12月9日
標 題：不靠勢力
經 節：他對我說：「這是耶和華指示所羅巴伯的。萬軍之耶和華說：不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的靈方能成事。」（撒迦利亞書四章6節）
在關鍵時刻中，神的話語臨到祂的百姓。他們當時是一群沮喪、被人恐嚇、夢想幻滅的人。他們流浪在巴比倫有七十年之久，在這段時間，他們親眼看見當代最具優勢的軍事武力，也看到巴比倫軍隊征服其它國家，見識到巴比倫王的富強與顯赫。後來，巴比倫被波斯征服，以色列人看到世界舞臺上，出現了超級富強與軍事武力強盛的國家。當他們將自己軟弱及俘虜的身分，與當代超級富強的能力比較，他們灰心沮喪。
當以色列人在七十年被俘之後回到耶路撒冷，他們發現整個城市已被蹂躪毀壞。他們莊嚴華麗的教堂也被摧毀，城牆都已倒塌，他們沒有建材來重建壯麗的城市。當這些過去曾是難民的居民，看到眼前這個巨大的工程，他們意識到自己的貧窮及軟弱，他們變得十分沮喪。接著，神的話就臨到了！祂應許他們真的能夠重建這個城市。但是祂告訴他們，這不是靠他們的能力及資源來完成，而是靠聖靈成事。只要他們有神的靈同在，他們就擁有所需要的一切。
有時候，順服神會領你到一種看來完全不可能的處境。如果只注意自己的才能、知識和資源，你會灰心沮喪。然而，當你成為基督徒，神將祂的靈放置於你的心裡。你現在可以隨意使用天堂的資源。你竭心盡力的成果，不是取決於手上握有的資源，而在於你如何順服神的靈。
Not by
Might
“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)
God’s
word came to His people at a critical time. They were a despondent,
disillusioned people who faced a daunting task. They had been exiled in Babylon
for seventy years. During this time they had witnessed the strength of the most
dominant military power in their world. They had watched the Babylonian army
marching off to conquer other nations. They had seen the wealth and splendor of
the Babylonian king. When Babylon was in turn conquered by the Persians, the
Israelites saw an even greater superpower emerging on the world stage. They
lost heart when they compared their own weakness and captivity with the enormous
strength and wealth of the superpowers of their day.
As
the Israelites returned to Jerusalem after seventy years in captivity, they
found their city in ruins. Their magnificent temple had been destroyed. The
city walls had been torn down. They had no resources to rebuild their splendid
city. As these former refugees looked at the mammoth task before them, they
realized their poverty and weakness, and they became greatly dismayed. Then
came God’s word! He promised that they would, indeed, rebuild their city. But,
He told them, the rebuilding would not be accomplished by their own power and
resources but by His Spirit. As long as they had God’s Spirit, they had
everything they needed.
There
will be times when obeying God will lead you to impossible situations. If you
look at your own skills, knowledge, and resources, you will become discouraged.
However, when you became a Christian, God placed His Spirit within you. You now
have the resources of heaven at your disposal. The success of your endeavors
will not depend on the way you use your own resources but on how you obey the
Spirit of God.
