Universal Power
By Mark Fackler
Read: Zechariah 4:1-6
Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit. (v. 6)
We need them and we hate them: those alarms that disturb our rest while the sky is still dark and the body so sleepy.
Zechariah's fifth vision comes to him this way. An angel shakes him awake, then asks him to describe what he sees. Zechariah obliges, but wants to know what these olive trees and golden lamps are about. "Not to mention, you woke me up!"
The answer is like a thunderbolt.
The angel ignores Zechariah's request for an explanation. Instead his answer turns the world upside down: Nothing happens as you imagine. "It is not by might or power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord. Your checkbook, your intelligence, your type-A drive? Forget about them. All power is God's.
What effect will this message have in your life? Pray more? In prayer we align with the Holy Spirit, who then moves our hearts and minds to know God's will. Give more? In generosity we partner with the Holy Spirit to render tangible evidence of our trust in God's supply.
It should make you confident. God is moving, God is building. It should make you relaxed. You're God's partner, not the CEO of your world. It should make you energized. Your life has fresh strength every day—the Holy Spirit never goes on break.
Prayer: All power is yours, God. I trust totally in your strength.
Used with Permission
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