The simple answer to this question is yes and no.

God is the beginning and the end.

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Revelation 21:6

God created everything that has ever been created. He holds it all together. And he is patiently waiting because his desire is that none should perish.

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Colossians 1:16-17

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

Yes, you can take comfort in knowing that God is sovereign. But you are harming yourself and unknowingly making some horrible accusations towards our loving heavenly Father to say that he is controlling what is going on in your everyday life:

Unless you are completely yielding yourself to perfect obedience to his word.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Romans 6:16

Because God is not controlling people, we are guaranteed persecution. This is not because God is sending persecution or suffering our way, but because he gave authority and dominion over to the human race in the garden and has not revoked this authority. The devil only has control of what we give him when we yield ourselves to sin.

God is certainly not controlling Satan!

Is Jesus going to tell us that he came to give us life in abundance but cause the devil to try to take it from us through theft, murder, and destruction all in the same sentence?

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

No. That would be contrary to the statement Jesus made about a house divided destroying itself when the scribes accused Jesus of having an unclean spirit (Mark 3:30). The devil is not working for and against God.

And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Mark 3:24-25

Would God tell us to submit to him and resist the devil if he were controlling the devil? No!

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Satan is our enemy (1 Peter 5:8) and he is the god of this world (John 12:31). The Bible instructs us to resist the devil (James 4:7) and gives us examples of how Jesus did this during his temptation in Matthew 4.

It is comforting to know that God is ultimately in control. But it is also imperative to take responsibility for your God-given authority and self-control. The more you learn who God is and who you are in Christ, the more YouWillWantTo yield yourself a servant of obedience unto righteousness (Romans 6:16).

Is God in Control?

The real question to ask yourself is, “Which god am I serving?”