August 30th, 2026
River of Faith 21st Year Anniversary
The Divine Enabler
Zechariah 4
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
August 30, 2026
Memory Verse:
“So 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 Almighty.”
Zechariah 4:6 NIV
Introduction:
We thank everyone for coming out today at the River of Faith! Today we celebrate yet another milestone in the life of the church God entrusted to us! We thank the Lord for permitting us again to continue His good works and for reaching 21 years of serving the Lord as an ambassador of our Savior Jesus Christ!
Today more than ever the word "Spirit- empowered" mean so much more to us after witnessing what God has done in the past 21 years. Despite many challenges and hurdles the Lord had shown us how to persevere and taught us the key principle that while it is easy to focus on problems and make excuses for them, God is our ultimate DIVINE ENABLER. He alone can move obstacles that no army in the world can move. It is not by power, nor by might, but by the Spirit says the Lord!
How many of you are familiar with that phrase? It is taken out of the book of Zechariah during the time of the reconstruction of the temple as few remnants returned to Jerusalem. Let's turn our Bibles...
Main Pointers:
“Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. “What do you see now?” he asked. I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.” Then I asked the angel, “What are these, my Lord? What do they mean?” “Don’t you know?” the angel asked. “No, my Lord,” I replied. Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’"
Zechariah 4:1-7 NLT
1. It is hard to deal with the "No's".
A. Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah given the task to rebuild the temple. He was deeply discouraged by the lack of resources and heavy opposition. He had NO weapons, NO soldiers, and NO defensive walls, NO money. The work has stopped for 16 years and the Lord had to stir Him up!
B. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’” Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!”
Haggai 1:2-6 NLT
2. Not by might, nor by power.
“Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Zechariah 4:6 NLT
A. In Hebrew "might (chayil)" refers to military power, personnel, and wealth. Zerubbabel did not have any of that. There was an estimate of just 50,000 that returned to Jerusalem to build the temple. What was God telling him?
B. The Hebrew word "power (kuach)" refers to human strength and financial power. The people felt completely discouraged to see the ruins of the glorious Solomon's temple. They felt that they did not have enough to continue the construction.
C. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
Haggai 1:7-11 NLT
3. The church will always be run by the SPIRIT of the Lord.
“Then another message came to me from the Lord: “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)”
Zechariah 4:8-10 NLT
A. In the ancient world the temple building was the ultimate status symbol of power. After addressing all of the excuses that halted the project for 16 years God showed Zerubbabel that he didn't need an army (might) nor money (power) to finish the work. The biggest problem was the lack of faith of the people. They were discouraged and afraid. It was God's "Spirit (ruach)" that had to stir up the hearts of people giving them a divine enabler to finish the work!
B. “But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’ “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
Haggai 2:4-9 NLT
Conclusion:
What was God's message to Zerubbabel through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah? Stop measuring success by the lack of weapons, money or army. God is the Divine Enabler He will move the hearts of even kings and He can stir up tired hands and discourage hearts to get the work done!
The Divine Enabler
Zechariah 4
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
August 30, 2026
Memory Verse:
“So 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 Almighty.”
Zechariah 4:6 NIV
Introduction:
We thank everyone for coming out today at the River of Faith! Today we celebrate yet another milestone in the life of the church God entrusted to us! We thank the Lord for permitting us again to continue His good works and for reaching 21 years of serving the Lord as an ambassador of our Savior Jesus Christ!
Today more than ever the word "Spirit- empowered" mean so much more to us after witnessing what God has done in the past 21 years. Despite many challenges and hurdles the Lord had shown us how to persevere and taught us the key principle that while it is easy to focus on problems and make excuses for them, God is our ultimate DIVINE ENABLER. He alone can move obstacles that no army in the world can move. It is not by power, nor by might, but by the Spirit says the Lord!
How many of you are familiar with that phrase? It is taken out of the book of Zechariah during the time of the reconstruction of the temple as few remnants returned to Jerusalem. Let's turn our Bibles...
Main Pointers:
“Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. “What do you see now?” he asked. I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.” Then I asked the angel, “What are these, my Lord? What do they mean?” “Don’t you know?” the angel asked. “No, my Lord,” I replied. Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’"
Zechariah 4:1-7 NLT
1. It is hard to deal with the "No's".
A. Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah given the task to rebuild the temple. He was deeply discouraged by the lack of resources and heavy opposition. He had NO weapons, NO soldiers, and NO defensive walls, NO money. The work has stopped for 16 years and the Lord had to stir Him up!
B. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’” Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!”
Haggai 1:2-6 NLT
2. Not by might, nor by power.
“Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Zechariah 4:6 NLT
A. In Hebrew "might (chayil)" refers to military power, personnel, and wealth. Zerubbabel did not have any of that. There was an estimate of just 50,000 that returned to Jerusalem to build the temple. What was God telling him?
B. The Hebrew word "power (kuach)" refers to human strength and financial power. The people felt completely discouraged to see the ruins of the glorious Solomon's temple. They felt that they did not have enough to continue the construction.
C. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
Haggai 1:7-11 NLT
3. The church will always be run by the SPIRIT of the Lord.
“Then another message came to me from the Lord: “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)”
Zechariah 4:8-10 NLT
A. In the ancient world the temple building was the ultimate status symbol of power. After addressing all of the excuses that halted the project for 16 years God showed Zerubbabel that he didn't need an army (might) nor money (power) to finish the work. The biggest problem was the lack of faith of the people. They were discouraged and afraid. It was God's "Spirit (ruach)" that had to stir up the hearts of people giving them a divine enabler to finish the work!
B. “But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’ “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
Haggai 2:4-9 NLT
Conclusion:
What was God's message to Zerubbabel through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah? Stop measuring success by the lack of weapons, money or army. God is the Divine Enabler He will move the hearts of even kings and He can stir up tired hands and discourage hearts to get the work done!
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