Zech 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty.
The will of God will never lead to where the grace of God cannot keep you.
• When He calls us to do a task, He will give us the resources to complete it.
• It is unthinkable for God to want to do something, only to realize halfway that it cannot be completed.
• So whatever God calls us to do, it must be something that can be done.
The people of Israel experienced this truth in Zechariah 4.
• They had just returned home to Jerusalem, their homeland, after 70 years in captivity.
• Everything had been destroyed and the place in ruins for 70 years. It’s a long time but it doesn’t matter – God is going to rebuild it.
• Today’s Israel is a testimony of the power of God to restore things back.
(1) If it is BY HIS SPIRIT, it means God is ABLE TO RESTORE anything back.
The people have to start everything from scratch
– rebuild their homes, build the Temple to worship and to build up the city walls – but nothing is impossible for God, if we only believe Him.
• People say if there is a will, there is a way. Not necessarily true. If it is just your will-power, it may not be accomplished.
• But if there is a God’s will in it, there will surely be a way. Even if the land had been in ruin for 70 years.
• Look back at Noah’s time. The earth was destroyed completely by the flood for 340 days (40 days rain, 150 days flood, 150 for flood to recede). And then God restore everything back.
If you feel that things have fallen apart for you or life is a mess, believe this, God can rebuild your life back. God can mend a broken life.
• No life is beyond repair. No matter how far you have gone from Him or how badly you’ve sinned.
• But you need to turn back. You need to put your trust in Him.
(2) If it is BY HIS SPIRIT, then we need to ACKNOWLEDGE Him
He is our divine co-worker. He is our Partner in life.
If it is by His Spirit and not human efforts, then we need to be praying for whatever we are doing today.
• If whatever we are doing is not of God, then we are just writing another book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon found out that everything is vanity, apart from God.
• He wrote in Psalm 127:1-2 “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
In order words, whatever we do by our own way and efforts will be quite useless.
• Meaning it will not bring anything of lasting value or has any eternal consequences.
• But on the other hand, if it is BY HIS SPIRIT, then no one can thwart His will.
God planned for them to return after 70 years. God planned for them to rebuild the nation Israel. God planned for the Temple to be rebuilt.
• The Lord says, any obstacle to this work, even if it is as great as a “mighty mountain” (4:7), will be removed.
• If it is God’s plan, nothing can stop it. If it is not, nothing can succeed.
• God’s will is paramount. We need to acknowledge Him. We need to talk to Him. Prayer is our only guarantee of success. “No time spent with God is not wasted time.”
• Are we doing God’s will today? Are we living according to His will today?
(3) If it is BY HIS SPIRIT, then we need to HAVE FAITH in God
It will take some time. It will take some effort. But believe it, it will be done.
In the Bible, we see that when God calls people to do His work, He rarely calls them to do easy tasks.
• He did not call Moses over to a burning bush, and ask him if he can take care of a few more sheep. He has to face Pharaoh and bring the people out of Egypt.
• God asked Noah to build an ark, something he has never seen or heard before. And to bring a pair of every kinds of animals into it.
• Abraham was to leave his home and move to a place God would show him, not knowing beforehand where that is.
• Paul was called to preach the Gospel throughout Asia Minor, but he faced constant persecution and imprisonment, and for most of the time, if he was not on the run for his life, he was in prison.
You may feel you are inadequate, but the Lord says it is not by your might or power.
• We are not called to feel adequate or qualified for the job. We are asked to trust Him.
• Moses was called to confront Pharaoh. He said he was the wrong man for the job. He said he is not eloquent and “slow of speech and tongue.” (Exo 4:10)
• God is not looking for an eloquent man. He said to Moses, “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exo 4:12) So He is actually looking for availability, not ability.
• If He calls you, He knows better. He knows what you and I are made of. And so if He calls you still, trust Him and do the job.
We are asked to trust Him. And be faithful in doing what God has called us to do.
• History tells us the people of Israel did finish the work. We look at Israel today and we marvelled at how far they have come, without such a short period of time.
• God is at work in our lives today.
The Lord says in verse 10: “Who despises the day of small things?”
• God can do a lot with a little. A little is a lot with God.
• God used Moses’ rod and led a whole nation across the Red Sea.
• He used David’s sling and knock down the giant enemy Goliath.
Little becomes much when we place it in God’s hand.
• Twelve faithful disciples, by the help of the Holy Spirit, changed the world.
• It is not about how small you are, but how big your God is.
• If the God we worship is the Lord Almighty, then we need to trust Him.
• We are called to do His work and He has promised us that He will be with us in it. So we will not quit until His work is done.
Frankly, we are powerless to accomplish God’s work, without the Spirit’s help.
• We cannot cause a sinner to repent. We have no ability to change lives.
• Spiritual work requires the Spirit’s work. But God has already promised that He will work with us.
• We believe God can accomplish what He wants, through us, no matter how insignificant it may appear in the eyes of people.
Listen to what Jesus says in John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
• When He goes to the Father, the Holy Spirit came and has been with us ever since.
• We are going to do the work God has for us, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even ‘greater things’ than what Jesus has been doing on earth.
• But this is possible, the Lord says, to “anyone who has faith in me”.
We see in the Gospel accounts how Jesus calls the ordinary, seemingly insignificant and weak people (like the uneducated fishermen) and use them in a mighty way.
• Paul said in 1 Cor 1:26-29, “Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
• The Lord does not see as men see. He is a better judge than we are of what instruments will best serve His purpose.
Hudson Taylor was once asked, “Why do you think God chose you to start China Inland Mission.”
He replied, “God picked out somebody who was so weak that apart from Him I knew I could do nothing.”
God despises the proud but gives grace to the humble.
• Are you willing to do something for God in your generation?
• God is not looking for ability but availability, not your power but your participation.
We need to be faithful in doing small tasks.
• Jesus: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much & whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10)
• If we cannot do a small task well, how can God trust us for bigger things?
Conclusion:
(1) Let us PRAY for the work we are doing today. We want to do God’s will.
(2) Have faith in God and persevere. Do not give up easily.
(3) God will do His part. Be willing to do your part.
