The sovereignty of God is a foundational concept that underscores every aspect of Scripture. It speaks to the truth of God’s eternal rule, His supreme authority, and His providential control over all creation. As believers, understanding the magnitude of God’s control is essential to cultivate trust, confidence, and hope in our faith journey. The following Bible verses illuminate the profound truths of God’s sovereignty, reminding us that He oversees all things, orchestrating them according to His perfect will and purpose.
Bible Verses About God In Control
1. Proverbs 19:21 – God’s Purpose Prevails
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” – Proverbs 19:21
Cross-References
James 4:15 – “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'”
2. Romans 8:28 – All Things Work for Good
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28
Cross-References
Psalm 138:8 – “The LORD will vindicate me; your love, LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.”
3. Isaiah 55:8-9 – Higher Thoughts
“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” – Isaiah 55:8-9
Cross-References
Job 11:7-9 – “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?”
Psalm 92:5 – “How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts!”
1 Corinthians 2:9 – “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’—the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
4. Daniel 4:35 – God’s Unstoppable Dominion
“All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” – Daniel 4:35
Cross-References
Proverbs 21:30 – “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.”
5. Psalm 46:10 – Be Still and Know
“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” – Psalm 46:10
Cross-References
Isaiah 2:11 – “The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.”
1 Samuel 2:10 – “Those who oppose the LORD will be broken. The Most High will thunder from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.”
6. Job 42:2 – God’s Purposes
“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” – Job 42:2
Cross-References
Isaiah 14:27 – “For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”
7. Isaiah 46:10 – The Reliability of God’s Purpose
“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’” – Isaiah 46:10
Cross-References
Proverbs 16:4 – “The LORD works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.”
Psalm 33:11 – “But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
Isaiah 40:8 – “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
8. Psalm 115:3 – God’s Sovereign Decisions
“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” – Psalm 115:3
Cross-References
Ecclesiastes 8:3 – “Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.”
Romans 9:18 – “Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.”
9. Philippians 4:19 – Provision from God’s Riches
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19
Cross-References
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Psalm 34:9-10 – “Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
10. Jeremiah 29:11 – God’s Plan for Us
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Cross-References
Numbers 23:19 – “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Psalm 33:10-11 – “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
11. Lamentations 3:37 – God’s Decrees
“Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?” – Lamentations 3:37
Cross-References
Psalm 33:9 – “For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”
Isaiah 43:13 – “Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
Acts 2:23 – “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”
12. Ephesians 1:11 – God’s Ultimate Will
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” – Ephesians 1:11
Cross-References
2 Timothy 1:9 – “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”
Romans 8:30 – “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
13. Psalm 103:19 – God’s Throne
“The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.” – Psalm 103:19
Cross-References
Daniel 4:3 – “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.”
Revelation 19:6 – “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.'”
Psalm 45:6 – “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.”
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14. 1 Peter 5:7 – Casting Anxiety
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
Cross-References
Matthew 6:25 – “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”
Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
John 14:1 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.”
15. Matthew 10:29-31 – God’s Awareness
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” – Matthew 10:29-31
Cross-References
Luke 12:6-7 – “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Psalm 139:4 – “Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.”
Isaiah 49:15-16 – “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”
16. Colossians 1:17 – Sustaining All Things
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:17
Cross-References
Hebrews 1:3 – “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
John 1:3 – “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
Acts 17:28 – “‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.'”
17. Isaiah 40:31 – Renewed Strength
“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
Cross-References
Psalm 103:5 – “Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
2 Corinthians 4:16 – “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
18. Psalm 31:15 – Times in His Hands
“My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.” – Psalm 31:15
Cross-References
Psalm 139:16 – “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Job 14:5 – “A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.”
19. Proverbs 21:1 – King’s Heart Directed
“In the LORD’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.” – Proverbs 21:1
Cross-References
Ezra 6:22 – “For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.”
Nehemiah 2:8 – “And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy? And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.”
20. Psalm 32:8 – Guiding and Watching
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” – Psalm 32:8
Cross-References
Isaiah 30:21 – “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”
John 16:13 – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
21. Romans 11:36 – All Things Through Him
“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” – Romans 11:36
Cross-References
1 Corinthians 8:6 – “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”
22. Isaiah 45:7 – Creator of Light and Darkness
“I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.” – Isaiah 45:7
Cross-References
Amos 3:6 – “When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?”
Deuteronomy 32:39 – “See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.”
James 1:17 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
23. Psalm 50:10-11 – Owner of All
“For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine.” – Psalm 50:10-11
Cross-References
Exodus 19:5 – “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine.”
Haggai 2:8 – “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”
Acts 17:24-25 – “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”
24. John 19:11 – Authority Given from Above
“Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’” – John 19:11
Cross-References
Romans 13:1 – “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Daniel 5:21 – “He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.”
1 Chronicles 29:11-12 – “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.”
25. Psalm 135:6 – Divine Decisions
“The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.” – Psalm 135:6
Cross-References
Job 23:13 – “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases.”
Isaiah 55:11 – “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
John 3:8 – “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
26. Genesis 50:20 – God’s Intentions for Good
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” – Genesis 50:20
Cross-References
Proverbs 16:9 – “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
27. Hebrews 2:10 – God’s Perfect Plans
“In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.” – Hebrews 2:10
Cross-References
Colossians 1:16 – “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”
Philippians 2:9-11 – “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
28. Exodus 14:14 – God’s Deliverance
“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” – Exodus 14:14
Cross-References
2 Chronicles 20:17 – “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.”
Deuteronomy 1:30 – “The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes.”
29. Proverbs 16:9 – Directed Steps
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” – Proverbs 16:9
Cross-References
Psalm 37:23 – “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”
Jeremiah 10:23 – “LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.”
30. Zechariah 4:6 – By God’s Spirit
“So he said to me, ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” – Zechariah 4:6
Cross-References
Isaiah 11:2 – “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD.”
1 Samuel 16:13 – “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.”
2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
31. Daniel 2:21 – Seasons Changed
“He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” – Daniel 2:21
Cross-References
Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
1 Kings 3:12 – “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.”
Job 12:10 – “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
32. Revelation 11:15 – Kingdom of Our Lord
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.’” – Revelation 11:15
Cross-References
Isaiah 9:7 – “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”
Daniel 7:14 – “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
1 Corinthians 15:24-25 – “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”
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Final Thought
In a world fraught with uncertainties, the sovereignty of God offers believers an anchor of hope and assurance. These verses remind us of the unwavering truth that God reigns supreme, with His hand guiding the intricate details of our lives and the universe at large. This profound truth invites us to release our anxieties and trust the Author of our stories, who holds all things together according to His purpose.
As we reflect on God’s control, we find comfort in His promises and direction, knowing He orders our steps and directs our paths with steadfast faithfulness. Let this assurance fuel our daily walk, encourage us in times of trial, and fill our hearts with peace, resting in the certainty that God is indeed in control of all creation. Embrace this truth and live with confidence, for our God is a mighty and loving ruler who cares for each of us intimately.