NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MONDAY 9TH JULY 2018

MEMORISE:

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORDof hosts. Zechariah 4:6

READ:      Judge 7:1-7

1Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

MESSAGE:

Power and might symbolize human strength of every description, including physical, mental, moral, financial and intellectual strength. They represent the degree of resources at a person’s disposal to undertake an assignment, and therefore from the basis of assessment of a person’s ability to achieve success in any given task. 

Every human being seems t have an awareness of his or her own abilities and limitations, and for this reason we respond with confidence to things we have the natural ability to do, while we react with fear and anxiety to those things we consider beyond our capability. With this understanding, the purpose of God’s words to Zerubbabel in today’s memory verse should become clearer to the discerning heart. 

Zerubbabel was responsible for directing the work of building God’s temple in Jerusalem. God sent him these words through Prophet Zechariah because the temple was being rebuilt under very challenging conditions. God gave the prophet a vision of the candlestick with seven lamps, seven pipes and two olive trees, to show that just as oil was being supernaturally supplied to these lamps, so also was the work of rebuilding the temple being accomplished through spiritual means far beyond human understanding. 

I therefore decree over you that the unseen hand of God will intervene in your situation today, and your victory will confound your enemies and detractors in Jesus’ Name.

So you need not be discouraged by your personal weaknesses, because the weakness of man is not an obstacle to the move of God. god can accomplish His purpose “whether with many or with them that have no power” (2 Chronicles 14:11). God’s purpose in any situation will always be accomplished, irrespective of personal weakness or the limitations of the people involved. 

God has chosen to work in this manner because He does not want any man to glory in his presence, neither does He share His glory with anyone (1 Corinthians 1:17-29, Isaiah 42:8). God specializes in using physically weak and inadequate persons to confound and dispossess giants. He used David, who was but a young man without military experience, to overcome Goliath the giant champion of the Philistines. 

He also used four unarmed leprous men to put the whole Syrian army, which had besieged Samaria for months, to flight (2 Kings 7). All these were made possible because God’s purpose is always carried out in the power of His Spirit, and His power is made perfect in human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I prophesy that the power of God will perfect your weakness and use you to accomplish great things in this generation in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to depend completely on You in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 11-13

Acts 24:22-25:12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!