‘Not by might nor by power,

.... but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. “What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!”’” (Zechariah 4:6, 7).  Zerubbabel was charged with the rebuilding of the temple, and there was great opposition. But  “the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it.”  The Lord asks “who has despised the day of small things” (verses 9, 10a)? At this stage of the game Zerubbabel simply had the plumb line in his hand (10b), and the task must have seemed monumental, like a great immovable mountain before him.  Laying foundations is slow and hard work, with seemingly little progress (small things, small beginnings).

But since the capstone is the last stone to be put in place, “his hands shall also finish it.”  Notice it is both “by My Spirit,” and “his hands shall finish it.” Even though it is not  by  Zerubbabel's power and might, it is still partnership. One of the paradoxes of the Kingdom,  is that it is through our weakness that He shows Himself strong in us  (2 Corinthians 12:9).  It is appropriate to ask in application,  what mountains are you,  or I,  or the Church are facing at this time.  There will always be  opposition to the Kingdom, and without Him our “striving would be loosing.” But it is not by our might or our power or wisdom that we overcome, it is by His Spirit. And it is far too easy to take our eyes off the Lord forgetting our part. Remember the elephant and the mouse (November 10)!

I am reminded again that many times when the Lord speaks it is an indication of what He wants, what His will is, rather than something  that will definitely happen.  Certainly He can, and in fact does at times,  do things without us.  But in eternity we are to reign with Him (Revelation 20:6), and while we still here on earth, He calls us Kings and priests (i.e.  Revelation 1:6; 5:10). Kings and Queens reign, and Kings and Queens decree things. He has also told us that if we ask anything according to His will He hears and and that if we know He hears us we have the petitions we desire (1 John 5:14, 15). This makes our prayers significant, but it also lays a responsibility upon us. The fervent prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective, and by faith we are righteous in Him (James 5:16; Philippians 3:9).   But we need His help here too, I do!

Father, forgive us for our prayerlessness, forgive me. Part of it Lord is  unbelief, for we tend to think that our help is insignificant , and we wonder what difference our prayers make.  But the weapons of our warfare, though they are not the world's weapons,  are mighty through You (2 Corinthians 10:4).  And what this means is that many times it is our prayers calling on heaven, and You answering. Indeed Lord it is not by our might or our power, but by the might and power of Your Spirit. We declare this morning Lord that the Kingdom of God and the will of God is being done on earth as it is in Heaven. And we know this because You the most high God rule in the Kingdom of men (Daniel 5:21). In Jesus Name Amen