Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the challenge of managing life and trying to do something to build God’s kingdom? Maybe you’re overwhelmed by the task of not just raising kids but discipling them too, or being a good employee and still sharing your faith effectively, or being a good witness among your friends. Or maybe God has given you a heart to start a ministry or reach a specific group and you don’t even know where to start.
Zerubbabel was in the same boat. He had been appointed governor of Judah after the Jews had returned from captivity in Babylon. On top of his responsibilities as governor, God had also tasked him with the monumental job of rebuilding the temple. Zerubbabel had attempted to start the project but the work hit a roadblock, all progress was stalled, and it seemed beyond his human capabilities to get it finished.
It was in this context that God sent a message of encouragement through Zechariah “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6). You see, God gave Zerubbabel the overwhelming task of rebuilding the temple, not because He wanted Zerubbabel to be overwhelmed, but because He wanted to rely on God’s almighty power to accomplish the work.
God never expected for Zerubbabel to try in his own limited strength, but to rely on the Spirit’s unlimited power!
Just like God encouraged Zerubbabel to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the rebuilding of the physical temple, He invites us to depend on His Holy Spirit's empowerment to fulfill our spiritual calling. Feeling overwhelmed is often an indicator that we are relying on our limited strength to accomplish that requires the Spirit’s power.
In what aspect of your life is God challenging you to stop trying in your own strength and start relying on His?
Zerubbabel was in the same boat. He had been appointed governor of Judah after the Jews had returned from captivity in Babylon. On top of his responsibilities as governor, God had also tasked him with the monumental job of rebuilding the temple. Zerubbabel had attempted to start the project but the work hit a roadblock, all progress was stalled, and it seemed beyond his human capabilities to get it finished.
It was in this context that God sent a message of encouragement through Zechariah “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6). You see, God gave Zerubbabel the overwhelming task of rebuilding the temple, not because He wanted Zerubbabel to be overwhelmed, but because He wanted to rely on God’s almighty power to accomplish the work.
God never expected for Zerubbabel to try in his own limited strength, but to rely on the Spirit’s unlimited power!
Just like God encouraged Zerubbabel to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the rebuilding of the physical temple, He invites us to depend on His Holy Spirit's empowerment to fulfill our spiritual calling. Feeling overwhelmed is often an indicator that we are relying on our limited strength to accomplish that requires the Spirit’s power.
In what aspect of your life is God challenging you to stop trying in your own strength and start relying on His?
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