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Then 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 of hosts.”



Zechariah 4:6



I see so many people today who struggle for years serving the Lord, trying to make God do something for them. And then they wonder why it never happens. They’ve taught a Bible study, they’ve knocked on doors to share the Gospel, and they’ve prayed. They’ve expended all of their energy and all they found was a big hole in the ground!



Unfortunately, many churches and many Christians never grasp the wonderful truth found in today’s passage that spiritual breakthroughs do not come by the power of man, but by the Spirit of God.



Now, many folks in church will tell new believers, “Well, if you want to really serve God, if you really want to be a great Christian, you need to do this or that.” So we take that new member and we put him in a role that doesn’t fit him at all. And in the end, everyone is frustrated all because this new believer was never taught about the Spirit-filled life.



Contrary to popular belief, the Christian life is not filled with “haves” and “have-nots.” There’s no such thing as a believer who’s reached the pinnacle of the spiritual life and has no further to go. So if you want to live a life filled with God’s Spirit, remember that it’s not by any great effort, but it’s only by living in surrender to Jesus Christ.





THE SPIRITUAL LIFE ISN’T LIVED BY EFFORT. IT’S LIVED BY SURRENDER. SO SURRENDER YOURSELF TO CHRIST EACH DAY AND HE’LL FILL YOU WITH HIS SPIRIT!

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

Luke 7:30



It’s always a sad sight when people become Gospel-hardened. They grow up in a family where the Gospel is preached clearly and the love of Christ is shown, but their hearts are hardened to the truths of God and the love of Christ. So they never have a personal faith of their own. And the moment they get out of the house, they never go to church again.



They hardened their hearts to what God has and is doing in their life. They use all kinds of reasoning to justify their point of view. from look at the evil men have done in the name of God to saying that it's just a silly belief system designed to make you feel better about yourself.



Now, becoming hardened to the things of God is not a new thing. In fact, it happened to many of the Israelites whom Moses led out of Egypt and had personally witnessed some of God’s greatest miracles. And, it will happen to many of those who live under the rule of Jesus Christ after He returns. They’ll look at Him sitting on the throne as the King of kings and say to His face, “I won’t follow You.”



Maybe you know someone in your life who is Gospel-hardened today. And you’re left asking, “What can I do?” Well, don’t expect to be able to change their minds. Only God can do that. Instead, do all you can to show them God’s love and pray for them. Then let God soften their heart to His truth.



PEOPLE CAN BECOME HARDENED TO THE THINGS OF GOD. SO SHOW THEM GOD’S LOVE AND PRAY THAT HE WOULD SOFTEN THEIR HEARTS BACK TO HIM.

And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.



Exodus 4:10



I can relate to Moses. When God appeared to him in the burning bush and commissioned him to lead God's people out of Egypt, he wasn't sure he was the guy. But God was not deterred in His choice.



Now, I'm not much on public speaking and would have given a defense very similar to Moses'. I'm an unlikely candidate for the pulpit, to say the least.



Major Ian Thomas once said in reviewing Moses' call that when God is in a thing, the ordinary is more-than-adequate. Moses may have thought the burning bush was a supernatural vision. But it wasn't. It was just an ordinary bush. And when God wants to speak, any old bush will do. The important thing is not the fitness of the instrument, but that it is God Himself who speaks, quite often through foolish, weak instruments.



Sometimes we see someone alive for God, someone with extraordinary giftedness, and we say, "I wish I were like that! I wish I had his ability, his poise, his discipline." But the truth is, God can use any life. Our foolishness only highlights His wisdom, and our weakness testifies to His strength. You are someone God can use. "You don't know me," you might say. And maybe I do not. But I know God



YOU ARE NOT JUST A ORDINARY PERSON LOST IN THE CROWD. YOU ARE WORTHY IN GOD'S EYES