BGCO Women’s Spring Retreat: “Heroes: Ordinary Women Living Extraordinary Lives”

Personal Bible Study Guide

By Angela Sanders

Please find a time during the weekend to complete the following devotional. Our prayer is that it will enhance your experience during the retreat.

Settle in:

Before you begin this personal Bible study, take a few moments to journal your answer to the following questions in the space provided. Look back over the day, week, month, or year you’ve just lived. What successes have you experienced? What setbacks?

To what degree have you sought God’s guidance throughout? Explain.

To what degree have you acted and reacted in obedience to Him throughout? Explain.

Study:

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.” Zechariah 4:6

Thousands of years ago, the Jews returned to Palestine from Babylon and began to rebuild the Temple. It was a monumental task, to be sure, and, for a while, it looked as if God’s people would abandon the project, so discouraged were they by external opposition and internal apathy. Thankfully, God always brings about the purpose of His will (Ephesians 1:11) and didn’t let them give up. When they needed it, God spoke these powerful words to them through the prophet Zechariah.

The message of Zechariah 4:6 is just as true, relevant, and meaningful for Christians today as it wasfor the Jews long ago. The first part of this verse, “not by might, nor by power,” isn’t that hard to understand. Most of us are well aware of our own limitations and would readily admit that we aren’t up to performing God-sized tasks on our own! It’s the second part, “by my Spirit,” that requires a little explanation.

To fully understand what God wants to say to you through this verse, you need to know a few basic truths about the Holy Spirit.

  1. When a person becomes a Christian by accepting God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and surrendering control of their life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live in their heart once and for all (Galatians 4:6).
  2. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s heart is proof of that person’s salvation (1 John 4:13) and a guarantee that they will spend eternity in Heaven with God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
  3. Among other things, the Holy Spirit
  4. Shows people the sin in their lives (John 16:8).
  5. Helps Christians pray effective prayers (Romans 8:26-27).
  6. Helps Christians understand the Bible and apply it to their lives (1 Corinthians 2:6-16, John 14:26, 16:13).
  7. Helps Christians discern God’s will for their lives (Isaiah 30:21, Ephesians 1:17).
  8. Causes Christians to bear spiritual fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23, John 15:5).
  9. Equips Christians with spiritual gifts with which to serve the Body of Christ, the Church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Hebrews 2:4).
  10. Empowers Christians to do God’s will (Ephesians 3:16).
  11. Gives Christians peace, joy, and hope (Romans 15:13).
  12. When a Christian chooses to sin, the presence of that sin grieves the Holy Spirit(Ephesians 4:30) and interferes with that Christian’s prayer life (Psalm 66:18-19), making it difficult for that Christian to live a life that pleases God.

Take these Truths into careful consideration, one by one, and then look back at Zechariah 4:6. In your own words, explain what it really means to live and/or do a thing “by [His] Spirit.”

Is there more to Zechariah 4:6than you first thought? Explain.

Look back at the successes and setbacks that you have experienced recently. Think about the days ahead. What encouragement do you find in Zechariah 4:6?

What challenge do you find?

What is God saying to you through His Word today? How will you respond?

Pray:

Spend a few moments in prayer telling God what you heard Him say. Confess any sin that He brings to mind and accept His forgiveness. Make any commitments that He leads you to make, but only if you mean it (Ecclesiastes 5:4)!

Follow through:

Find someone you can trust and tell them about any commitments you have made so they can hold you accountable. If you are not sure whether or not you are a Christian and would like to make sure once and for all, go to the leader of your group and ask for their help. They will be thrilled that you did!