Is this teaching biblical?
Keith Butler's claim that God is 'powerless' without Christian permission inverts the Creator-creature relationship. This teaching makes humans sovereign and God dependent — the exact opposite of biblical reality. Scripture declares that God 'does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth' and 'no one can restrain His hand' (Dan 4:35). The God of the Bible is not waiting for human permission. He is the Almighty, the Sovereign, the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will.
What did Keith Butler say?
"God is powerless to do anything in this earth except what Christians allow through invoking His Name in prayer."
Speaker: Keith Butler
Source: Word of Faith International Christian Center teaching
What does Scripture actually teach?
Psalm 115:3
"But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases."
— NKJV
God does WHATEVER HE PLEASES — not whatever Christians allow. He is in heaven, sovereign, unconstrained by human permission. Butler claims God is 'powerless' without our cooperation; Scripture says God does whatever He pleases. These are irreconcilable statements. One must be false. Butler's teaching contradicts the clear Word of God.
Daniel 4:35
"All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'"
— NKJV
God does according to HIS will — in heaven AND on earth. NO ONE can restrain His hand. Butler says God is 'powerless' on earth without Christian permission. Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan king, had more accurate theology than Butler after God humbled him. The inhabitants of earth are 'reputed as nothing' compared to God's sovereign power.
Job 42:2
"I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."
— NKJV
Job declares God 'can do EVERYTHING' and 'no purpose of Yours can be withheld.' Butler claims God is powerless without human cooperation. Job learned through suffering that God is absolutely sovereign. Butler's teaching undoes Job's hard-won lesson, returning to the error that God needs human permission.
Isaiah 46:10
"Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure.'"
— NKJV
GOD declares the end from the beginning. GOD's counsel stands. GOD does all HIS pleasure. This is not a deity waiting for human permission — this is the Almighty who plans and executes His perfect will. Butler's powerless god cannot declare the end from the beginning because he supposedly can't act without human cooperation.
Ephesians 1:11
"In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will."
— NKJV
God 'works ALL THINGS according to the counsel of HIS will' — not the will of Christians, not dependent on our prayers or declarations. ALL things. This comprehensive sovereignty leaves no room for a powerless god who needs human permission. Butler's teaching denies the God Paul describes here.