Zechariah 4:2-4, 6 (NIV) 2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left." 4 I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" 6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.
Ephesians 3:16, 20-21 (NIV) 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Energy of mind, body, and will are needed to meet the daily issues of home and work. But sometimes we run into issues that seem to run over us, and, try as we may, we face a real energy crisis. This is what Zechariah and the people of Israel were facing. They had returned from captivity in Babylon full of zest and zeal to rebuild Jerusalem. But they had run out of steam. The mission had fizzled. The task was too great for anyone to do alone, and no one was able to rejuvenate the people for the task. At that point God reveals to Zechariah what I am going to call the difference between energy and empowerment.
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD. Might and power are words for human energy. The word energy literally means “working within,” the source of energy that comes from within us. When facing a difficult obstacle we are often told we’ve just got to dig down deeper. But at some point we hit the bottom of the pit. Human energy is limited because it draws its might and power from a limited source.
'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” The Spirit refers to empowerment that comes from God to accomplish those tasks that are ours from God that manifest the kingdom of God. Empowerment succeeds where energy fails for the simple reason of the source. Energy depends on a limited source. Empowerment draws on an unlimited source. This is the meaning of the Lampstand in Zechariah’s vision, continually being supplied with oil from the olive trees.
As the pressure builds in our life, from frustration, from fatigue, from a friend, or from experiencing life as simply going flat on us we are pushed to the wall. Then, by God’s grace, the light goes on. We admit we are powerless. We submit our life to God. We recognize our need and God’s willingness to work within us, empower us, and supply our need. Peace and power invade. Not by human energy but by Divine power the task will be accomplished. God’s purpose will be fulfilled.
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope August 19, 1990
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles
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