“‘Not by Might Nor by Power’” American Sentinel 12, 22, pp. 339, 340.

THE Lord does not carry on his work in the earth by might or by power. That is, he does not work by those agencies which appear most mighty and powerful in the eyes of man. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6.

In this day we see religious organizations grasping for power. We see the church associations—the Society of Christian Endeavor, the Epworth League, etc., holding conventions and discussing, among other things, what they can do to control elections and put good men into public office. Their hopes in this regard are based upon the millions enrolled in their membership. But what will all this might and power avail in the work of the Lord? Suppose they should get complete control of the Government—what good would it do them or the cause which they profess to represent? What is the use of might and power when the Lord does not work by that means?

Have they forgotten the record of the experience of the prophet Elijah at Mount Horeb? 1 Kings 19:9-13. The prophet was told to “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind was an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And [340] after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice.” And the Lord was in that voice, and that voice set in motion again the work of the Lord which had been suspended by the prophet’s flight from Jezreel. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Do these religious organizations aim to produce a cyclone or an earthquake in the Government? Evidently, they hope to do something of the sort. But what good would it accomplish if they should? The Lord would not be in it. He would not be in it even were they able to duplicate all the awesome exhibitions of might and power displayed at Horeb before Elijah. The Lord is yet in the “still small voice,” which is the voice of His Spirit.

“O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight!” “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down,” not by the assault of battering rams and the arms of the encompassing host. By faith the servants of God in old time “turned to flight the armies of the aliens.” Hebrews 11:30-34. By faith the work of God moves forward in the earth to-day. The world will be deceived by exhibitions of might and power; but by the Word of the Lord his people know that his work is not by might nor by power, but by the “still small voice” of his Spirit.

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