God’s supply

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"God's Supply "By Diane Webb

Zechariah 4: 6—"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

Here, in Zechariah 4, an angel of the Lord is reassuring Zechariah that God is sufficient to His church. God does not need help to supply the needs of His Kingdom. In other words, Zerubbabel would rebuild the temple through God's power rather than depending on the Persians who controlled Babylon where the Jews had been captive for about 70 years. It is not by power or might we accomplish God's work; but by His spirit. We do not need anything but the spirit of God to do His work. He will provide what is necessary to accomplish His will. Faced with the task of rebuilding a temple, perhaps Zerubbabel was concerned about practical things—like building materials, food for the workers, shelter for the people and all the things required to build back the temple. It seems the angel is answering those concerns by saying, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Have you ever been faced with a task that seemed too overwhelming to begin much less complete? You know God called you to accomplish something and yet you wonder how you are going to go about doing it. How will you pay your bills while going back to school? Who will take your children to class when you are serving in a shelter? Who will pay the taxes on the property? All of these are practical concerns and just like Zerubbabel, you wonder where it all will come from. Have you ever had to face a person or organization seemingly bigger, stronger, or more powerful than yourself? Imagine for a minute you are in captivity. Your captors have been defeated by yet another group of people. The new people in charge have agreed for you to go back to the homeland of your people—a homeland you have never seen because you were born in captivity. You have been granted permission to return to your homeland and rebuild the great temple which had been destroyed when your family was defeated and captured as slaves. Now, as a slave, you are wondering where you are going to get the funding to rebuild the church building. You begin to think it's a cruel joke—for your captives to grant you permission to build a building yet give you no idea where you will get the materials. This is the situation Zerubbabel found himself in. In the vision of Zechariah, God tells Zechariah to tell Zerubbabel not to worry about practical matters and to depend on Him for what is needed. Just as Zerubbabel worried about practical problems, you may find yourself doing the same thing. You can be assured, just as Zerubbabel was, that God will provide for you to accomplish His calling in your life. If you are called by God for a specific mission, task, or function you need not worry about the particulars. Just step out in faith—one foot at a time. Marvel at His miraculous ways of providing for you. What a joy to serve God who has the riches of the universe at his disposal. How silly to think He cannot provide for His people. This is the God who fed His people in a wilderness for 40 years—2 million people. He created food where food did not exist. He poured water out of rocks. He made time stand still. God does not need a budget or a five year strategic plan.

Dear Heavenly Father, Help me to realize you are all I need. You are my supply for each and everything necessary to accomplish the things you have asked me to do. I do not need to worry about clothes, food, shelter, or supplies. You will provide for me while I do what you have asked me to do. Thank you, God for your spirit and your unlimited supply for your children. In Jesus' name, Amen