Hear the words of J. Oswald Sanders as he sought to apply to the church the challenge of Zechariah 4:6 — “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of armies.”
“Not by might, nor by power.” The task of the church will never be achieved by purely human means. “Not by might, nor by power … saith the LORD.” The phrase “not by might” may be rendered “not by an army,” i.e., collective power, force of men or of means. Sometimes it means “wealth,” sometimes “virtue” in an ethical sense, or “valor.” But in all its usages the underlying thought is of human resources.
“Power” here also signifies force, but rather the prowess and dynamic of an individual. It is never used in a collective sense. Taking both words together the phrase would mean that success in the church’s task depends on neither the combined strength of men organized to assist one another, or on the prowess and drive of any single individual. It depends only and entirely on the agency of the Holy Spirit.
And why? Because the task of the church is superhuman, and any resources of men and means, of skill and dynamic, are at best only human. If the task were only that of creating a visible organization, they might be adequate, but the church is infinitely more than a visible organization. It is a supernatural organism which can be nurtured and sustained only by spiritual means. The great danger faced by the church today is lest, in the midst of careful planning and seeking improved methods, she forget the superhuman factor without which her task will never be encompassed.
J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Maturity: Principles of Spiritual Growth for Every Believer (Sanders Spiritual Growth Series) (p. 211). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition. Emphasis added.