Process of renewal

Zech 4:2-10 "What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, "I see a gold lampstand holding seven lamps, and at the top there is a reservoir for the olive oil that feeds the lamps, flowing into them through seven tubes. 3 And I see two olive trees carved upon the lampstand, one on each side of the reservoir. 4 What is it, sir?" I asked. "What does this mean?" 5 "Don't you really know?" the angel asked. "No, sir," I said, "I don't." 6 Then he said, "This is God's message to Zerubbabel: `Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty-- you will succeed because of my Spirit, though you are few and weak.' 7 Therefore no mountain, however high, can stand before Zerubbabel! For it will flatten out before him! And Zerubbabel will finish building this Temple with its capstone in its place shouting 'grace and thanksgiving' for God's mercy, declaring that all was done by grace alone." 8 Another message that I received from the Lord said: 9 "Zerubbabel laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. (Then you will know these messages are from God, the Lord Almighty.) 10 Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin, to see the plumbline in the hand of Zerubbabel. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that see everywhere around the world." (2Chronicles 16:9 - they see our hearts)

1. Where have we been? – Babylon – The past has been redeemed. Philippians 3:13
2. Where are we going? – Capstone – The future is planned by God – the goal of presence in the temple.
3. Where are we now? – Plumbline – God is happening now – Our alignment with His presence.

These people are a picture of all of us. They had been in captivity to the world. They had been rescued (salvation). They were making a fresh start – renewal. That is all of us all of the time.
The captivity was Babylon – because they did not obey the Sabbath years for 490 years.
The fresh start of renewal was the prophetic word to Zerubbabel (to move away from confusion).

This is one of many stories of Israel in The Old Testament that are parables about the Church, and about our lives. We have been given faith, that if we exercise it, and believe in God's empowering through the Holy Spirit, (another way of saying 'grace'), we will experience a new dimension of powerful change in our lives. He allows us to cut through the unnecessary time wasting factors that our earthbound mindset can generate that trap us in our circumstances because of our reaction to them. We are not trying to fix our circumstances or fix others. Everything is designed to prompt us to call power from God into action – so why get into reaction? (messenger!) . The Holy Spirit allows us to witness within ourselves the supernatural work of God within us overcoming our reaction in us. It is discovery not just recovery.

Note the use of the plumbline. This signifies simply getting started and measuring what has to be measured or kept in alignment. The activity is Being, not Doing! The 'capstone' or finished state reveals a finished work of oneness with Him. God will help us to work on one thing at a time (Do not despise the small beginnings) –‘The eyes of The Lord rejoice to see the work begin!.

The Lord calls Zerubbabel to shout "grace" to the capstone - Shout (say with a depth of earnest humility and expectation) - 'Holy Spirit heal me/change me!’ God wants to flatten the mountains that are like high mountains standing in the way of our knowing Him. It is not by trying to think our way through the mountain with a garden fork.
Only God can do that. The ministry of the Holy Spirit allows us to expect that whatever the enemy has done to destroy our faith, the Lord is able to renew and rebuild out of what has been broken, and to bring restoration to our mind, our emotions, our life and future.