God is sovereign and powerful beyond measure. Yet, in Scripture — and often in our own lives — we see that man can still limit God. This isn’t because He is weak, but because He has chosen to partner with us, working through our faith, obedience, and alignment with His will.
This limitation goes both ways. We can limit the good that God wants to release, and we can limit the outworking of His judgment — by pressing into His mercy. One form is self-sabotaging; the other, redemptive.
Limiting the God Who Can Do All Things
Psalm 135:6 reminds us that God does as He pleases — in heaven, on earth, in the seas, and in all deep places. His power is unquestionable. But over and over, the Israelites limited Him through doubt, disobedience, and narrow thinking.
God gave mankind authority over the earth (Genesis 1:26–28; Psalm 115:16) and that delegation did not reduce His sovereignty. Like a law enforcement agency who delegates power to its uniformed officer, God maintains ultimate authority while giving man real agency and responsibility. With that agency comes the power of the choice to either align with or resist Him.
A God of His Word, Indeed: God’s Self-Binding by Principle
Even when redeeming man, God didn’t override His own laws. He honoured the principles He set, choosing to come as a man — in the form of Jesus — to legally restore what Adam had lost (Galatians 4:4). He didn’t bypass justice, He fulfilled it through sacrifice.
Yes, God is sovereign. But He often chooses to work within the boundaries of His character and covenants — not because He’s incapable of doing otherwise, but because He is faithful, holy, and true to His Word.
Ways We Limit God
1. Intimacy
God responds to intimacy. Moses pleaded with God on behalf of Israel (Exodus 32:9–14), and God relented.
Abraham negotiated with God for Sodom. These men didn’t “control” God — they touched something deep in God’s heart through intimacy and covenant. So, when they made requests of Him, even for others, He chose to honour His relationship with them. The more we walk closely with Him, the more aligned we become with His will… and the more space He has to move through us.
2. Sacrifice
Sacrifice carries weight in the spiritual realm. In Genesis 8:20, Noah’s offering moved God to make a covenant never to curse the earth again. Even the king of Moab understood this (2 Kings 3:27), using sacrifice to stir passion and shift momentum in battle.
Sacrifice speaks. And it can either invite divine intervention or counter demonic opposition. In a world filled with spiritual transactions, it’s vital we know how to build godly altars that carry power.
3. Mind
Perhaps the most underestimated way we limit God is in our minds. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
A limited mind creates a limited life — no matter how powerful God is. Some people are still bound by past traumas, mindsets of lack, or feelings of unworthiness. Even after the situation has changed, their mind hasn’t. They carry old altars and mental strongholds into new seasons, and it stifles progress.
The Mind as a Gate or a Wall
Your mind can be the greatest gate for God’s power or the strongest wall against it. If you believe you’re small, stuck, or incapable, that’s the ceiling you’ll live under — even if God has declared otherwise.
In the workplace, for example, you may have started on a temporary contract. But with the right mindset, you can still carry excellence, share wisdom, and leave impact. Mindset determines posture — and posture determines outcome.
The power of God is unlimited, but He often won’t go beyond the limitation of our minds. It’s not because He can’t — but because He won’t force transformation upon a soul that resists it.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes, the mind we have today is not enough to sustain what we’re trusting God for tomorrow. So God invites us higher — into deeper intimacy, greater surrender, and renewed thinking.
Don’t let small vision, spiritual passivity, or mental limitations reduce the move of God in your life. Expand your heart. Expand your faith. And let God be God — unlimited.
