Many of us don¡¦t get excited about going to the mailbox to get the mail. Most of us do one of two things with our mail; we throw it in the trash, or we put it with our checkbook. My kids enjoy going to the mailbox. Although they don¡¦t get a lot of mail they go with the anticipation of finding a letter or magazine with their name on it. Does anyone remember what it was like to be excited to find a letter in the mail addressed to us? Today we¡¦re recipients of such a letter.
The Bible tells us ¡§All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.¡¨ (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV) This morning we are going to look at what should be a familiar passage of scripture to most of us (if you aren¡¦t familiar with it, then after I introduce you to it I want you to get well acquainted with it¡Xwrite it down and memorize it).
This passage of scripture is a PERSONAL WORD. Originally it was a message for Zerubbabel (did anyone just figure out what verse of scripture I¡¦m headed towards?). Because the Word of God is given to all of us and is beneficial for instruction or an well needed rebuke to help us live our lives for God, then this is a verse of scripture we can all personalize. Don¡¦t think of this word of the Lord as an antiquated message for another time and place. This is a personal message for you and me today so put your name into it and listen to what the Lord has to say to each of us today
„X Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, ¡§This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel [Praise Assembly of God]: ’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.¡¨ (NIV)
„X Zechariah 4:6 This is God’s Message to Zerubbabel: ’You can’t force these things. They only come about through my Spirit,’ says God-of-the-Angel-Armies. (MsgB)
1. This is the Word of the Lord. (Advance)
We are bombarded by announcements and messages today. In our electronic age images sounds and words flood our TVs, radios, computers, newspapers, magazines, billboards and more. It is becoming more and more difficult to find someplace where someone isn¡¦t trying to get your attention.
How often do we give our attention to something that is here today and then gone tomorrow. Advertisers spent millions of dollars to communicate their message on Super Bowl Sunday; now only three and a half months later many of those multi-million dollar ads are obsolete. New messages have taken their place.
God¡¦s word has not changed. GOD¡¦S WORD ENDURES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION! His message is timeless; the word of the Lord is not out dated or obsolete. God¡¦s word continues to speak personally to us today!
1 Peter 1:24-25 24For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you. (NIV)
God has no need to invent new ways of communicating His message to the hearts of men and women. Whether the word is written or spoken, regardless of if the word is illustrated with pictures or drama, GOD COMMUNICATES HIS WORD IN THE SAME WAY¡XBY HIS SPIRIT.
1 Corinthians 2:11-13 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. (NIV)
God¡¦s Word endures the test of time. His is a message of the Spirit. HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD SPOKEN TO YOU TODAY!
2. Stop trying to do it on your own. (Advance)
The Lord says, ¡§Not by might nor by power¡Xyou can¡¦t force these things.¡¨
Might and power refer to human strength of any kind. No amount of physical, mental or moral strength will accomplish anything of eternal value. Neither the combined strength of many nor the authority of any individual is of any value.
How often do we find ourselves trying to do things for ourselves, or looking to what others can do to help us? In every area of our lives¡Xfrom family and friends, health and medical needs, education and work, to fun and entertainment¡Xyou name it; we try to handle problems on our own.
The Bible reminds us over and over to stop trying to do it on our own.
Psalm 33:16-18 16No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. (NIV)
Proverbs 3:5-7 5Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 6Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. 7Don’t assume that you know it all. (MsgB)
3. By the Spirit of the Lord. (Advance)
God wants to help us! He has given us His Spirit to empower and equip us for every good work. ¡§¡¥Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit¡¦ declares the Lord Almighty.¡¨ Nothing will be impossible with God as our helper!
Jesus is our perfect example. Everything Jesus did was not by His own power or strength. Jesus depended upon the Spirit of the Lord.
Luke 4:18-19 18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." (NIV)
HOW DO WE DEPEND UPON THE SPIRIT? What must we do to ¡§Let go and let God?¡¨ What do you and I need to do individually and as a church to let the Spirit operate in and through our lives? What do we need to do in order to put Zechariah 4:6 into practice in our daily lives today?
1. SUBMIT TO THE SPIRIT THROUGH PRAYER. (Advance)
As individuals and as a church we must be committed to prayer. Prayer plugs us into the power and resources of the Spirit.
Prayer is the litmus test for our dependence upon the Spirit. Where prayer is absent or reduced the confidence in human strength increases. We might say we can do nothing without God¡¦s Spirit, but if we aren¡¦t praying we are only fooling ourselves. Individuals or churches who pray acknowledge their dependence upon God and His Spirit.
Isaiah 30:15 God, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: ¡§Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me¡XThe very thing you’ve been unwilling to do.¡¨ (MsgB)
James 5:16-18 16 . . . The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (NIV)
2. SUBMIT TO THE SPIRIT THROUGH BIBLE STUDY. (Advance)
God will speak to us through our time spent in prayer. The more we spend time with Him we will soon realize God is speaking to us through out the day. (He has promised to never leave us didn¡¦t He?)
How will we recognize God¡¦s voice? How can we know God is leading and directing us¡Xis it God or just me? God will always speak in agreement with His written Word.
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (NIV)
Through the scriptures God speaks with a clear voice. Through the scriptures we will learn to recognize the voice of God leading and directing our every step.
John 15:4-7 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (NIV)
3. SUBMIT TO THE SPIRIT WITH LIVING FAITH. (Advance)
The Lord said, ¡§Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.¡¨ God did not say, ¡§Sit and do nothing and just watch me do it.¡¨
James 2:14-18 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds.¡§ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (NIV)
