From Rags to Revival

Zechariah 3:1-4:7

• A great deal of work was needed to restore the temple just as there is a great deal of work to be done in our lives. You look at your life and begin to understand that only God can build it.

I. The Temple of the Lord: In the Old Testament the temple was a physical place, but in the New Testament we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and when people come to us they should find hope and peace because Christ is our Lord and the Holy Spirit dwells within us!

II. Brokenhearted: But Joshua is now standing before God grieved and heartbroken because God’s people had not grown spiritually under his ministry. The people he represented before God had turned from the work of God and became focused on themselves.

III. The Accuser: Joshua knew that as high priest he was to stand before God and intercede for Israel. But he’s totally speechless. Who’s talking? Satan is! But the only reason Satan does this is because you ARE truly called of God and God loves you, and His hand is upon you, and He has great and mighty things in store for you! Otherwise, the accuser would be focused on somebody else.

IV. Consider Your Ways: Now Joshua had utilized, no doubt in his desire to see forward progress, something of his own ways in attempting to rebuild the temple. In Zechariah 3:6-7, the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua. The Lord was telling Joshua he needed to make a choice to obey what God had spoken to him (Haggai 1:3-5).

V. Go Up, Go Back: (Haggai 1:8) The call hasn’t changed, “Go back to the mountain, go back to Calvary, go back to the Cross! There you will get resources to build the temple of your life, and God will be glorified in you.” (Zechariah 3:2-4) The Lord rebukes Satan on Joshua’s behalf and plucks him out of the fire, and gives him a change of clothes.

VI. I Have, I Will: Satan has come against the completeness of the Lord Jesus Christ and His cross; against redemption and the fullness of our justification; and against the certainty of God’s promise to conform us to the image of His Son and be glorified in Him. Just remember what God said, “I have caused, and I will clothe.”

VII. The Saint’s Rest: (Zechariah 3:10) How do you work and rest at the same time? (Hebrews 4:11) If you want to work hard at something, work hard at finding the rest of Christ; it is the place where you are carried to by the Spirit of God and are delivered from the voice of the accuser.

VIII. Fighting Sleep: (Zechariah 4:1) One of our greatest mistakes is underestimating the power of the enemy over this flesh. To combat this spiritual slumber God reveals to Joshua the secret of an inexhaustible spiritual strength. (Zechariah 4:2-6)

IX. Grace, Grace: (Zechariah 4:7) Opposition that had come against God being glorified in the rebuilding of the temple. But God declared He was not going to make this mountain passable; He was going to take it completely out of the way. Not a valley, but a plain as far as the eye can see. (Zechariah 4:7) Grace began it and grace finished it!