Pastor Lester Bentley

Not by Might or by Power But by My Spirit

(Zechariah 4)

Zechariah’s next vision centers around a golden lampstand.

The lampstand has seven lamps and is supplied with oil directly from two olive trees standing beside it. The oil flows continually into the lamps so that the light never goes out.

At first Zechariah does not understand the meaning of the vision. So the angel explains that the message is directed to Zerubbabel, the governor responsible for rebuilding the temple.

Rebuilding the temple had become a discouraging task. The work was slow. Resources were limited. Opposition was strong.

The people likely wondered if they would ever finish.

Then comes one of the most famous statements in Scripture:

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

God reminds Zerubbabel that the completion of His work does not depend primarily on human strength.

It is easy for people to believe that success depends on resources, influence, or political power. But God says that His work advances in a different way.

Through His Spirit.

The vision of the lampstand reinforces this idea. The light continues to shine because the oil continually flows. The supply never runs out.

In Scripture oil often symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

The message is clear: the light of God’s work continues because the Spirit of God continually supplies what is needed.

The same truth applies to the church today.

Human effort alone cannot accomplish the work of God. Programs, strategies, and plans all have their place, but the real power behind God’s work comes from the Spirit.

When the Spirit moves, obstacles that once seemed like mountains become level ground.

God even tells Zerubbabel that the great mountain before him will become a plain.

In other words, the obstacles that seem overwhelming today will eventually disappear through the power of God.

Reflection

God’s work is never accomplished by human strength alone, but by the power of His Spirit.