40 Names of God to Restore, Refresh, and Heal You

Several months ago, I realized I’d been turning to worldly things to fill a void within me.  I’ve turned to all sorts of vices over the years, and they never satisfy in a lasting way.  Today, we’ll explore the way studying the names of God can fill the emptiness within us and help us find strength in him.

My most recent attempt to fill the emptiness was with books, specifically books about thru-hikers.

Reading isn’t a bad way to spend our time, but when we replace seeking God’s face with anything, good things can pull us away from the best thing.

In the course of one week, I read three books about women thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.  The next week, lulled into a binge of online videos about the 250-mile Cocodona ultramarathon, I realized that my attempts to vicariously experience grand adventures through other people weren’t satisfying me.

The Names of God

One morning shortly after coming to this realization, I opened my Bible and decided to search for as many names of God as I could find.  With the help of a few online tools, I listed dozens of names and their Scripture references.

When I closed my Bible that morning, I noticed a shift.

The emptiness inside had been filled.

I sat staring at the pellucid morning sky and realized that the cure for my emptiness wasn’t found in escaping into a world of adventure, but in pursuing God: his Word, his love, his truth, and his character.

This is what the names of God offer us: When we meditate on them or study them, we fill our hearts and minds with truth about God’s character, his goodness.

Today, I’m sharing the list of names of God that filled my heart that cloudy summer morning.

Then, we’ll talk about how to interact with these names in ways that lead us into his presence.

40 Names of God From Scripture

1. Almighty God

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him,

Genesis 17:1, NASB

2. El Roi: The God Who Sees

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees me”; for she said, “Have I even seen Him here and lived after He saw me?”

Genesis 16:13

3. El Mauzi: God of My Strength

For You are the God of my strength . . .

Psalm 43:2

4. El Gibbor: Mighty God

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

5. El Shaddai: All Sufficient

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him,

Genesis 17:1

6. El Rachum: All Compassion

For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not abandon you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

Deuteronomy 4:31

7. The Lord of Hosts

Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of armies,
He is the King of glory. 

Psalm 24:10

8. Fortress

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my savior,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2

9. High Tower

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my savior,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2

10.  Consuming Fire

For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 4:24

11. Everlasting Father

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

12. Anchor

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters within the veil,

Hebrews 6:19

13. Banner

He has brought me to his banquet hall,
And his banner over me is love.

Song of Solomon 2:4

14. Word

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1

15. Light of the World

This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person.

John 1:9

16. Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 10:11

17. Wonderful Counselor

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

18. King of Kings

And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Revelation 19:16

19. Bridegroom

He who has the bride is the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

John 3:29

20. My Song

The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Exodus 15:2

21. My Portion

My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:26

22. My Deliverer

But I am afflicted and needy;
May the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my savior;
Do not delay, my God.

Psalm 40:17

23. Prince of Peace

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

24. Very Present Help

God is our refuge and strength,
A very ready help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

25. Alpha and Omega

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:8

26. Immanuel

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

27. Coming King

 I am coming quickly; hold firmly to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Revelation 3:11

28. High Priest

So too Christ did not glorify Himself in becoming a high priest, but it was He who said to Him,

Hebrews 5:5

29. Intercessor

Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And He will divide the plunder with the strong,
Because He poured out His life unto death,
And was counted with wrongdoers;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the wrongdoers.

Isaiah 53:12

30. Great Physician

Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored?

Jeremiah 8:22

31. Lamb of God

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

John 1:29

32. I AM

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

John 8:58

33. Helper

 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.

John 14:16-17

34. Advocate

 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous . . .

1 John 2:1

35. Great High Priest

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

Hebrews 4:14-16

36. Jehovah Jireh: The Lord Will Provide

And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Genesis 22:14

37. Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord Is Peace

Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace.

Judges 6:24

38. Jehovah Rapha: The Lord Who Heals

And He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

Exodus 15:26

39. Jehovah Nissi: The Lord Is My Banner

And Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner . . .

Exodus 17:15

40. Jehovah Adonai: Lord God

But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

Interacting With the Names of God

Now that we’ve explored these 40 names of God, let’s talk about how to interact with them in ways that bring life and replenishment.

1. Study one name per day.

Pick one name and study it.  Find and write down all Scripture references to the name.

Journal about the ways you have experienced the characteristics of God as expressed through the name.

Ask God what he wants to reveal to you about the name and write down the impressions you receive.

2. Make your own list of God’s names.

There are hundreds of names of God in Scripture.

Start your own journal of God’s names.  Write the names and Scripture references as I shared above.  I was surprised by how enriching the simple process of seeking names and writing verses was for me.

3. Write 25 applications.

Pick a name of God and see if you can write down 25 ways you have seen this name: in different parts of Scripture and in your life.

4. Focus on one name per week, month, or year.

Pick a name of God to focus on for one week, one month, or one whole year.  As I shared last week, I pick a name of God every year and am always surprised by the journey God leads me into.

5. Pick a category of names to study.

Search for every name surrounding God as Healer, Comforter, Guide, or Lord.

Many of these categories have multiple names that are all related.

6. Pray through the names of God.

Use the names of God to guide your prayers, thanking God for his attributes as you speak each name.

7. Memorize names of God.

Memorize several names of God and the Scriptures that go with these names.

When we hide God’s truth in our hearts, he changes us and renews our minds.

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If these reflections on the names of God have blessed you, I invite you to explore our family devotional books and library of free devotionals and eBooks below.  God wants you to encounter him in fresh ways.  Turn to him and experience his replenishment today.

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Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion.  I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven.  Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.

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