Activate Abundance 2: Speaking Life

For those of you who know me, you know that spiritual friendship and healthy relationships in leadership is something that I invest in (check out my series on God-given friendships on my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JenniferWSpivey/playlists). Perhaps through the years, due to those investments, the Lord has had those people in place for me - right people at the right time. Every time I’ve had a change of season, the Lord has blessed me with champions and cheerleaders who were there to encourage me, there to speak life into what God was doing in me.  In turn, I hope I’ve taken every opportunity for speaking life into those God placed in my path as well!

In this season in particular, the Lord has given me practical ways to encourage and speak life into others. I’ve been hosting “work days” around my dining room table and in corners of local coffee shops.  (I need a new name - “work day” makes me think of picking weeds or cleaning out closets at the church. Anyone else remember church work days?).  It’s been so much fun - creating pathways for others to get started doing what they feel like the Lord is calling them to.  It makes me think of Zechariah 4:10 which says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin”. If God is rejoicing/speaking life, I want to rejoice with Him - and be an impetus  for a beginning if I can be!

So….  lately, I’ve been skipping the history lesson, but let’s have it today just for fun!  (I’m pretending that the history lesson is fun for you, too - just roll with me and I’ll make it short, LOL!):

History Lesson Behind Speaking Life 🙂

You need to know three things: 

1. Who is Zerubbabel? Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah, and he was tasked with rebuilding the Temple after the Babylonian exile (Ezra 3–6, Haggai 1–2).  At the moment Zechariah is prophesying here, the project had been stalled for years due to opposition and limited resources - the people were discouraged.  To see Zerubbabel with the plumb line in his hand was a visible sign that work was beginning again.
2. What is a plumb line? A plumb line is a simple but ancient tool: a cord with a weight at the bottom. Builders used it to establish a true vertical line. By holding it against a wall or structure, they could see if it was straight or leaning. It ensured accuracy and alignment in construction.
3. Why is this important in Zechariah 4? The plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand is significant because seeing Zerubbabel with the plumb line in hand was a visible sign that work was beginning again.

So when Zechariah says “the Lord rejoices to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand”, he is essentially saying: “God is not only going to be pleased with the finished temple, He is rejoicing TODAY at the beginning!”

Can we take this a little step further?  This is just getting good! Hang with me!   

The plumb line wasn’t the first step, the very first step was laying the foundation which had already been done years ago (Ezra 3:10–13). Seeing Zerubbabel raise the plumb line represents a fresh start in rebuilding. Using a plumb line is physically easy, but taking up the plumb line meant choosing to believe again, to press forward against opposition, small numbers, and the memory of Solomon’s grand temple. To use less words: THIS IS BIG! That’s why God tells them “Do not despise these small beginnings.”

The hardest part wasn’t holding the tool—it was mustering the faith, courage, and persistence to start again, trusting that God would bring the work to completion. While the tool itself was simple, the act of picking it up represented a huge step of faith in the face of discouragement.

Okay, are you still with me? Back to the day of small beginnings and speaking life into those in your sphere of influence: 

Practical Ways of Speaking Life

I’ve had fun around my dining room table or in corners of coffee shops, speaking life into the fresh visions of others.  Want to start a podcast?  I can help you with that!  Want to start a YouTube channel?  Let’s talk!  Want to blog?  I’m excited to help!  It’s a tribute and a passing it forward at the same time: I remember when someone taught me to do these things and more (that was a short list!) and now I’m excited to teach someone else.  Let’s all win! The Lord rejoices to see a work begin - and I do too! As you are mustering the courage to raise the plumb line, to begin, I am cheering you on!

Someone reached out to me recently - “Can you share what you are doing?” Sure I can!  This isn’t me inviting them into a space I own.  This isn’t me creating competition for myself.  This isn’t even me inviting them to join “my” team - if anything, I’m inviting them to join the Lord’s team!  This isn’t mine!  No matter how many women I am privileged to speak into, there’s MORE.  We’re talking about the difference between incremental growth and exponential growth. 

Lots of ways to speak lie and encourage those around you - start with the easiest: leave a comment, “like” or even “love”, share a post. Write a note, send a text, make a phone call. 

Biblical Example of Speaking Life

This wasn’t ever my idea, anyway.  Once again, Jesus directed us first, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).  

Jesus was not afraid of competition, He had no scarcity mentality.  Know what else He said? He said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these” (John 14:12). He spoke LIFE into the disciples and by extension into us: “Go and make disciples who will then in turn also go and make disciples.  You think these things I’ve done are great?  You’re going to do even greater things than this!” Talk about speaking life, wow! Jesus invites us into His space to do even more than He did!

Speak life into the ministry of others - there is no competition here!  Promoting the work of the Lord will activate abundance in your own life! If God is rejoicing, isn’t that all the encouragement we need to rejoice as well? 

Here’s another thing about speaking life, raising that plumb line, beginning: whatever the Lord gives to you is really meant for the Body of Christ.  Truth is His.  Glory is His. Influence is His.  If the Lord has given something to you, He has also given it for the expansion of the Kingdom. You have an insight? Share it. You have a skill set? Share it. You have an encouraging word? Share it. This is not only for you!  What would happen if we kept the good things of the Lord to ourselves, for ourselves?  Yikes.  I won’t go down that rabbit trail - but I’d invite you to do that on your own for a minute.  If the Lord gave it to you, He’s giving it to you to share with those around you.

Thinking back again to Peter inviting the other fishermen to help with the catch (Luke 5), thinking about Jesus who encourages us that we’ll do greater works than He did (John 14).... Thinking back to my childhood pastor telling me, “what you make happen for others, God will make happen for you”, let’s take the opportunity to champion the work of the Lord wherever we see it happen!  

When you see someone “raise the plumb line”, remember the day that you made that seemingly small step yourself - cheer them on! Speaking life into others will activate abundance in your own life - and that’s a treasure!  

Join me on Thursday - let's continue the conversation on the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@JenniferWSpivey and thanks for joining me on the blog today!