Great and Awesome God
In the Bible, we find many names for God. Some of these names were declared by God Himself—like “I AM WHO I AM”—while others, such as El Roi (“The God who sees me”), were given by people based on their personal experiences, like Hagar’s encounter in the wilderness.
Among these names, “Great and Awesome God” is a powerful descriptive title found for the first time in Deuteronomy 7:21. Later, this same name is used by Nehemiah in his opening prayer (Nehemiah 1:5), invoking God’s majesty and faithfulness. In this post, we’ll look at this name from a fresh perspective, based on the four verses in Deuteronomy 7:17–21.
“If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’” — Deuteronomy 7:17
This verse reflects a very real and human question God anticipates from the Israelites. Imagine a real-life scenario: when a strong, armed person cannot be subdued, what would a police officer do? He wouldn’t rush in blindly—he’d take cover and call for backup. Similarly, Israel was facing nations greater and stronger than themselves—nations fortified, established, and fully equipped.
During their 40-year wilderness journey, the Israelites had no agriculture, no industry, no GDP growth. They didn’t have forges or blacksmiths to produce weapons, no chariots, no military training or multi-level strategies. In this situation, God expected them not to say in their hearts, “These nations are greater than we are.”
In our own lives, we might face similar situations—where we feel physically weak, financially limited, lacking in skills, or still in a season of learning and growth. But the ultimate goal remains: to conquer every “nation”—to overcome every obstacle.
Yet often, it’s not our limitations that stop us—it’s our way of thinking. Human reasoning and fear can prevent God from working powerfully through us.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” — Isaiah 55:8
This truth from Isaiah is clearly explained in the next four verses of Deuteronomy (7:18–21), which speak to two key areas: God’s thoughts and God’s ways.
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Renewing Our Mind — “Thoughts”
Our thoughts are formed in the mind. But how can we stop being afraid? Fear often comes automatically, even when we don't want it to. It’s hard to explain how to “stop being afraid”—and maybe we don’t need to explain it. What we do know is that we don’t want fear to rule our lives.
Deuteronomy 7:18 - “But you shall remember well what the Lord your God did…”
The word “but” here is powerful—it signals a complete shift in mindset. Don’t dwell on your fear. Instead, replace it with remembrance. Erase the thoughts of defeat and recall what God has already done.
Paul speaks of this renewal of the mind in Ephesians 4:21–24: “…be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Take a person who was born in a small village and lived there until 10, then moved to another town and lived a couple of decades, and then moved to a completely different place. Over time, memory and lifestyle have adapted to each new phase. Hardly talk to people from earliest years, and those memories have faded. This is how the renewal of the mind should happen in our spiritual life. The old man should fade, and the new man—shaped by the truth in Christ—should take over.
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Faith in Action — “Ways”
Our “ways” are the actions that follow our thoughts. If we believe something is right, we act on it. If we no longer believe it, we change our course.
When we move to a new place, we don’t just think about settling—we take action. We search for jobs, make connections, and spend time and energy building our lives. Similarly, faith requires action.
“…the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out…” — Deuteronomy 7:19
This verse reminds us to keep our faith active by remembering God’s mighty works. For us today, this includes seeing and believing in the pierced hands and the outstretched arms of Jesus—the sign of our salvation.
The victory has already been won by Jesus on the cross. We don’t need to fight for victory—we need to remember His goodness, trust in His finished work, and walk in it.
The name “Great and Awesome God” captures all the victorious acts of God—His strength, His presence, and His faithfulness.
The Israelites didn’t need to fear the might of other nations. They needed to renew their minds and act in faith, based on what God had already done. In the same way, we are called to shift our mindset—away from fear and toward remembrance. And then, to move forward with faith, not by our strength, but by relying on the Great and Awesome God who goes before us.
Let our lives be daily testimonies to His greatness and awesomeness. He is still the God who leads, delivers, and empowers His people.