Zechariah chapter 4

It says in my study bible that the gold lampstand with the seven lamps on it and the bowl of oil at the top represents God's power, which is reflected in the light. The light is supplied by the oil, which is in continuous supply.

As Christians, we too need to be filled with God's power, with the Holy spirit, so that we can bring light to this dark world. We can't do anything on our own, it is only through God , by his Spirit that we can achieve anything. I look around and there is so much need in the world, so much evil. There are some truly wicked people out there committing some awful acts, and I sit and wonder what can I do sat here at my computer, day in, day out. To a certain extent, the world passes me by as I rarely watch television or pick up a newspaper, there always seems to be something else to do. Yet God is all around us, He is in the very air that we breathe. Like the seven lamps representing the eyes of the Lord that search all around the earth, I am so reminded of 2 Chronicles 16:9:

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

God is aware of everything that is going on and through His Spirit, not by our might or power, we are able to achieve great things. Even sat here at a computer all day, I can pray, I can use my computer to prepare the church notices and include in those things that seem relevant, I can do my bible readings, have my quiet time, and do all sorts. All things are possible through God, and whilst the world is a very evil place, there is some good out there, and all it takes for evil to win is for good men and women to do nothing.

The other thing that struck me is the resemblance to Revelation chapter 1 with the seven lampstands being the seven churches. Maybe part of the problem with the churches, with the church today as well, is that they did not keep a ready supply of oil, they did not keep going back and filling up with oil, with the holy Spirit. Now I'm no bible scholar or great theologian, as you would probably be the first to agree, but maybe part of the problem is that we don't allow the Holy Spirit free reign. We keep things firmly in little boxes, only venturing out when this committee has agreed it, or that committee has approved it, or the time is right, the situation warrants it, and very rarely do we step out in the Spirit. What would happen if we were all filled with the Holy Spirit (which I know as believers we are) and instead of squashing Him down, pushing Him into a little box only to be opened on Sunday mornings, we allowed him control? What if when the Spirit led, we followed, when the Spirit gave us a direction, we went that way? Because it is not by our might, our power, the work of our hands, minds or brains. It is by the power of God. How can we expect this crusade, that bible study group, this prayer meeting, and so on to succeed if we don't let the Holy Spirit have a look in?

The people who had returned to Jerusalem here were being told that they had an insurmountable task and the only way they were going to succeed was through the power of God, through the Holy Spirit at work. Maybe it is time to let the Holy Spirit loose, to allow things like Lakeland, Dudley and all the other outpourings to really make a difference in our lives, to live in the Spirit, and not to smother a movement of God.