NOT BY MIGHT

NOT BY MIGHT
by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Many Christians today quickly turn to manmade things in an attempt to achieve
victory over the flesh, just as Israel did. One glaring example is the vast
number of self-help books found on the shelves of Christian bookstores.
Literally thousands of books promise surefire ways of improving, appeasing and
subduing our flesh. Indeed, everywhere we turn we are offered fleshly options
to all our needs. Churches promise anointed revival meetings where all our
spiritual needs are fulfilled by a prayer or a touch. Evangelists offer instant
deliverance, instant healing, instant words from God.

The truth is, God gave Israel the option of choosing Him or the flesh in the
midst of their situation. He said, "Go ahead and exercise your own will. Dig
deeply into your inner man, study your books, plan your strategies, do
everything you know how to do. But you will still be leaning on the arm of the
flesh. None of your efforts will bring you one moment of victory."

The more I study God's Word, the clearer it becomes to me: All human striving
for deliverance from sin is doomed to fail. God will let us go through the
wringer time after time, until we are totally convinced we must die to all
efforts of the flesh.

When Israel attempted to defeat their powerful enemy through human power, God
immediately denounced the effort: "Both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that
is holpen [helped] shall fall down, and they all shall fail together" (Isaiah
31:3). God's Word declares in very clear language that all victory depends on
Him alone. Only He has the power to deliver us from our enemies.

You may have a godly will, a solid moral background, an unpolluted mind. In
fact, you may be one of the cleanest people walking this earth, but the Bible
says that none of your human gifts or abilities will ever work against the
devil. You will always fail by your own efforts.

If you are in the midst of an overwhelming struggle, you must learn the word
God gave to Zechariah: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the
Lord" (Zechariah 4:6).

To read David Wilkerson’s Daily Devotions online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/view/devotions

You can have the devotionals sent to your e-mail address by subscribing (free) on the World Challenge website.

FINDING THE KEYS TO VICTORY

FINDING THE KEYS TO VICTORY
by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

As I studied the New Covenant, its glorious truths leapt out of God's Old
Testament dealings with Israel. Paul states, "All these things happened unto
them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the world have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). I sensed the Lord asking me,
"David, do you want the keys to victory? Do you want to know how to overcome
sin, flesh and the devil? Do you want to know how to do battle with the enemy?
Then go to my Old Testament and you will learn from the examples there. I have
recorded them all for you, so you can learn the lessons of godliness."

On the night of Passover, not a single Israelite was in danger from the death
angel who swept through Egypt. Every man, woman and child of God rested safely
and securely under the blood covering that was spread on the doorposts of their
homes (Exodus 12). This picture of safety represents the protective power of our
Lord's blood over His children today. As Christians, we are to be a believing,
trusting people who have the blood of Christ sprinkled on the doorposts of our
hearts.

Israel's trust in the blood of the slain lamb accomplished many things in the
lives of the people. It not only protected them from the death angel, but it
also brought them out of Egypt and delivered them from the bondage of Pharaoh.
Yet, there were other enemies from which Israel needed deliverance. Likewise
today, our trust in the blood of Christ is about much more than obtaining
salvation for eternity. It also involves relying on God's power to deliver us
from every stronghold of the enemy.

Please do not mistake me. If you are saved — living under the covering of
Christ's blood, secured by faith in His work on the cross for you — that is
absolutely wonderful. But what about your ongoing battle with the power of sin
that rages inside you? What about your besetting habit? What power do you have
to do battle with these enemies of your soul?

The fact is, even if we have been saved and secured by Christ's blood, we are
still engaged in a battle with overwhelming principalities, satanic powers,
demonic strongholds. We are to claim the power that is available to us through
God's New Covenant, but that power comes only by faith!




To read David Wilkerson’s Daily Devotions online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/view/devotions

You can have the devotionals sent to your e-mail address by subscribing (free) on the World Challenge website page.

October 10, 2012 Dear Friend, Three weeks ago one of my daughters had a dream concerning the presidential elections. In the dream, she was attending a campaign rally for one of the candidates. (I'm not revealing which one because I don't want to politicize the strategy the Lord gave me through the dream.) My daughter stood in the receiving line of this candidate, at the halfway point of the line, waiting to shake his hand. When he came to her a shocked and panicked expression came over him. He re-gathered his composure and said, "You're the music lady, aren’t you?"   Boldly and confidently she replied, "That's right, I am."   He stretched out his hand to shake hers. When their hands met, his hand lost all strength and fell limp. He pulled it away, re-gathered his strength and tried again. Once more, he lost his strength and his hand went limp. This happened a third time, after which he was so shaken and frightened that he turned and walked away, not finishing the second half of the receiving line.   I believe the interpretation of the dream is obvious: the key to insuring that God’s choice wins this election is worship—the "music lady" is the worshipping Bride of Christ. As simple as it sounds, if the Church will worship over these elections, Psalm 22:3 and 149:5-9 will take place. This will remove the strength from one of the candidates and empower the other. Our worship will exalt the Lord and enthrone Him over our land. This is a simple yet powerful strategy.   Interestingly enough, some are already doing this. There is currently 40 days of 24/7 worship taking place on the White House grounds. You can find more details at www.davidstentdc.org. I encourage you to support this. I will be going to DC at least once, perhaps more, to join them in worship.   Because of this dream, I am going to host A Night of Worship Over America at Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas, from 7:00-10:00 P.M. CST on Friday, October 26. I am asking believers all across America to join us via live streaming (www.cfni.tv), or even hold your own live worship gathering on the same night.   Together we will exalt and declare the Lordship of Jesus over America, and release His will and His favor over the elections. Imagine this happening in every state simultaneously. The results will be powerful!   Help me spread the word. Let’s make sure God’s will is accomplished in these upcoming elections. "The music lady" will make the difference. Running with Him, Dutch Sheets

Phone: 214-438-3200 Web: www.dutchsheets.org Email: ministryinfo@dutchsheets.org

ALL THE FIERY DARTS!

“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” (Ephesians 6:16)


How do we raise the shield of faith?


Each time we engage in worship, each time we pray in faith, each time we open the Word of God believing that God is going to speak to us, we are performing an act of faith. Each time we activate our faith like this, we are taking up the “shield of faith.” Certainly, there are times when individual attacks come at us and by faith, we speak directly to those “mountains.” But please understand that as our faith is being exercised, we are continually raising the shield of faith.


 I recently did some research on what Paul meant when he used the term “fiery darts.” I always thought he was referring to arrows that had been set on fire, like we see in some of the epic movies. I wasn’t exactly right; I was close but a little incomplete. When Paul speaks of “fiery darts,” he is speaking from a First Century Roman context. The world Paul lived in was dominated by Rome, and Roman military might was everywhere. A permanent Roman military garrison was just a few hundred yards from the Temple in Jerusalem. Roman soldiers maintained the rule of Rome throughout the world that Paul lived and ministered in. Paul constantly used the Roman soldier to illustrate truths he was teaching about. 


The “fiery darts” were not exactly arrows. They were more like very thin, hollow pieces of reed or bamboo. Into the hollow portion, flammable liquid was inserted and somehow sealed in. Into one end of the hollow portion a wick was inserted and just before the dart was to be used, the wick was set afire. The soldiers would then throw or launch the dart filled with flammable liquid at the enemy. When the projectile hit, it would shatter, splash the liquid, and the burning wick would set it on fire. This was a first century equivalent of a “Molotov cocktail” or an incendiary bomb.


It was to protect against these fiery darts that the Romans got rid of the small metal shields used in warfare and moved to the larger wooden shield covered in leather. The Romans soaked their leather in water before going into battle so that when the fiery darts of the enemy came, the “soaked” leather would extinguish the fire. And we are to raise our “soaked” shields of faith so that when the attacks come, we are ready! 


The fiery darts are not primarily going to be attacks on your physical person, attacks of sickness or disease. The majority of the “fiery darts” will be attacks of temptation, lust, greed, disappointment, discouragement, jealousy. The attacks will be against your faith, your mind or your emotions. The fiery darts of Roman warfare did not look all that lethal, all that menacing. If launched in daylight, you could hardly see the long, thin projectiles coming. While looking innocent in flight, when they impacted and shattered, pain and death was released. How many times have I heard people say that they didn’t understand how dangerous and hurtful the problem would become until it was too late? Thousands and thousands of men and women in the church today are hooked and devastated under the control of pornography because they thought it would be no problem to spend a few minutes of personal time looking at porn. That quick looking was the launching of what seemed like a harmless projectile that exploded in their mind with devastating consequences. Current polls indicate that up to 50% of church-going men and 20% of women are addicted to pornography.


When the enemy attacks and attempts to cripple your spirit and control your mind and emotions, it is time to take your stand in faith—it’s time to raise the shield. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand…” (Romans 5:1-2). If the embracing of sinful thoughts or sinful behavior opened the door to the attack, then confess that sin according to 1 John 1:9, know that God will forgive you, and take a stand in the freedom of grace that Jesus Christ has provided for you. Declare that you are God’s child, brought into relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Declare that “greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world” and that the power of the enemy is broken in your life! Declare that you are raising the shield of faith on the authority of the Word and in the Name of Jesus! Declare that by the shed blood of Jesus, “I am free!” And declare that the fiery darts of the enemy are extinguished by your faith in God, because God’s Word says so!

QUESTIONS FOR A FORMER REVIVALIST

Question – What does “former revivalist” mean? Are you backslidden or something?

Answer – No, I’m not backslidden! It means that I don’t talk about revival the way I used to.

Q – Why is that? Did you talk bad about revival?

A – From the time I was a boy, I heard sermons and stories about the revivals of the past and the ones “just around the corner.” When the old-timers talked about the early days of the Pentecostal revival, the stories were always tinged with, “Those were great days and we wish it could be that way again!” There seemed to always be a wistful desire to “go back to the good old days.”

I couldn’t begin to count the times I heard sermons about the great revivals that were coming—great tidal waves of His Spirit that would shake cities and countries—but never arrived. I picked up this jargon too, but no more!

Q - Have there been no revivals during your life?

A - I have seen God do some marvelous things that were a type of revival, and I have been able to participate in a few of them. For example, the Charismatic Renewal and the Jesus Movement both happened in the 60’s and 70’s. Also in 1970 a revival broke out at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, that eventually spread to dozens of universities and colleges. In the 80’s and 90’s there were flashes of revival throughout the U.S. and Canada and a lot more in other countries. But there were hundreds and hundreds of “impassioned messages” given about impending revivals and moves of God that never happened.

Q – So you stopped believing in revival?

A – That’s the odd thing. I see more need for revival now and want to see revival more than ever but I don’t feel inclined to talk about it like I used to. I am drawn more to pray about and personally live in revival but I’m tired of trying to talk up revival or to alternately coax people into revival using the old “carrot in front of the donkey” trick. I’m tired of trying to preach guilt and goad people into a worked-up revival. Hot preaching (with hot music) is not revival…it’s nothing more or less than a lively form of worship—a style of worship.

Q – What do you mean when you talk about “personal revival”?

A – The following verse from Isaiah has really spoken to me:

"For this is what the high and lofty One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
"I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15 NIV).

Gods’ commitment is to be with His children, to live with them, and to bring revival/renewal to them on a personal basis. The only condition God sets on this personal revival is that His people be contrite and lowly in spirit, meaning that they be humble and honest.

Q – Do you think that’s what holds back revival…the lack of humility?

A –I believe revival is held back because people do not do the one thing that will bring humility.

Q – Which is what?

A – Repentance brings humility. When we ask God to forgive us for trying to do it on our own and we honestly repent and confess that we really are nothing, we break the back of selfish egotism. Pride is brought down by repentance.

Somehow in our lifetime repentance has gotten all tangled up with legalism, and misguided preachers are telling people to repent over clothing styles or drinking coffee or something equally mundane. Repentance is not about exterior issues, it’s about the heart and the core values of my life. It’s about giving Him the steering wheel of my life and my repenting for trying to drive by my rules and not His. Repentance is about laying aside the things that weigh us down and distract us from living a life that is pleasing to Him.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Every revival starts with one repentant sinner, people just like you and me.

Q - Are you suggesting that churches should stop having revival meetings?

A - We have focused so much on the Upper Room experience that we have lost sight of the fact that if you had visited the Upper Room a few days after Pentecost, you wouldn’t have found anybody there. The wind of the Spirit pushed the “newly empowered believers” out into the street to share their faith. When the newly revived didn’t fully understand what Acts 1:8 was saying and seemed to get stuck in the first part of the verse, again the wind of the Spirit blew many of them out of Jerusalem and into Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. The real revival meeting of the 21st Century has little to do with a church meeting and everything to do with His people being led by His Spirit to take the gospel into the marketplace and to the ends of the earth.

Q - So what’s your final word on revival?

A - I intend to continue living in the presence of the Lord and having my own personal revival. I also intend to keep encouraging others to do the same…to stay humble, to stay repentant and to continue living in the reviving, refreshing presence of the Lord according to His promise. I intend to continue letting the Spirit of God lead my life.

SHOUT "GRACE, GRACE TO IT!"

The forlorn leader sat on a pile of ruins looking over what had been a beautiful city and the center of worship for his nation. Twelve years earlier 50,000 exiles returned to Jerusalem with permission from the king of Persia to rebuild the altar and the temple. However, only the altar had been rebuilt and work on the temple had stopped without any apparent way to get it going again. The leader of the Jewish exiles was Zerubbabel and he sat looking out over the rubble and the unfinished rebuilding with a growing sense of discouragement.

When the exiles arrived in Jerusalem they were excited and enthusiastic about what lay ahead. God had brought them out of exile back to their home and they felt surely they would quickly rebuild the altar and the temple. But things started to change as opposition arose from the neighboring Samaritans. Not only was there opposition but the pursuit of self-interest began to rise among the exiles. Families wanted to rebuild their own homes and their businesses; they had family needs that demanded attention and their interest and enthusiasm for the work of God began to fade.

Finally weariness set in among the people. After all, it had been twelve years, and when they arrived they had no concept of just how big the task was. First, all the destruction had to be cleared away before they could begin rebuilding. So after twelve years the task was unfinished—but the people were finished. They simply did not want to work on this anymore. No matter what Zerubbabel did, the people refused to go back to work and it appeared to be a hopeless situation.

Into this dreary mess of discouragement God sent a prophet with a message for Zerubbabel, for the exiles, and on down through the centuries it is a message for us. It is a powerful word for anyone who has ever faced the discouragement of an unfulfilled promise, the betrayal of someone close to you, the inability to finish a task that seemed so clear in the beginning. You could write your own list of discouraging and hopeless situations that you are currently facing, I’m sure. But Zechariah has a word from the Lord that is going to change your life.

“This is the word of the Lord . . . ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
Who are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
And he shall bring forth the capstone
With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’” (Zechariah 4:6-7, NKJV)

As we understand the situation that confronted the leaders of the exiles, it helps us to understand the word of prophecy for Zerubbabel and the situation he faced.

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

This sentence has been a part of the vocabulary of the Spirit-filled church for as long as I’ve been alive. When I was a boy at least once a week we sang a chorus at church that began with those words. The truth this statement declares is fundamental to success in the things of God and I am not sure how well I have learned that lesson!

This slogan line of Pentecost affirms that our success will not be constructed on the arm of flesh but it will be breathed into existence by the Spirit of God. This does not demean well thought-out plans or education, but it does prioritize for us God’s involvement in all our plans. “Seek first the kingdom of God . . . and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, NKJV).

The prophecy then addresses the opposition that had stopped the work on the temple.

“Who are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain.”

“Just who do you think you are, ‘big mountain’? You are not going to stop the progress of God’s kingdom any longer. You are going to be reduced to nothing more than flat ground” (my paraphrase).

“And he shall bring forth the capstone.”

This is very encouraging. The capstone was the finishing stone of a construction project, the final stone to go into the wall. What this statement symbolizes is that the original vision will be brought to completion by the power of God working through His people!

“With shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

You may ask, “What is this supposed to mean? Is this suggesting that we face our problem and shout ‘Grace, grace!’ at it? This seems too simple and rather undignified.”

Is this undignified? Absolutely, and that’s the point! In our quasi-dignified and overly culturally relevant church we have lost much of our identity and our power, and this story symbolizes that. Somehow in our rush to success we have forgotten that true success in the kingdom of God comes “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Success in the things of God does not come from ideas copied from a best seller on business but from truths that are imparted to praying people who copy them down as heaven speaks them.

Is this exhortation to shout grace at the problem too simple? Probably for some who do not have ears to hear. To others, however, as the revelation comes they will realize that this is one of the most powerful truths we are given. Grace is defined as the “the unlimited and unmerited favor of God.” We can’t buy or earn grace—it is God’s alone to give.

Grace is miraculous and it reminds us, “It is not by might nor by power but by His Spirit!” Grace is the miracle that lifted Joseph out of prison and put him in the palace. Grace took David from being a lowly shepherd boy and constructed the path for him be to become the great warrior king. And grace took Daniel from the ranks of slavery to a man of influence in Babylon.

When Zechariah spoke this prophetic word, I believe he was saying:

“This promise, this vision, is going to be brought to completion not through the strong arm of flesh but by the Spirit of the Lord. You are to turn and face the opposition, this mountain of difficulty that has stopped your forward progress—“the mighty mountain”—and you will watch it turn into flat ground. Be encouraged, child of God, because the promise is going to be fully completed. Right now begin to declare that the favor and blessing of God is upon this promise; this was His vision, born of His Spirit. Go ahead and shout to the opposition, to every problem that is in your way. Shout, ‘Grace, grace!’ Go ahead, don’t just mutter it under your breath, child of God. Say it—shout it like you mean it!”

I first heard this truth taught by our pastor, Dr. Jack Hayford, when we lived in California. Dr. Hayford taught this all over the world in conferences and pastors’ gatherings. Pastor Jack would finish his teaching by leading the group in singing “Amazing Grace.” At the end of the song he would have the musicians continue to play but would instruct the congregants to bring to memory problems they were facing and begin to shout the words, “Grace, grace to it!” He testifies that he has received testimonies from all over the world of miraculous answers that have come because God’s children simply and humbly followed the prophetic word and shouted, “Grace, grace to it!”