The Grace of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit

The Grace of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit

“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘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).

Living by the grace of God and living by the power of the Holy Spirit are two concepts which describe the same reality in the Bible. To live by the grace of God is to live in absolute dependence on God, accomplishing what cannot be accomplished by human works, human efforts, or human resources. Living by the Spirit of God is to live in the Spirit or in complete dependence on the Spirit and not in the flesh or in dependence on human resources.

The Bible makes it clear that grace makes vain the works of man. “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work” (Romans 11:6). Grace does not combine with works but operates without works. To accomplish anything by the grace of God is to accomplish it without human works or efforts. This gives full glory to God.

Paul's experience bears clear witness to the truth that grace requires absolutely no human resources. The grace of God is sufficient to do the will of God at the point of utmost human weakness. Paul was at his lowest when he sought the Lord for help. “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

In the same way, the Bible makes it clear that the Spirit and the flesh are contrary. To live and walk according to the Spirit is not to live and walk according to flesh. To be in the Spirit is to be not in the flesh. The Bible speaks of "those who are in Christ, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). And goes on further to declare that “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6).

In fact, the Bible is plain and straightforward about the truth that one cannot live in both the flesh and the Spirit at the same time. If one has the Spirit of Christ then one is not in the flesh.  Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ and is, as a result in the flesh, does not belong to Christ. This is straightforward indeed. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9).

And so, to depend completely on the grace of God is to walk by the Spirit of God. Both concepts refer to the reality by which God calls us to live in complete faith in Him and not in the flesh or resources of man. This connection or identity between the grace of God and the Spirit of God operating in His ministers is summarized very well in God's message to Zerubbabel. “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘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).

In that Scripture passage the Lord points out how effective service is accomplished in matters that concern Him. He makes it clear to Zerubbabel that the task before him, the building of the house of God, is to be accomplished “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” And He further declares that any obstacle that stands before Zerubbabel, though overwhelming to him like a mountain in his path, will be made into a plain or an opportunity for advancement by the Holy Spirit. The Lord finally assures Zerubbabel that when the task He has assigned Him is fully accomplished, when Zerubbabel places the capstone or the last stone of the building, he will exclaim "Grace, grace to it!"  In other words, Zerubbabel cannot but testify with amazement that it is only by the grace of God he could have accomplished the task.

And so, the two concepts, living by the grace of God and living by the Spirit of God, describe the reality of living in absolute dependence upon God. By calling us to live by grace God makes it clear that He wants us to depend not on our own resources but on His resources to accomplish for Him what we cannot accomplish by our human resources. He moreover calls upon us to depend on His Spirit in order that His Spirit, and not we ourselves, will apply the resources of His grace to us in accomplishing what He has assigned us. And in the end the Lord alone is glorified!