Spirit Power

…Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,  says the Lord of hosts. (Zachariah 4:6, NKJV)

There are some things that I struggle to do even when I know it is the right thing to do.  It is like my power to obey and follow them through is weak and so I result to what comes naturally easy for me to do.  Many can identify with this frustration where we know our weaknesses and desire to overcome them, yet we keep failing despite our trying.  The effort to arise to a level to a level of strength fails many of us. In professional development, it is noted that it is easier to excel in an area where one is having average performance, than to lift up an area of deep weakness to an average performance grade.  This then encourages us to strengthen the strong traits we possess, acknowledging the weak ones and still not focus on them.  That seems to be a more fulfilling path towards the line of success that we might be seeking but is it what we are to practice in our faith?

The bible tells us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).  It also tells us to grow from glory to glory by the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 3:18).  In our walk of faith, growth is expected through the power of the Spirit of God, so that our excuses for not being so good are minimized.  The growth we are called to realize is not by our own strength or might but by the Spirit.  Our reference verse clarifies, that our might and power will not work in ensuring we grow in faith, only by the Spirit of God is this possible.  Beloved, I do not know which spiritual areas you are experiencing satisfying growth and for that we give God all the glory.  For those areas where there is a struggle, we still will need to ask the Holy Spirit for His strength and leading.  Apostle Paul noted that he did the things that he does not want to do for there is an ongoing battle in his person, he calls himself a wretched man operating under the law of sin (Romans 7: 15-24).  A verse that in humility we can often identify with.

Brethren, it is the law of sin which ties us to doing that which we desire not to do, but glory be to God for Jesus Christ who overcomes sin.  Our hard attempt to be righteous in the eyes of God is not enough when we are facing a holy God, our righteousness stands as filthy rugs before Him (Isaiah 64:6).  None of us is clean by any measure, yet by the blood of Jesus, we become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus who knew no sin took up our sins and in turn inputted to us His righteousness.  Our ability to stand before a holy God is only through the blood of Jesus.  God who is perfect in all His ways (Psalm 18:30), perfects our walk of faith by His Spirit, glory be to His name.  Beloved, may we learn to stop fighting against ourselves and surrender to God, trusting Him to make us able to do and to achieve exceeding, abundantly more than we could ever ask of imagine (Ephesians 3:20).  The Holy Spirit is God’s enabling power for our journey for we shall not overcome by our own effort.  There is a power that works within us and that is what we get to lean on.  In doing so, God takes the opportunity to show up and show off on our behalf, glorifying Himself in all situations.  May we learn to trust in Him at all times, giving worship to Him alone in spirit and in truth for that is what He desires from us.  No matter the challenging times of our journey, we can always lean into God’s Holy Spirit and find the power for the next step.

Thoughts:

In which areas are you struggling?

How have you experienced God’s enablement to overcome?

How do you deepen your leaning into the Holy Spirit?