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Category Archives: Ministry

Prayer in the Spirit is Key

28 Jul
Prayer in the Spirit is Key

We are currently looking at Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. We’re in chapter 6, which deals with spiritual warfare.

Now the apostle will bring it all together. There are some practical things that we need to know if we’re going to walk in the power of God.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:17-18

I’ve already talked about the helmet and sword. They’re the pieces of armor that are issued after we’re properly trained and approved. If you remember, the word, take, actually means to receive or accept.

Now the question is; how do we receive these powerful spiritual weapons? To answer that, we need to understand the Greek language of these verses.

First, let me say that I’m grateful for the translators who have given us the Holy Bible in the English language. I’ve met some of them and I know that most of them are sincere in their service to Christ. The time and dedication that they gave is a wonderful gift to the church.

That being said, there are some inherent challenges when you translate a text from one language to another. Depending upon your experience and/or your spiritual baggage, sometimes your own thoughts can unknowingly color the translation.

This is especially true when dealing with prayer in the spirit – praying in tongues. We know that the Apostle Paul had a very rich experience praying in the spirit (1 Corinthians 14:18). He had an understanding of this discipline more than most believers, even in our generation.

The problem comes in when a translator who has never even experienced the gift tries to figure out what Paul is saying. They look at the Greek words but have no understanding of how to apply them. They then make their best guess at how to align the translation in a way that also works with their own personal experience.

On top of all that, the Greek language allows for what we would call some huge run-on sentences. Sometimes two, or even three, English verses are actually all one sentence in the original Greek text. In order for the passage to be more understandable to modern readers, the translators have broken them up for us.

This is the case in the above section of Scripture. The clue to this is when you see verse 18 starting with the word, and. That should tell you that verses 17 and 18 are actually all one sentence.

In the original text, the word translated, and, is actually the Greek word, dia. Dia literally means through or by means of. That one change brings a whole new meaning to this verse.

It literally reads, “Receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God by means of prayer and requests, always praying in the Spirit.” The apostle makes it clear that we receive these weapons through our prayer in the spirit.

I know that there are those in the body of Christ who don’t believe that this gift is still active and available. Unfortunately, that’s the result of some translation issues that I’ve outlined above. So, over the next few posts, I’m going to specifically write about prayer in the spirit (tongues) as it relates to spiritual warfare in Scripture.

God’s people need to be spending quality time in the spirit if we’re going to see the end-time harvest in our generation.

Question: How much time do you spend praying in the spirit?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 28, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Warfare, Word of God

 

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Walking in Authority and Power

26 Jul
Walking in Authority and Power

We’re continuing our walk through the book of Ephesians. Over the past few posts, I’ve talked about the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, in chapter 6. I looked at them individually in order to understand what they are and how they operate.

But if you remember, when I first talked about them, I said that they were given to us as a set.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17

After we lift up the Shield of Faith, the next step is to receive, accept, the helmet and sword. As I’ve said, these are the two pieces of armor that God bestows on us once we’re sufficiently trained.

You may not like this teaching. Most others preach that these are ours to use simply by faith. However, I think that a quick look at the church today will prove that relatively few believers are victorious over the enemy and his kingdom.

Personally, I want to see results in my Christian walk. To do that, I need to trust what Scripture says and not a good sounding preacher.

I need to first prepare myself for battle. I take up the belt, breastplate, shoes, and shield. I submit myself to the training of the Holy Spirit. Only then am I in a position to receive the helmet and sword.

To review, the Helmet of Salvation is the authority of God working through me. The Sword of the Spirit is the power of God. This is a lethal combination against the enemy’s kingdom.

Authority is the permission you need to carry out your calling effectively. Power is the ability to see it accomplished. You can’t complete your assignment without both of these ingredients.

The concept of “issued armor” is not only a spiritual truth. It works this way in the physical as well. Think about what it takes to become a Police Officer.

First, they have to undergo classroom training. They need to learn the law, tactics, and procedures. Then they need weapons training. After that, they need to practice their fieldwork. If they pass all their training, they can graduate from the Police Academy.

However, even then, they can’t hit the streets and start arresting criminals or issuing tickets. There’s one more important step. They need to be accepted and hired by a police force.

Let’s say that a graduate from the academy is hired by the NYPD. Only then are they issued their two most important pieces of equipment. I’m talking about their badge and their gun.

The badge tells the city they work for, their rank, and the authority they have in the department. The gun gives them the power to enforce the authority that’s been given to them.

The Scripture teaches that it’s the same way in the spirit. We need to be issued a helmet and sword. Unfortunately, because of a lack of teaching about this, there are many believers trying to battle the enemy hand-to-hand. We were never called to do that.

On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:4

We get into trouble when we ignore verses like this. Paul clearly taught that God has an approval process before He’ll entrust you with His Word of power. It’s the Holy Spirit that does the testing.

This concept is found all through the New Testament. We would do well to understand it and walk in it. Only then will we see the power and authority of Christ affecting the world around us. I believe that this is the next step on God’s agenda. He wants to train His church to live and minister as Christ did.

Question: How does the spiritual helmet and sword increase the effectiveness of our evangelism?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 26, 2023 in Anointing, Ministry, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Warfare, Word of God

 

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Applying the Sword of the Spirit

24 Jul
Applying the Sword of the Spirit

In my last post, I explained that the Sword of the Spirit is a special Word that you’ve received from God. You get it by spending quality time in His presence. The Holy Spirit trains you before giving you this gift.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

This truth is hard for us to accept sometimes. The true Word of God is alive and active. It has a life and will of its own. I can speak it, but I can’t control what it does.

We sometimes think that if God would speak through us, we’ll have such a great time. That’s not always the case.

Think about Elijah. He heard from God and then spoke to a king saying that it wouldn’t rain for a few years. Because of that Word, Elijah had to live by a brook for his water. Later, the brook dried up and he had to go to a widow for provision.

When God’s Word is invoked over a situation, that Word has its own plan. Scripture makes it clear that it will accomplish what God ordained it to do. (Isaiah 55:11)

Even more than that, once God’s Word goes forth, nothing can be protected from it. It can totally change every area of your life. The writer of Hebrews continues with this thought.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Hebrews 4:13

When this verse says that everything is laid bare, it uses a special Greek word. It literally means to expose the neck of a victim so that they can be killed. This is a powerful spiritual weapon.

This is why the Holy Spirit must train us to use it. God will never entrust it to an infant, the unapproved, or fools. It can totally destroy the work of the enemy in someone’s life, in a city, or in a region.

As believers, we should desire to enter the spiritual battle. Our goal should be to set the captives free from the influence and control of the enemy.

In speaking about those with God-given authority, Paul made an interesting observation.

For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
Romans 13:4

I know that in its context, this verse is talking about people in authority, such as the Police Department, who are authorized to keep the peace. But there’s a greater application.

Are you God’s servant? Do you desire to do good? If so, then this verse could be applied to you in a spiritual sense.

This verse tells me that there’s a reason why the police carry a gun. In the same way, the Lord doesn’t issue the Sword of the Spirit for no reason. If you have no reason to bear the sword, you will not be issued the sword.

What’s the reason that we’re given this sword? To explain it, I’m going to give a word by word translation of the last sentence of the above verse. In essence, God’s servant is a punisher, who repeatedly carries out justice against evil, while motivated by a violent passion.

Please remember – I’m ONLY talking about attacking the devil’s kingdom IN THE SPIRIT. I’m not talking about any physical attack.

With that in mind, if you have no intention of attacking the enemy’s kingdom with a violent passion, then you’ll have no reason to be given the Sword of the Spirit. To put it another way, God will have no reason to give you a special Word from Him.

We need to allow the Holy Spirit to train us. Our generation needs more believers who can handle this sword.

Question: How passionate are you about seeing God’s will done on earth?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 24, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Warfare, Word of God

 

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Applying the Helmet of Salvation

19 Jul
Applying the Helmet of Salvation

In my last post, we saw that the Helmet of Salvation speaks of the authority we’re given in Christ. If you remember, all of the armor is put on by my choice. This piece is received once I’m trained in its use.

Think about when Jesus entered the Temple courts and overturned the tables of the money-changers. At that point, the priests asked Him, “Who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23)

That’s because authority is like a chain. Each link is connected. Authority must be given and received.

So how does salvation enter into all of this?

Salvation means that we’re safe and defended. When I say that I’m saved, I mean that I’m safe in Christ. However, there are three distinct works that the word, salvation, refers to.

The first took place when I bowed my knee to Christ and prayed for Him to save me. I was saved. I was taken out of the world’s trash heap and placed in God’s house for His use.

Now, in God’s kingdom, I’m experiencing an ongoing cleaning process. All that “stuff” from the world that stuck to me is being removed – sin, sickness, poverty, anxiety, depression, bitterness, etc. I’m in the process of renewal. I am being saved.

Then, someday Christ will return to take physical possession of the earth. At that point, I’ll receive my new resurrected body. I will be saved from decay and death.

The question is; which of these works does the helmet speak of?

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1 Thessalonians 5:8

If you read this verse in the original, you’ll see that it’s not saying that we’re hoping for salvation. Instead, it’s the hope, literally the expectation, that comes from our salvation. So it speaks of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

If I submit to the process of salvation, I am being saved. It’s this ongoing work that protects my authority in Christ.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Romans 1:16

This verse makes it clear that salvation requires power. That’s important because, like I said in my last post, authority is the permission to use power. Submitting to this cleaning process allows God’s power to flow through me.

Please understand what I’m saying. You don’t have to be absolutely clean and perfect to walk in God’s power. But you do have to be submitted to the process.

How then do I receive and put on this helmet?

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Philippians 2:12-13

It’s obedience to God that works out this salvation in us. The reason Paul tells us to use such respect – fear and trembling – is because it’s the God of the universe who’s working in us. Simply put, obedience is the acceptance of His process at work within us.

I put on the Helmet of Salvation as I submit myself to God’s ongoing work in me. That brings an expectation of the good things to come as a result of this.

Question: How well do you see yourself submitting to God’s process of renewal in your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 19, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk, Spiritual Warfare

 

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Salvation as a Helmet

17 Jul
Salvation as a Helmet

I’m continuing to post about the epistle to the Ephesians. We have been going through the section on the Armor of God. In today’s post, we’ll talk about the Helmet of Salvation.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17

Before I talk about the helmet, there’s something I need to explain. The Greek text has an interesting and important twist in this verse. Up until this point, every piece of armor was taken with a unique word. For instance, under bind your feet with the shoes or take up the shield.

In this verse, there’s only one action for both pieces of armor. We’re literally told to accept or receive the helmet and sword. That leads me to believe that these two are an all or nothing combination.

In fact, once we understand these pieces, we’ll know why this is true. I’ll talk about why they’re combined together in a future post. For now, I simply want us to get to know them as individual pieces of armor.

So the question is; what is the Helmet of Salvation used for? The obvious thing is that a helmet protects your head. It’s also obvious what the head symbolizes in Scripture.

…and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
Colossians 2:10

Christ is The Head. He has the final power and authority over all of Creation. But I am also a head under Christ.

First, I need to explain power and authority; they’re not the same thing. Power is the ability to act. We were told in Acts, chapters 2-3, that we would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us. Do you have the Holy Spirit? That answer is yes if you’re in Christ. So, you also have power.

Authority is something very different. It is the right or permission to use that power. Now, I need to know where I can get this authority.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:1

All authority is given by God. I can’t take it for myself. There are 4 distinct authority structures ordained by God. They are the church, the government, the home, and the workplace.

As we look at the pieces of armor, we find that there are groupings of items. First, there’s the “standing armor”, which is truth, righteousness, and preparation. Then there’s the “armor of approach”, which is faith so you can get near enough to strike the enemy.

The next two, the helmet and sword, are something else completely. The word, take, in the Ephesians verse, literally means to accept or receive. So these to pieces are the “issued armor”.

In the Roman army, the helmet told your birth country, your rank, what division you were in, and your place in the army. It was the sign of how much authority you had in this army.

The Helmet of Salvation is the same for us. It’s the sign of our authority. That’s important because if I haven’t received authority, then I can’t walk in authority. Without authority, I have no ability to use power.

The key is that I can never take authority. It can only be received when it’s given to me.

He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Matthew 10:1

Authority can only be given by someone who has it. It flows from the top down. It’s vital that I do what’s necessary to receive God’s authority in my life.

God’s authority is how I accomplish the Lord’s work. It gives me the right to use the power of God against the enemy and his kingdom.

Question: Why is walking in both power and authority important for the church of our generation?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 17, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk, Spiritual Warfare

 

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Faith as a Shield

12 Jul
Faith as a Shield

We’re continuing our walk through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. We’ve been going through chapter 6 in detail. In talking about God’s Armor, the next piece we’ll see is the Shield of Faith. That’s probably one of the most preached about in our generation.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16

There are some assumptions being made in this verse. Paul says that this is in addition to the pieces already talked about. This assumes that you’re already standing firm in the Word, walking in righteousness, and prepared to do God’s will.

We can stand firm in just these. What we have to realize is that when we take up the shield, we’re going from defense to offense in the spiritual battle. Up until this point, your goal is to keep the enemy from harming you.

You add the shield so that you can now defeat the enemy. You take up the Shield of Faith because you’re now going into the part of the battle where the arrows are flying.

Please understand that I’m not talking about saving faith. You’ve already trusted Christ for that. I’m also not talking about faith in the promises of God. I’m looking at using faith in the middle of the battle as a shield.

It’s your protection against the flaming arrows of the evil one. This means that there’s more than just one arrow headed in your direction.

That brings me to the word, shield, itself. The Greek word used in this verse is not the little one that looks like a trashcan cover. Get that picture out of your mind, even though most of the illustrations for the Christian armor look like that.

The word Paul uses comes from the word door. That’s because this shield is as big as a door. The soldier could hide behind it and be totally protected from these arrows as long as he stayed there.

That tells me that faith protects my whole life. So far, the armor has protected my mind, my heart, and my will. This piece protects everything else.

This shield protects me from evil. What kind of evil? I’m talking about the random evil that’s flying in the front lines. The archers on the wall loose a volley of arrows against those who are advancing. These are simply flying to take out whoever they can hit.

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day…
Psalms 91:5

If the enemy can hit our flesh with evil, then our flesh will take us out of the fight. We’ll end up battling our own sin nature instead of defeating the devil’s kingdom.

These are the flaming arrows of the enemy. As the weapons of the enemy hit the wooden shield, it begins to wear away. If you just stand still in your Christian walk, you begin to lose ground. Your faith begins to fade.

That’s why prayer, reading the word, and fellowship with other believers are so vital to our walk with the Lord. We need to continue in all of these things just to stand still. If that’s the case, then I really need to build my faith for moving forward in God.

However, there’s one more purpose of the shield other than for protection. In the Roman army, everybody’s shield was painted differently. They did this because your shield identified your family. Members of the same family had the same design on their shields.

But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Hebrews 3:6

The fact is that we’re now in God’s family. This verse tells us that we can show it by our outspokenness. When we walk in faith, we can boldly declare our expectation in Christ. In that way, we show what family we belong to.

In my next post, I’ll talk about how to use and apply this piece of armor.

Question: How has God shielded you from the enemy’s attacks?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 12, 2023 in Faith, Ministry, Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Warfare

 

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Applying Your Spiritual Shoes

10 Jul
Applying Your Spiritual Shoes

In my last post, I talked about what the shoes protect. They keep our endurance to complete God’s will in our lives. Today I want to talk about how to use this piece of armor.

…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:15

We’re told in the above verse, that this readiness comes from the Gospel of Peace. The Apostle explained this Gospel right in this same letter. You may want to read Ephesians 2:11-22 before continuing with this post.

In the second chapter of Ephesians, Paul shows us that the Gentiles were far from God, while the Jews were in His family. However, when Christ came, He destroyed all the barriers.

Formerly there were three parties at war: God, Gentiles, and the Jews. Through His death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus reconciled all people to Himself. We are all members of one body. We all have unlimited access to God.

Paul concludes that chapter by stating the point of the Gospel of Peace.

In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:21-22

Now, everyone who bows their knee to Christ has a place in this Temple. We’re being built into a dwelling place for God.

What we’re told to do takes effort.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:3

We’re told here to guard the oneness of the Spirit in the bond, or literally, the ligament of peace. Contrary to what many say, peace is not just some calming factor. It’s the glue, the unifying factor, in the body of Christ.

This tells me that I put on my Shoes of Readiness by connecting to the body of Christ. In talking about the reason for the five-fold ministry gifts, the Apostle Paul explains it.

…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…
Ephesians 4:12

This is why we connect with the body of Christ. By connecting, I learn to serve.

I know that right now many have stopped going to church meetings. They may have stopped attending during the COVID crisis. Maybe they’ve been hurt in the past. Or it could be the proliferation of TV and online preachers.

There’s a question that some ask. “Can’t I be a Christian and never go to a church?” The answer to that is yes, but it’s not all about you. Apart from a local church, you can never be prepared for works of service that build up the body of Christ.

Of course, there are a lot of believers who attend church yet aren’t connected. That puts you in the same condition. You’re shoe-less.

As a matter of fact, the above verse continues to say…

…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13

It’s all about the body of Christ as a whole operating on the level of Christ. That’s not going to happen without us all being connected. The church needs to arise in this generation.

That’s how you put on the shoes of readiness. You can’t move forward unless you find your connection. If you’re not connected to a local body of believers, then you’re trying to walk without shoes.

It’s my connection to a local church that fleshes out the Gospel of Peace. Then, from that connection, my spiritual feet can be protected as I move forward in God’s will.

Question: What are your connections in the body of Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 10, 2023 in Fellowship, Ministry, Relationships, Revival, Spiritual Warfare, The Church

 

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Your Spiritual Shoes

07 Jul
Your Spiritual Shoes

We’re continuing our study through the book of Ephesians. At this point I’m going through the section known as the Armor of God. In today’s post, I’ll talk about the shoes.

…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:15

It’s obvious that this piece of armor protects our feet. The question is; what are our spiritual feet?

Simply put, we walk with our feet. This includes three aspects. Direction…we point our feet where we want to go. Speed…this could be determined by a number of factors. Endurance…as a hiker I know that I can only walk as long as my feet are able.

So to answer my question I need to understand what it is that determines my direction, speed, and endurance in my spiritual walk. In life, it’s my will that brings all of these things into focus.

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
Psalms 18:32-33

God perfects the way before me, but I still have to set my will to walk it out. My will determines my direction, speed, and endurance. This is important for us to know.

Knowing this, we’re told that something needs to be fitted on our spiritual feet. The word, fitted, in the verse from Ephesians literally means an under binding.

That’s because my will is where I come in contact with the world. It’s just like in the natural; my shoes protect my feet as they contact the earth. When I live for Christ, my will comes in direct opposition to that of the world.

It’s in this place of contact that your endurance can get worn down. If you don’t wear shoes, or don’t wear the right shoes, the earth determines how you walk. With the right shoes, you determine your walk.

Like I’ve said, I’m a hiker. I have a good set of hiking boots. I’ve gone out for day hikes with friends who only had a pair of flimsy sneakers. I laughed as they slowly picked their way so as not to step in mud or on a sharp rock. But I was able to move straight forward because my feet were properly protected.

As I look at the armor, I notice that there’s a specific order to put it on. It starts with the mind (The belt), then moves to the heart (The breastplate), and now we prepare our will.

That answers a question that many ask. How do I know God’s will for my life? Once you protect your mind and your heart, you’re ready to hear God’s will. There’s a divine order to it.

Having said all of this, I think the keyword is readiness, the preparedness to do God’s will. We must realize, even before we know God’s will for us, that it’s going to be the opposite of what the world desires. Unless we’re prepared to protect it, our day to day life will wear it down.

Any believer can start doing God’s will. Only those who can endure to the end can finish what they started. We need the preparation that can only come from the Gospel of Peace.

We sometimes get the idea that everything’s okay. “When something comes up, I’ll do the right thing.” NO! You won’t unless you’ve prepared yourself for that evil day.

The fact is that if you don’t prepare beforehand, you won’t choose God’s will when you’re under extreme pressure. The Lord has provided a way for us to walk in victory, but we have to put the armor on.

At one point in Paul’s ministry, he knew God’s will for him was to go to Jerusalem. All along the way, prophecies came forth warning that he would be arrested. The church people pleaded with him not to go.

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 21:13

We need that same preparation. No matter what comes our way, we’re ready to follow through and complete God’s will for our lives.

Question: What’s the next step in God’s plan for your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 7, 2023 in Ministry, Revival, Spiritual Walk, Spiritual Warfare, The Church

 

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Applying the Breastplate of Righteousness

05 Jul
Applying the Breastplate of Righteousness

In my last post, I showed how the Breastplate of Righteousness was given to us to protect our hearts. That’s the good ground of our life. It’s where we plant the good seed of the Word of God.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we’re told to put on the full armor of God. That means it’s a choice I have to make. The first thing we need to understand is what this righteousness is.

In the Bible, we’re told about two kinds of righteousness and both of them are important. First, there’s the position of righteousness. That means I’m declared righteous simply because I’m in Christ and He’s my righteousness.

Because of this position of righteousness, I can go into the presence of God whenever I want. Whether I need forgiveness, or simply want to praise and worship the Father, I have 24/7 access to God’s throne.

I praise God for the position of righteousness that we’ve been granted in Christ. However, that’s not the righteousness that protects our ground. The breastplate speaks of the walk of righteousness.

How does the walk of righteousness protect my heart? In the natural, Scripture talks about the enemies that invaded Israel and ruined their fields. Fire, drought, foxes, stones, salt, weeds, locust, and hail were all causes of crop failure.

In our walk with God, we’re warned to be careful not to form intimate relationships with unbelievers. We’re told that bad friendships corrupt good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). By becoming intimate with the world you’re opening up yourself for a broken heart – rocky, stony soil.

When your walk is not right before God, you have an open, unprotected heart. If you remember, a few posts ago I showed that the armor wasn’t Paul’s invention. There’s a word picture of God wearing His armor in the Old Testament.

Knowing this, Paul described what the breastplate consists of.

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1 Thessalonians 5:8

The first thing Paul talks about here is self-control. You may not want to hear this, but it takes self-control to put on the breastplate.

The word, self-control, in this verse, is not the same as the fruit of the spirit. This Greek word means to be sober, not drunk. We can’t be so intoxicated with the world that we miss God’s best.

Then, Paul gives us a closer look at this breastplate. He tells us that it’s comprised of a combination of faith and love. Walking in faith and love is the completion of your righteousness before God.

It should be obvious how this works. I must choose to trust God. I must choose to love God. This is a daily choice, to walk in righteousness. It’s a faith-love walk.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Galatians 5:6

In the New Covenant, circumcision is all about the rules of men. The reality is that in Christ rules don’t count for anything. Only a walk of righteousness matters.

This verse talks about being in Christ Jesus. That’s where you have to be to use the armor. This passage literally says that in Christ…the only thing that has force is faith, energized and made effective, through love.

How does this protect my heart? When you walk in the combination of faith and love, you’re placing a “force field” of righteousness around your heart. Your ground is protected, and you can expect your spiritual seed to grow unhindered by the enemy.

Question: What evidence do you see of faith and love working together in your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 5, 2023 in Faith, Ministry, Revival, Spiritual Warfare

 

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Stand Your Ground

23 Jun
Stand Your Ground

As we go through the letter to the Ephesian church, I’m continuing to post about the spiritual battle that we’re in. The Apostle Paul had a lot of insight in this area. Of course not everything he wrote sounds good to me.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13

This is one of those scriptures that I have to take note of whether I like it or not. I’m told under the authority of the Holy Spirit to always be prepared to stand my ground.

This is a great lesson that the church needs to hear. So many people give up when things get hard. Some of us are under the impression that working for God should be all hearts and flowers.

Why then does Paul use the analogy of a warrior, fully armed, and dressed for battle? The fact is that there are spiritual forces that don’t want us to succeed in our service to the Lord. The victory comes from knowing that it’s the Holy Spirit giving you strength, and not giving up.

We need to learn how to stand in the center of opposition. The ancient Romans knew how to do this. It was the secret to the success of their army. Each of the Roman soldiers was taught how to defend a 3-foot square of ground from an invading army. When they stood, together, there was no way to break through their lines.

We need to get it into our heads that the only way to victory is to move forward in the Lord. Backing up WILL NOT get you out of the battle. It will only make you have to fight to regain that ground later.

Most of all, the thing about this verse that gives me the most trouble, is when Paul says when the day of evil comes. Not “if”, not “there might come a time when problems arise”. He tells us in a straight forward way that this day is coming whether you’re ready or not. So the best thing to do is prepare now.

The word that Paul uses for stand literally means to stand in opposition to. This word is used elsewhere in the Bible.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

The word resist in this verse is the same word as stand that Paul used. We need to stand our ground and resist the devil. We’re told that if we do this, in submission to the Lord, the enemy will flee. It’s the time frame between the resisting and the fleeing that gives us the most problem.

Why would the devil ever flee from us? After all, we’re not that strong compared to him. The answer is back in the verse from Ephesians.

The phrase after you have done everything actually translates after you have fully accomplished your work. When you have done everything you were assigned to do by the Lord, then it’s time for the Holy Spirit to take over. One thing I’m certain about. The enemy is no match for the God I serve!

So, being forewarned with the knowledge that the day of evil is coming, we need to be ready. We must be fully armed and prepared to stand our ground in Christ. Then we will see the victory of God manifest in our situation.

Question: What are you going through right now that will require you to stand your ground?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on June 23, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Warfare

 

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