divine counsel shall have failed in completing all the work He set out to do. This means, among other things, that "the many" [all] who were made sinners (Rom.3:23) shall not be made righteous (Rom.5:19) ; all who die in Adam shall not be made alive in Christ (1Cor.15:22); God will not "have all men to be saved" (1Tim.2:4), will never draw all men unto Him (Jn.12:32), and therefore most certainly will also never be able "to reconcile all things unto Himself." Col.1:20. Amazingly, such is the doctrinal belief of the majority of the church today.

Let us examine this a little closer. Does the written word of truth, which includes the overall works, as well as many specific acts of our Creator, anywhere indicate that our perfect God is in any way fallible or subject to any kind of failure? Does truth indicate He is faulty, incompetent, inept, or in any way deficient in compassion, mercy or justice? Is He lacking or limited in ability, mutability, competence, desire, determination, will, power, expertise, desire, determination, purpose or effectiveness? Looking at the Bible through clouded, limited vision, rather than through the telescopic eyes of the spirit, many have unwittingly, yet erroneously, come to this conclusion.  

Such shortsightedness really only serves to elevate mankind’s abilities and powers of self determination into a position more powerful than that of God Himself. So, here we have a self will creation (man), who can forever revel in his own will and inevitability, contrary to the omnipotent will of the supposedly Almighty Creator, who is to be somehow forever limited in fulfilling to the uttermost, His own predestined and predetermined plan. God forbid!

If His plan is faulty and insufficient to accomplish its intended purpose, and is liable to defectiveness and defeat by anything in the creation, human volition included, then much of the Bible’s declared ultimatums are only a fallacious hope. Even our own salvation could be in jeopardy. But I wish to declare to those of you beloved who hold to these kind of views—that God cannot and will not ultimately fail, in even one jot nor tittle in anything that He has ever purposed, planned or willed.

There are absolutely no aspects of God’s perfect, faultless plan which are subject to any error or omissions from outside sources of influence. There is no absolutely no unsoundness or weakness in His plan of creation from beginning to end, for God has no weaknesses. It is as infallible as His own Spirit and as certain of total completion as are all His trustworthy promises. God’s plan is perfect. It is perfectly fail-safe because He is a perfect God. He is flawless and could only have devised a flawless plan.

Most Christian theologians agree that God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent in the power of His own Being. For what other reason might this be, than to ensure perfection, both for Himself, and for the ideal execution of His plan of creation unto its full consummation?

God is also immutable. His word, and the reality of its effects, are unalterable in truth, and divinely fixed in the operation of fulfilling every purpose and determination of God. His ultimate purposes have no more possibility of alteration or failure to reach their designated, God-willed and God desired fulfillment, than does His written decreed word. Neither are they subject to falling short of their full intentions. God, in His infinite and omnipotent power, is not subject to failure. His will, just as His word, is infallible!

The Bible asks these pertinent questions..."Who hath the power to disannul His purposes?" Isa.14:24-27; Rom.4:16,21."Who hath resisted His will?"Rom.9:19. Furthermore, "Who shall let (hinder) it?" Isa.45:13; Jb.9:12; 11:10. I ask, how can anyone or anything really invalidate, much less resist or hinder God’s work, if it be true that "God worketh all things after the counsel (decree, purpose) of His own will." Eph.1:11; Psa.135:6. Included in God’s omnipotent will, is the overall truth that His purposes shall stand and He will do all His pleasure-Isa.46.10. Why do so many find this so hard to believe?

God shall not ultimately fail to experience fullness of satisfaction and pleasure in the travail of His soul-Isa.53:10,11. Some must necessarily believe this satisfaction will be found in the eternal torment of most of his creation. But John was not speaking of a perverted pleasure when he penned, "Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure, they are and were created." Rev.4:11; 5:13.

The Lord has decreed all the major intentions and desires of His plan to mankind, through His recorded word, the holy Bible-2Tim.3:15,16. "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee."Jb.22:28. Specifically, He has desired, willed and determined in His expressed, decreed word of truth, to eventually perfect all of mankind in His likeness and image, by redeeming all men (Jn.3:17; 1Tim.2:4) from sin and death, ultimately reconciling back unto Himself all things, in both the natural and spiritual universe-Col.1:20; Eph.1:10; Rom.11:36. He is now in the midst of this wondrous process of making all things new-Rev.21:5. Shall He fail? "Hath He said, and shall not He do it?" If God has spoken, "Shall not He make it good?"Num.23:19; Isa.46:11. "He is the Lord, God. Is there anything to hard for Him?"Jer. 32:27. The truth is no, simply because, "What His soul desireth, even that He doeth."Jb.23:13; 42:2.

If He desires that all men be saved, His immutable word declares that He will do it! His will plainly is, "that all should come to repentance."2Ptr.3:19. These things surely are "the intents of His heart", and have been a predestined and determined part of God’s cosmic plan from its divine conception wherein "that that is determined shall be done."Dan.11:36. His counsel shall prevail.! He shall not fail! Carnal men continually declare things that are wrong and contrary to God’s word, but He who cannot lie (Tit.1:2) says, "I declare things that are right."Isa.45:19. His counsel alone, shall stand!

Let us more confidently trust and believe God that "His word is ordered in all things and sure" (2Sam.23:5) and "Shall accomplish that which He pleases." Isa.55:11. He has sworn by His word of oath, and the word has gone out of His mouth in righteousness, that, unto Him "every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear" (Isa,45:23) and "confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" Phil.2:10,11; Rom.14:11. Let us be assured that God is ever active, watching over the performance of His word (Jer.1:12), "until He have done it; and until He have performed the intents of His heart" (Jer.30:23,24)...until He has completed the unfailing performance of "fulfilling His word." Psa.148:28.

What God does, or does not do, in the intermediate process of the ages, remains ever within the infinite scope and design of His own determined will. Man may try, but he cannot limit nor prevent the unfaltering workings of His plan-Isa.45:13. Because of this fact, it is written..."the scripture cannot be broken." Jn.10:35. It is only the rebellious and insubordinate workings of man that can, and shall be broken. God’s own counsel is immutable. Heb.6:17.

God , has by His own perfect oath, and by the placing of His own perfect holy nature and works within His covenant, guaranteed the fulfillment of every decree, purpose, and promise, found in His holy book of life-Heb.6:13-20; 10:23; Rom.9:6; Psa.93:5. No thoughts, words, willed purposes nor intentions of the Lord can be restrained nor hindered, unless God Himself, in sovereign timing and wisdom, so permits it to appear this way-Jb.42:2; Isa.43:13; Lam.3:37. Really now, who are we that we can withstand God? Ac.11:17. "He doeth whatsoever pleaseth Him." Eccl. 8:3; Psa.135:6.

God has many communicable, and some non communicable attributes which exist in His divine nature. Among the greatest of those that are transferable to man, are love, faithfulness, mercy, justice and holiness. Through the divine agency of grace, He does unselfishly share these with his creatures. In the true experience of God’s attributes, the man of God is being better equipped to intimately know Him, as well as to know His ways-Prv.4:18; Rom.8:29,30.

The divine love and divine faithfulness of our "faithful Creator" (1Ptr.4:19) and "faithful high priest" (Heb.2:17), insures us He is unfailingly true and trustworthy in all the performance of His designated word, and in the fulfillment of covenants, promises, decrees and duties. He alone is trustworthy of belief, that He will perform to the uttermost, both in His intermediate, as well as His ultimate will. Our Lord, by virtue of His holy nature of faithfulness, is truly worthy to be considered loyal, devoted, staunch, and unerringly steadfast in finally completing His own decreed cause. He which hath begun a good work in us and in all creation, "will perform it..." Phil.1:6; Isa.43:13. "Faithful is He that calleth you.." 2Ths.5:24.

In His holy and righteous judgments, "He faileth not" (Zep.3:15), for the Lord alone is "called faithful and true." Rev.19:11. Even in every operation of the power of His just and equitable love, God’s charity "hopes all things, endureth all things, charity never faileth." 1Cor.13:7,8. It is impossible for Him who loves all men, to ultimately fail any man in his plan of salvation.

"There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord God had spoken unto the House of Israel." Josh. 21:45; 23:14. If God did not fail in the past, in any of His ongoing works of mercy and goodness dealing with His first chosen, the ever rebellious people of Israel (1Kgs. 8:5,6; Isa.40:26), and if He will not fail in the future (Rom.chptrs.9 & 11), how can He ever ultimately fail in obtaining the totally triumphant result of saving grace in the remainder of mankind? Rom.11:32-36. .

Any failure implies some form of inefficiency, loss, lack of success, and/or disappointment; and suggests difficulty, or wanting, as in ability, quality, effect, etc. It also implies incompletion, weakness, fallibility and inadequacy to carry out something attempted to its expected and desired end. In short, failure is the result of inherent imperfection. How can anyone think these qualities, attributes and characteristics are to be found within the scope of God’s personal power or nature? God forbid! Is God a carnal man, that He should be subject to man’s inability's, infirmities or any other imperfections? If He is, only then could He be subject to any kind of failure-Mk.10:27; 19:26; Lk.1:37.

It is also erroneous doctrine to even think God could ever be subjected or caused to fail by any man’s carnal will. On the contrary, it is the creation, by God’s own purpose and design, which is to be subject to His unfolding resoluteness, which in its negative aspects, includes a period of travail, vanity and failure-Rom.8:20; Eccl.1:13; 3:1:1-11. The creation is ever subservient to the Creator and His will , or He wouldn’t really be the Most High God. God, not man nor devil, has always been, and always will be, in absolute sovereign control over the entire plan of the cosmos, even unto its ultimate consummation in perfection. This comes only by Him, and through Him, and is for the everlasting glory of all. Every purpose and promise in this plan of the ages, is guaranteed to His praise and glory-2Cor.1:28. Surely, in the end, even the wrath of man shall have been found to be to His praise (Psa.76:10) and "The Lord shall rejoice in all His works." Psa.104:31; Eccl.3:11.

UNFAILING OMNIPOTENT POWER

The Lord’s plan for humanity cannot fail, because it is upheld in the loving arms of His omnipotent power. It is an infinite power(2Chr.20:6), otherwise it would not be truly omnipotent. All His workings, both in good and evil, are in perfect harmony and balance (Prv.11:1; Jb.37:16), functioning secretly in His majestic, non communicable attributes of Omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence. The Almighty has absolute power in, and over, all of nature-Prv.30:14; Jb.37:6; Jer.10:13 etc. With Him, in the divine nature of His omnipotence, is centered all power and dominion of law and authority, enabling Him to freely manipulate His sovereign will at His discretion. A few of many scriptures testifying to this fact are...1Chr.29:11,12; Psa.62:11; 113:4-6; Matt.6:13; Col.1:16; Rom.13:1; 11:36 etc. He is unhindered and unlimited by any external subservient power or authority-Lk.1:37. This includes of course, the permitted, but divinely restricted propensity and disposition of human will.

The Lord governs and directs, in and by, the highest laws of His Spirit. His ascendant, intervening powers, cannot be controlled by the lower nature, laws or workings of men-Rev.19:6. He has the necessary powers to enforce His given laws and procedures at any given time, and to ensure the completion of His plan for creation-2Chr.25:8; Matt.28:18. Almighty God always had absolute power of volition, to institute and resolve His plan for humanity, in the way that He sovereignly purposed and designed from the beginning. He is in the process now, of mysteriously using His omnipotent power, in order to ensure a perfect conclusion according to the predetermination of His will and good pleasure.

Man’s sovereign Potentate uses His omnipotent power exactly as suits Him, according to His desire and pleasure-Psa.115:3; 135:6; Isa.46:10; Rev.4:11 etc. "None can stay His hand, or say to Him, what doest Thou." Dan.4:35. His power moves only when He wills-Lk.1:20; Gal.4:5; Eph.1:10. Out from Him flows the omnipotent power in creation—the power of natural life, the power of spiritual life, the power to destroy, the power to resurrect, and the power to restore. All "power belongeth unto God" (Psa.62:11) and "by Him, all things consist [hold together]." Col.1:17. All His power is perfect, insuring cardinal, completed objectives. 

The vast range of God’s unfathomable power prevails from the minutest microcosm, to the furthest remote regions of our immense universe. It is present in the lowest depths of hell and extends to the highest apex of the heavens. It is carried forward from the dawn of creation’s design, unto the culmination of His predestined universal consummation. The full efficacy of the power of the cross shall be found flawless in obtaining its goal. All proper and appropriate things are possible through this Almighty power -Matt.19:26. Though God cannot sin, lie, nor deny Himself—He can, and does, have the power to create and institute evil, in the sense of calamity, tribulation, death, hell, judgment etc.; and He does allow and tolerate the sin of his creatures to an extent. He can use and/or direct, guide, instruct, enjoin or prohibit, at His divine discretion, all manner of evil, to adapt and conform to His obscure, but noble purposes—for there is no iniquity in Him-2Chr.19:7.  

The Lord Jesus manifested both the power of God and the weakness of man, by being crucified through weakness (2Cor.13:4; 1Cor.15:43) and raised in power, thus becoming the Christ, the power of God-Rom.1:4; 1Cor.1:24. Even now, the gracious resurrecting power of the cross is steadily flowing, as the blood of Calvary, unto all of mankind. It is still being spilled, in the semblance of the holy Ghost, descending in ever increasing drops, into the dry dust of humanity. Has God prepared your vessel to receive and contain it? You’ll know if you’ve been granted the power to receive it , for you will embrace it and confess it as your so great salvation-1Cor.1:18. 

HIS OMNISCIENT POWER

This means God has extensive, infinite and perfect knowledge-Jb.36:4; 37:16. He is all knowing in all things-Prv.15:3; 1Jn.3:20; Col.2:3; Ac.1:24. There is no limit to the Lord’s knowledge and understanding-Psa.145:3; Jb.37:16; 147:5. His knowledge directs His omnipotent power, and His perfect wisdom ensures the right and proper use of His knowledge, in order to obtain every one of His specific goals-Prv.8:14; Jb.14:13. Through His perfect knowledge, wisdom and understanding, God has divine insight into the how, where, when, and why, of all things-Jb.42:2. This results in perfect timing in all His manifest acts.

God’s omniscience, includes the necessary divine foreknowledge of everything and everyone, from the beginning of the creation, to the end of the ages, and into the timelessness beyond-Ac.15:18; 2:23; 4:28; Eph.1:4-6; Heb.4:3; Gen.17:21; 21:22; Jb.31:4; Psa.33:13; 139:1-5; Prv.5:21; 1Sam.2:3 etc. "Wisdom and might are His." Dan.2:20. These, and many more scriptures, reveal this glorious attribute of omniscience. It would not be in God’s wisdom, nature, nor in His creations best interest, to devise a creative plan wherein He knew that he could ultimately fail in His counsel of works which would bring this plan to its expected end-Psa.104:24. Only a foolish man could conceive such a thing. No, dear brethren, the gates of hell shall not prevail against Him, for He neither slumbers nor sleeps as His Spirit governs and influences the generations of the ages. All things out from Him, directed through Him, and finally turned, altered and transformed back unto Him, is all part of His divine counsel that shall stand complete without fail-Rom.11:36; Col.1:20.

HIS OMNIPRESENT POWER

God, as a spirit, is present everywhere, at all times. This ensures divine control, and interposition of providential care, in judicious wisdom over His entire universe. Here, in this governorship, He can see all things, and hear all things; and may speak and act, whenever, wherever, and in whatever manner He so chooses, through His many divine agencies—hierarchies of angels to name just one-Dan.4:31; Psa.139:8; Prv.15:3; Jer.23:24; Isa.66:1; Ac.17:27 etc. "The great, the Mighty God" (Jer.32:18), retains the right of all these sovereign powers, in order that "In all things He might have the preeminence." Col.1:18. In all of His dominion, "His greatness is unsearchable" Psa.45:3. However, we are graciously given to see, that His absolute power and might insures the completion of all He has ever willed to do, both in our individual salvation, and in the universal salvation which He has assured us will ultimately come.

God has made ample provision through His Son, that we, as firstfruits, might work together with Him, to express and fulfill His immutable word. In this understanding and assurance of His unfailing love for each of us, and for all mankind, we can begin to cease from our fleshly striving, take His yoke upon us, and learn to rest wholly in Him in quietness and confidence. As early chosen recipients of His powers of grace, let us be about our business and His, and proclaim the everlasting gospel of reconciliation that Christ does save, and will save to the uttermost. Our own ways will continue to fail but His shall prevail.

Let us wisely and boldly speak of God’s mercy and love, lifting up Christ and the absolute powers that He has to bring the heathen to nought-Psa.33:10. In Him is vested all the power of unfailing love wherein His counsel stands. Above all, let us first be "rooted deeply in love...practically, through experience for yourselves-the love of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that ye may be filled...unto all the fullness of God.....Him Who, by [in consequence of] the action of His power..within us, is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams."Eph.3:17-20 (Amplif. Version).

No predetermined plan of God’s can be thwarted-Jb.42:2. That which He has determined will be done-Dan.11:36. God is not willing that any man should eternally perish, but is steadfastly determined that all should come to repentance-2Ptr.2:9. The Lord is not slack in His promises, nor shall He fail in his purposes. God will have all men to be saved. In due time, every man in His own order (1Cor.15:23), shall come to personally testify of the saving knowledge of this glorious truth-1Tim.2:4-6.

  • Love shall not fail. Nothing can resist Him-Rom.9:19. Nothing
  • can hinder His work-Isa.43:13. All the counsel of His plan shall stand-Ezk.14:23; Isa.46:10. God’s will in all of His purposes and works, is the same yesterday, today, and forever, in all the ages-Heb.13:8. In the final consummation of His unfailing counsels, Christ shall have experientially proven that He truly is, the Saviour of all men. He is that same Saviour today, specially made evident to those that are now given to believe. These things we command and teach-1Tim.4:10,11. "The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever. The thoughts

    of His heart to all generations." Psa.33:11. "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." Isa.25:1.

     

    "The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought,

    so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed,

    so shall it stand.."

    Isa.14:24

    "If this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

    but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it."

    Ac.5:39,40

      

    For further revelation in relation to the omnipotence and sovereignty of God, in creation, redemption, and restitution, the following literature list is available upon request.

     

    ASK ME OF THINGS TO COME

    THE LORD KILLETH AND MAKETH ALIVE

    FOR WHO HATH RESISTED HIS WILL?

    THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION

    ETERNAL TORMENT: FACT OR FIGMENTATION?

    THE MYSTERY OF THE FAITH

    THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD

    GOD WHO CREATED ALL THINGS

    IN HIS IMAGE

    GOD OMNIPOTENT REIGHNETH

    THE ETERNAL PURPOSE

    THE GREATNESS OF THY POWER 

     

    All literature is sent out according to the provision of the Lord, on a free will offering basis.

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