Word Study For Today: The Book Of Psalm Chapter 50.

Devotion: NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER.

Text: Zechariah 4:1-14. | Psalm 44:1-8. | 2 Kings 7:1-18.

> It will never be by power, nor by might; …“For by strength no man shall prevail.”[I Samuel 2:9b NKJV]. >>> Reliance on mere human strength will take no one anywhere. Ecclesiastes 9:11a says ==>“I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill…

In ourself, of ourself, by ourself we cannot succeed. NLT says in I Samuel 2:9b==>““No one will succeed by strength alone.”

Your strength alone can’t run this race, your human wisdom can’t chart this course successfully. Little wonder it was said to Zerubbabel in > Zechariah 4:6b(NLT)==>“…It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

By the Spirit of the Lord, we have the Victory. >Psalm 44:6-8 (NIV)==>6)”I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; 7)but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. 8)In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.”

It is a choice how you want your victory. >“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, But we will remember and trust in the name of the LORD our God.”[Psalm 20:7 AMP]. Those who trust in their strength end up a weakling in the face of battle. Their defeat is always an unforgettable one. It is expedient therefore to go the route of God, putting no trust in bow or in sword, rather trusting in His Spirit that delivers and saves. >Isaiah 11:2 (NLT)==>“And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”

His Spirit in manifestation will impact upon your action hence victory is inevitable >Isaiah 11:3-5 (NLT)==>3)“He will delight in obeying the Lord. 4)He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. 5(He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. 6)He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.”

Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the building but it became apparent his strength cannot carry him to completion; for “…It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’ ” [Zechariah 4:6-7 NLT]

The Lord does not pay for what He dint order…He sent Zerubbabel to build His temple hence His blessings came upon him even at completion. Whatever man struggle in his strength to do, his strength will have to sustain [and this is impossible]; no wonder they fade and rot away like moth.

God is set to show His love to you and I if we would yield and surrender our affairs to Him. Though our beginning be small like that of Zerubbabel yet it delights the Lord to see us start and commit to Him as our main stay of strength and help. >Hosea 1:7 (NIV)the Lord says to you as His Judah ==> ”Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the Lord their God, will save them.””

As it was in the beginning so it is now. For our spiritual progenitors of old never got the victory in the themselves, but the right hand of the Lord(the arm of His strength, His Grace), wrought for them victory. Their sword dint do it, their chariots dint do it, their bow also dint do it; yours too can’t [your human wisdom/knowledge, your AK47 riffle, your hoe and cutlass, your pen and paper, your 6packs, your human connection and link etc cannot fetch for you victory outside of His Spirit]. >”It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.” [Psalm 44:3 NIV].

BY STRENGTH NO MAN PREVAILS.

Prayer Action:
**Worship the Mighty One.
**Speak the language of the saving Spirit for 15minutes.
**Commit to God afresh[let Him know your yieldedness and total surrender to His Spirit and His guidance].
**Ask that the Spirit of the Lord takes you over[in wisdom, in knowledge, in understanding, in counsel, in might and in the fear of the Lord].

We know you are blessed by this devotional. We appreciate your comments below as it blesses us right back and encourages others who might be reading this, anywhere in the world. Shalom.