—The Lord says to Zerubbabel: “It is not by power or by force, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.
Zechariah 4: 6 (NLT)
Zerubbabel was the grandson of King Joachim of Judah and was therefore a descendant of King David. He was born in the Babylonian captivity but was one of those who returned to Judah under the decree of King Cyrus. Because of his aristocracy and his leadership abilities, Cyrus made Zerubbabel governor of Judah. This Godly man set out to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed. Sadly, his project faced extreme resistance and very little support. The only ones who offered support were the enemies of Israel from whom Zerubbabel did not accept any help. The opposition was so fierce that it discouraged Zerubbabel and the construction of the temple ceased for 17 years.
Yet God was not done with Zerubbabel. God's call on our lives never dies. It may lie asleep in our hearts, but God does not forget the dreams that He deposits in them. Eventually God sent the prophet Zechariah to encourage Zerubbabel. He reminded this leader that he was not alone. Child of God, when we obey God's commands, we do not work alone, God works with us. Zerubbabel encouraged by Zechariah’s words began to build again on the foundation that he had laid in the past and the temple was completed in only three and a half years.
Perhaps you find yourself in a situation similar to Zerubbabel. Perhaps you are trying to obey the plan that God gave you and you find yourself discouraged by the lack of support you have found. Maybe you are tired of fighting those who oppose God's plans for your life. Maybe you have put your dreams aside. Today I want to remind you that you are not alone. God never gives us projects that we can accomplish alone. He wants to be our collaborator. That plan, that dream that God put in your heart, will not be achieved by your strength or abilities, but by the Spirit of God in you. Lift up your tired arms and tell your discouraged heart to start the work again. Let the Spirit of God be the one who directs the work. Do not stay where you are. The Lord of Heaven’s armies is backing you up!
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