Reflection: The Spirit's Initiation of a Divine Assignment
Zechariah 4:6 declares a foundational truth that governs all genuine work of God: "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." This verse is not merely a promise for the journey; it is the very blueprint for how the journey begins. Excerpt 1 takes us to the very origin of the Wuhan mission—the prophetic words, the divine timing, the reluctant servant, and the sovereign confirmation. What we see is that the beginning of every great move of God is not initiated by human ambition, strategic planning, or personal charisma. It is initiated by the Holy Spirit, often through the most unexpected circumstances and the most unwilling hearts.
The narrative begins not with a human decision but with a divine revelation. On 20.06.2016, the Lord placed a prophetic word upon the heart of the writer: "Wuhan is a strategic centre for revival in China." This was not a conclusion reached through research or analysis; it was a word received from God. Again, on 08.08.2016, the Lord gave another word—this time for Wuhan as the city representing China. These prophetic words were the seed from which everything else grew. They came not because the writer was seeking a mission; they came because God was initiating one. This is the Spirit's way: He speaks first, often when we are not even looking for direction. The "few and weak" servant was simply going about his morning walking exercise—his devotion time—when the Lord dropped these words into his heart. The Spirit does not wait for our readiness; He creates our readiness.
2. The Reluctant Heart: Human Weakness on Display
The writer's initial response to his friend's invitation was not enthusiasm but reluctance. He was "not keen at all" after hearing about the school, its principal, its academic dean, and its Chinese students. This is a crucial detail. It reveals the human weakness that Zechariah 4:6 speaks of. The writer had no ambition to go to China. He had no plan, no strategy, no burning desire to launch a mission. He was simply praying for others—for his friend, the principal, the academic dean, and the students. It was in this posture of intercession, not in a posture of ambition, that the prophetic words came. God chose a reluctant servant because He wanted the glory to be clearly His. The "might" and "power" of human initiative were absent; only the Spirit's prompting remained.
3. The Prophetic Paper: A Step of Obedience
The writer responded to the prophetic words by writing a "Wuhan Prophetic Paper for China." He emailed it to the principal and academic dean of the school. And then, he thought his job was finished. This is a very human response: "I have done what God asked; now I can move on." But the Spirit had other plans. The writer "felt the Lord wanted me to go to the school to personally deliver the prophetic paper to some 100 students." This feeling—this divine prompting—was not a logical conclusion. There was no practical reason to travel to China simply to deliver a paper that had already been emailed. But the Spirit's logic is not human logic. The Spirit often asks us to take steps that make no sense in the natural, precisely so that we cannot claim credit for the outcome.
4. The Two Conditions: A Test of Faith and a Promise of Power
The writer's response to this divine prompting was to ask the Lord for two things:
i) The principal must invite him personally, not through his friend. This would be a clear confirmation that the invitation was from God, not from human arrangement.
ii) If that happened, he wanted God's "tangible presence and heavy anointing" to be in the midst of the meetings. This was not a request for comfort; it was a request for the very thing Zechariah 4:6 promises—the Spirit's power.
These conditions are not signs of doubt; they are signs of wisdom. The writer understood that the work must be initiated by God and empowered by God. He did not want to step out in his own might or power. He wanted the Spirit to go before him and to accompany him. This is the heart of a servant who knows that "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit" is not just a verse to quote; it is a reality to live by.
5. The Divine Confirmation: The Principal's Invitation
The confirmation came in a remarkable way. The Malaysian principal wanted to speak in Klang house meetings and asked the writer's friend to organize them. But it was actually the writer who organized the two meetings, and more than 30 people came. It was at the second meeting that the friend brought up the subject of the prophetic paper. The principal asked about it, the writer briefly explained, and the principal simply said, "I want you in Wuhan."
This moment was the divine confirmation the writer had prayed for. The principal's invitation was not solicited; it came through a series of events that the writer did not orchestrate. The Spirit had been working behind the scenes, arranging circumstances, opening doors, and bringing the right people together at the right time. The writer knew in that moment that the Lord had confirmed the assignment. He told his wife to book the flights—and she was "totally surprised!" This surprise is significant. The work was not the result of a long-discussed plan between husband and wife; it was the Spirit's sudden, sovereign intervention.
6. The Beginning of the Journey: A Pattern for All Great Stories
The beginning of this journey reveals a pattern that repeats throughout Scripture and throughout the history of revival. God speaks first. He chooses the reluctant. He confirms through circumstances. He requires faith. And He promises His presence. The writer did not set out to become a missionary to China; he set out to pray for others during his morning walk. But the Spirit intercepted his routine and gave him a prophetic word. That word led to a paper. That paper led to a school. That school led to an invitation. That invitation led to a journey. And that journey became "The Chronicles of Wuhan."
Conclusion:
Zechariah 4:6 is not a verse for the self-confident; it is a verse for the reluctant, the weak, and the few. It is a promise that when God initiates a work, He will complete it—not by human might or power, but by His Spirit. The beginning of the first wave in Wuhan was not a human triumph; it was a divine initiation. The prophetic words, the reluctant heart, the confirming circumstances, and the Spirit's leading all point to one truth: this was God's work from start to finish. The writer's role was simply to obey, to pray, and to trust. And when the principal said, "I want you in Wuhan," the writer knew that the Spirit had already gone before him. The journey was not about his ability; it was about God's Spirit. To Him alone be all the glory. All glory to Yeshua.
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