Not by Might nor by Power | Sun 27th March | 2022 Year of Abundant Harvest

Good Morning Church!

We welcome you all back to the house of God.

Open your hearts as we hear the word of God. Today we will be learning about how the enemy try to upset plans of Godly people. The name of today’s topic is, “Not by Might, Nor by Power!”

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

The prophet’s spirit was willing to attend, but the flesh was weak. We should beg of God that, whenever he speaks to us, he would awaken us, and we should then stir up ourselves. The church is a golden candlestick, or lamp-bearer, set up for enlightening this dark world, and holding forth the light of Divine revelation. Two olive trees were seen, one on each side the candlestick, from which oil flowed into the bowl without ceasing. God brings to pass his gracious purposes concerning his church, without any art or labour of man; sometimes he makes use of his instruments, yet he needs them not. This represented the abundance of Divine grace, for the enlightening and making holy the ministers and members of the church, and which cannot be procured or prevented by any human power. The vision assures us that the good work of building the temple, should be brought to a happy end. The difficulty is represented as a great mountain. But all difficulties shall vanish, and all the objections be got over. Faith will remove mountains, and make them plains. Christ is our Zerubbabel; mountains of difficulty were in the way of his undertaking, but nothing is too hard for him. What comes from the grace of God, may, in faith, be committed to the grace of God, for he will not forsake the work of his own hands.

And the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son,

How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street.

The prophet sometimes speaks in his own person; at other times Jerusalem, as a distressed female, is the speaker, or some of the Jews. The description shows the miseries of the Jewish nation. Jerusalem became a captive and a slave, by reason of the greatness of her sins; and had no rest from suffering. If we allow sin, our greatest adversary, to have dominion over us, justly will other enemies also be suffered to have dominion. The people endured the extremities of famine and distress. In this sad condition Jerusalem acknowledged her sin, and entreated the Lord to look upon her case. This is the only way to make ourselves easy under our burdens; for it is the just anger of the Lord for man’s transgressions, that has filled the earth with sorrows, lamentations, sickness, and death.

If we read Ezra 4:1-24…

Every attempt to revive true religion will stir up the opposition of satan, and of those in whom he works. The adversaries were the Samaritans, who had been planted in the land of Israel, (2 Kings 17). It was plain that they did not mean to unite in the worship of the Lord, according to his word. Let those who discourage a good work, and weaken them that are employed in it, see whose pattern they follow.

 It is an old slander, that the prosperity of the church would be hurtful to kings and princes. Nothing can be more false, for true godliness teaches us to honour and obey our sovereign. But where the command of God requires one thing and the law of the land another, we must obey God rather than man, and patiently submit to the consequences. All who love the gospel should avoid all appearance of evil, lest they should encourage the adversaries of the church. The world is ever ready to believe any accusation against the people of God, and refuses to listen to them. The king suffered himself to be imposed upon by these frauds and falsehoods. Princes see and hear with other men’s eyes and ears, and judge things as represented to them, which are often done falsely. But God’s judgment is just; he sees things as they are.

The name Zechariah literally means God laments us.

So the question is, the times are hard and these are the end of the days, where dp we go and find hope? The answer is simple, in prayers and through the word of God.

Have faith and trust in God, because He has the way to our salvation and relief from worldry stress.

And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my Lord?” Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my Lord.” Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

Even today, persecution and torture are similar as to the old times from the old testament.

What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.

Hosea 1:7

There are several similar references throughout the Bible…

We see that God equips His people to complete the task He has called us for.

For when we are weak, we are strong because of the Spirit of God.

Some of you are dealing with circumstances that are out of our control, however, our God is in control. You need to pray and ask God’s intervention.

Trust in the power of the Spirit of God. You will be victorious neither by Might, nor by Power! Cry unto Him and cry upon Him, He will respond and talk with you.

We thank you for joining us, we look forward to see you all again next Sunday. God bless!