Not by Might: Trusting God’s Spirit Over Strength – Zechariah 4 Devotional

 Feeling Weak? God’s Spirit Is Your Strength 🙌

7-Step QT

  1. 🙏 Quiet Time

  2. 📅 October 17, 2025

  3. ✝️ Zechariah 4:1-14

  4. 📖 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 (v. 6).

  5. 📝 Modern life teaches us to rely on strength, power, and money to succeed. But Zerubbabel’s story shows that true victory comes through God’s Spirit, not human effort. Even physical challenges require divine help. Don’t fear your weakness—God’s power is sufficient. Trust Him fully, and He will make you strong.

  6. 💬 What does this passage speak to you today?

  7. 🙏 Share below, and let’s encourage one another in prayer!

7-Step QT Notes

1. 🙏 Quiet Time

Pause.
Take a deep breath.
Ask God to help you trust His Spirit more than your own strength.

2. 📅 October 17, 2025

Today’s passage reminds us:
God’s power is greater than our strength.

3. ✝️ Zechariah 4:1–14

God speaks to Zerubbabel, who faces overwhelming opposition while rebuilding the temple. The message is clear: victory won’t come through human effort, but through the Spirit of God. Two olive trees and a golden lampstand symbolize God’s constant provision and presence.

4. 📖 Key Verse

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” (v. 6)

5. 📝 Reflection

We live in a culture that glorifies hustle, self-improvement, and power. From college to career, we’re told to grind harder, be stronger, and never show weakness. But God’s way is different.

Zerubbabel wasn’t called to be the strongest or smartest—he was called to trust. The Spirit of God would do what human effort could not. That same Spirit lives in you.

Feeling overwhelmed? Facing a challenge that’s too big? You don’t have to carry it alone. God’s Spirit is your strength. He’s not asking you to be perfect—He’s asking you to trust Him.

6. 💬 What does this passage speak to you today?

  • Where am I relying on my own strength instead of God’s Spirit?
  • What challenge am I facing that feels too big for me?
  • How can I invite the Holy Spirit into my work, studies, or relationships this week?

7. 🙏 Prayer

Lord, I’m tired of trying to do everything on my own.
Help me to trust Your Spirit more than my strength. Fill me with Your power and peace today.
I surrender my plans to You.
Amen.

Scriptures

📖 1 And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. 3 And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6 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. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ”

8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.

“These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.” 11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” 13 He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” (Zech 4:1-14, ESV).

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