By My Spirit Saith The Lord Series

There are three ways we can attempt to do the work of God. We can trust our own strength and wisdom; we can use the same resources the world uses; or we can depend on the power of God. The first two approaches may appear to succeed, but they'll fail in the end. Only work done through the power of the Spirit will glorify God and endure the fires of His judgment (1 Cor. 3:12-15).

The secret to shining forth the light of God is that all power and sufficiency are of the Holy Spirit. Notice that the Holy Spirit is illustrated as the oil which flows through the lampstand and the lampstand is representative of the Church. The oil flowed through appointed conduits into the bowl and through fixed channels connected to the main stem to the individual flames. (Eg. fixed channels outlined in the word of God - repentance, life of obedient faith, etc). It is through fixed channels that the Spirit of God will flow to light up the church of God and its individual members.

What is being said "not by might nor by power but by My Spirit" is that the strength and power of the church or of individual believers is found solely in the Holy Spirit. Where lies the power of the church, in numbers? God would rather have Gideon's Army of 300 consecrated souls than 20,000 who are living according to the course of this world. Where lies the power of the church, in human wealth or political strength? Sometimes these are curses instead of blessings. The power of any church is the Holy Spirit. If He is flowing so that Christ shines forth in a pastor and in a congregation of disciples, then there is power to do an eternal work for God!

What does the church supremely need to remember? The truth embodied in this text. "Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord." God's work is not done by our resources, of intellect, of wealth, of enthusiasm, nor by resoluteness of effort or by cleverness. Though all these are necessary, none of them, not all of them together, nor any human endeavoring can do God's eternal work.

As Jesus was born of the Spirit, baptized of the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and proclaimed the Kingdom of God in the power of the Spirit, as He offered Himself through the Eternal Spirit to God, so should we!

For the Spirit of God calls, gifts, equips and works through the people of God. God's Spirit is paramount, if God's people are to do God's eternal work.

These words, not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord brought the needed empowering to the feeble handful of discouraged people surrounded by the enemy. And we too should feel the sweetness of the promise that told them not to despair nor to be despondent because they had little of what the world calls might and power. We here today need to hear this messageand have faith in God's resource which is available to us through His established channels outlined in His Word.

(See G. Campbell Morgan, The Westminister Pulpit, Vol. VI. p.54ff)

By My Spirit needs to be a motto to guide all our endeavors and enterprises. If success is to be gained through the work done by God's people it will not be achieved by what they can do but by what the Spirit can do directly through them.