You Can’t Do This On Your Own

Not by might. Not by Power. But by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.

Don’t forget that.

Ever

It’s always difficult to face the fact that you can’t do it on your own. You’ve tried all everything you know. You’ve exhausted all your resources. You’ve had countless sleepless nights. Nothing has worked. You’re stuck, and there seems to be no way out, ever, at all.

Many Christians have wasted so much time ‘trying to do things for God’ when God is ready to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Instead of trying, the Lord calls us to dying.

Matthew 16:24–26 (NKJV) “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Desperate times require your focused and determined choices. You must consciously choose to make the hard choices and follow through if you expect to see any substantive change this year. The first choice is to give up. Yes, you must learn to give up and cast your entire life back upon the Lord. It’s time to return to prayer and admit your weakness before Him.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV) “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

That’s what God tells weary Zerubabbel through the prophet Zechariah.  He encourages him that the temple will be rebuilt but not the way he might have thought. It will not be the wisdom and strength of Zerubabbel, not his military might or smarts or clever plans. No, it will be rebuilt solely through the power of God!

Zechariah 4:6–9 (NKJV) “So he answered and 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 of hosts. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.”

This desperate time in your life is not a time to strive but to abide. Rest in the Lord, friend, and listen for His guidance, then follow Him as close as you can.

He is ready to make it happen!

He can make a way where there is no way!

Psalms 57:2 (NKJV) I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.

Psalms 138:8 (NKJV) The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Isaiah 26:12 (NKJV) LORD, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us.

Phil 1:6 (NKJV) being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;