But by My Spirit

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and God has chosen the base things of the world, and things which are despised, and things which are not, in order to bring to nothing things that are; so that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1Corinthians 1:27-29)

God took the earth which was covered in darkness and brought light and life to it. Since the beginning God demonstrates that He is the Creator. (Genesis 1& 2) He is still the Creator, taking the foolish things of this world, the weak things, the base things, the things that are despised and the things that are not and creates what is wise, what is mighty, what is excellent, beloved and creates what didn’t exist.

Jesus prayed to the Father, thanking Him that He had hidden the secret things of the Lord from the wise and prudent of the world. “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the sophisticated and cunning, and revealed them to babes.” (Matthew 11:25) The wise and prudent were learned men who knew all the ways of the world but lacked knowledge of the Lord. The apostles were unlearned fishermen who with the wisdom, understanding and knowledge from the Holy Spirit excelled in the things of God. The captain of the temple, and the Sadducees took Peter and John before the Council for preaching Jesus and the resurrection from the dead to 5,000 men who believed. (Acts 4:1-4) Peter filled with the Holy Spirit spoke to the Council the Gospel of salvation. “But seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and perceiving that they were unlearned and uneducated men, they marveled. And they recognized them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) In other words they marveled at how wise and knowledgeable these unlearned and uneducated men were and acknowledged it as a result of being with Jesus. This is what God did. The wisdom, knowledge and understanding the Lord gave them left the most learned in the country flabbergasted.

What glory would be the Lord’s if victories required a great army, a great number of  prayer warriors or man’s help for anything? God told Gideon his army was too large. Twenty-two thousand returned home because they were fearful. (Judges 7:2,3) The ten thousand that remained were still too many for God to give them the victory. In the end, Gideon is left with three hundred men. (Judges 7:4-7) “And Jehovah said to Gideon, I will save you by the three hundred men who lapped, and will deliver the Midianites into your hand. And let all the other people go, each man to his place.” (Judges 7:7) When there are a few in number whether it be a battle, a prayer meeting or work of any kind, the Lord is able to accomplish much. Zechariah relates the vision he had of an angel. “Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the Word of Jehovah to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says Jehovah of Hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6) Zerubbabel is Gideon. The Lord’s work is not done by numbers, man’s power and might or by man’s wisdom, but by the Holy Spirit. God shows Himself strong when we are weak. Jeremiah prophesies, “So says Jehovah, Do not let the wise glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty glory in his might; do not let the rich glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah, doing kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these I delight, says Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

“Then where is the boasting? It is excluded. Through what law? Of works? No, but through the law of faith.” (Romans 3:27) Our boasting is not in what we can do, but in what God is able to do in us, with us and through us. It’s by faith on our part and by God, Whom we put our trust in regardless of what it may seem like or look like in man’s eyes.