Not by might, nor by power.

Jesus and Apple Juice. The perfect combo.

""Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)

I'm pretty sure I use this blog mostly to post important intellectual and spiritual digestions for myself, so I don't forget the important lessons learned. I may have digested things, but there's still a ways to go before these lessons and thoughts are well integrated into my life.

Anyways, today's post has its origins from Sunday's message. The message came from 1 Samuel 13:22-14:22. The speaker spoke about how God acts and does great things as we initiate and act, even with the little that we have, using the story of how Jonathan and his sword bearer single-handedly take out an army of Philistines. As Christians we ought not to be stagnant and unmoved, we ought to say "Yes!" to the will of God and pursue it no matter the cost. When we act, we see God do great things. Poignant and energetic, the message had all the qualities of a glorious spark, but would it catch? I thought that to myself as he closed. I wondered if God would set Cedarview Alliance Church ablaze spiritually. I wondered if the church community within would be so stirred as to act on the message and become ignited that we would truly see "revival". There was nothing wrong with the message, however as I was led to examine the message closer, and to discern what was said, I knew I had gotten a wrong focus somewhere down the line. The fault was not to be put anywhere, but I had to reevaluate, and reexamine what I had left with. 

My mom used this analogy, as with photography, we can get the focus ever so slightly off, and it changes the whole picture. That was exactly what had happened to me. I had left with the thought of "I must get out there and be bold and do things for God with great confidence and trust in Him no matter the circumstance, then I will see Him do great things." I came into this year with confidence in learning to trust and obey God. I had a great desire to be a submissive servant, seeking to be obedient to His will alone. But in my current weakened state of mind, that incomplete understanding worked its way into my heart easily, and it felt as if all I had once focused on was changed. 

In the message, the passage in Samuel, was used as an illustration of how when we have faith in God and use the little we have to act for His glory, He is faithful to act. Yes, this is true, but it only painted half the picture. Obedience was implied, but not highlighted enough. What was not clearly spelled out for me (trust me, most times I need things to be clearly stated and spelled out), was that in all things, Jonathan and his sword bearer were acting in obedience to God. God did not do a miracle with their single sword because He wanted to honor the fact that they were using their little faith to act. God worked a miracle because Jonathan was obedient, and this one sword which God provided was enough to accomplish His will. 

No amount of initiative or passion to do things for God will make great things occur. It is in obedience to the will of God that we see God work. 

So when we act, it is not because we want to exercise our tiny faith and thus see God work His great power. When we act, it is because we act in obedience and in alignment with the will of God, and in this God will use whatever is necessary, whether big or small, to accomplish His great will through us. Faith plays its role in trusting that God's will is good, and He will accomplish His will. All this keeps us in a humble position. God does not need us or our permission to do great things, He is capable of accomplishing what He desires of His own power. He chooses to use us, in order that we might know Him more. 

A question we must ask God as we live in obedience is this, "What is it you want me to know about you Lord?" God uses all things in order that we might know Him more and draw closer to Him. 

When you see, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," know that "by the Spirit," means not just using the Spirit's power. "By the Spirit," is acting according to the Spirit, it is life according the Spirit, life in surrender and obedience to God and His will. Out of obedience, you will inevitably see God do great things.