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Category Archives: Power of God

Over-Victors

21 May
Over-Victors

I’m continuing my study through the book of Romans. We’ve been looking at Paul’s questions at the end of chapter 8.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Romans 8:35-36

This is a great question. Every believer needs to remember both the question, and Paul’s answer. It will help us to face the toughest times in our faith journey.

He asks if there’s anything or anyone who could place a separation between us and Christ. The word trouble, in this verse, is a Greek word that means pressure. That’s something we all have to deal with.

We may not like it when we find ourselves under pressure. But, it’s one of those things that we’re told to rejoice over throughout Scripture (John 16:33; Romans 5:3).

The word hardship, on the other hand, means to be in a narrow confining space. There are times we feel like we’re in a rut with no way out. Even in those times, God’s love is reigning over us. Paul actually says that he enjoys those times because when he’s weak, God shows His strength (2 Corinthians 12:10).

The apostle goes on to list other things we may face such as persecution, hunger, poor clothes, danger or fighting. In all of these things, none of them will put space between us and God’s love. We are the only ones who, by our own foolishness, can distance ourselves from the Lord.

Paul goes on to quote Psalm 44. It basically is asking God, “Why have you forsaken us? Our enemies are trampling us.” So, Paul is asking if that’s what serving God is all about. I like his answer.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

The short answer is NO!!!! We’re not meant to be a bunch of doormats for the enemy and the world to walk over. He literally says that we are over-victors.

It goes beyond just a victory. Not just a 6 to 5 win. It’s more like a 1500 to 5 blowout. If it were boxing, it would not be just winning by points but a first round knockout. There’s no need for a recount.

We’ve been given victory over all of the things listed previously…AND MORE!!! Not life or death. Not even the principalities of the enemy’s kingdom.

He also includes many of the things we worry about on a daily basis. The present things that are happening to me right now. But also, the future events that I don’t even know about yet. The Lord has them all taken care of already.

There may be high things, like walls or barriers, that I don’t think I can get through. Or, there might be deep mysteries beyond my limited understanding. The bottom line is that there is no thing, creature, or organization that can keep God’s love and grace from reaching me.

That’s the joy of being an over-victor. It’s all manifest by our intimate times spent with the Holy Spirit.

Question: What are some areas of victory that you’ve experienced lately?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 21, 2021 in Encouragement, Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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God’s Progressive Work

17 May
God’s Progressive Work

As we continue through the book of Romans, we’re seeing how the Spirit-led life brings about God’s will. His goal is to conform us to the image of Christ Jesus. The next verse is a summary of how the Lord does this.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 8:30

In my last post we saw that our predestination was based upon the foreknowledge of God. He knew we would bow our knee to Christ, so He set our destination in Him.

Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, there are a progression of things that God works in our lives.

First, it says that He called us. What’s this talking about?

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

The Lord is calling you to draw near through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. His call goes out to everybody, but not all will answer.

For those who do answer this call, there’s more ahead. There are deeper callings, the more we advance forward in Christ.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:12

Our callings get more and more refined as we answer and obey. These callings bring us deeper and deeper into the destiny God has prepared for us.

The next step in God’s plan, is that He justifies us…He makes us innocent. This is only for those who respond to the first call…the call to submit to Christ. These are the ones God foreknew.

The final step is to be made glorious. This Greek word means that others place a high weight on your opinion, they value your words. As we’ve been seeing through Romans, people should be looking to you for freedom.

I believe this is why, many times, we hear those words, “I thought you were a Christian. Why did you…?” God wants us to be sought after for the solutions to life’s problems. Yet, many Christians are stumbling around through life themselves.

We need to get our lives back on track with God’s Word. The world is in desperate need to see us at that level.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

That’s a very good question that Paul asks at this point. What else is there to say? Literally – if God is over us, then who can come down on us?

Think about what was said earlier in this chapter of Romans. My spirit and the Holy Spirit are in conference over me. The Holy Spirit conferences over all the saints. So, if God is over us, we can definitely walk in His victory.

We must submit to the Holy Spirit so He can bring us to this point of maturity.

Question: What would your life look like if you were perfectly submitted to the Holy Spirit?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 17, 2021 in Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Working Together for Good

14 May
Working Together for Good

As we continue through the book of Romans, we arrive at another verse that gets us all turned around. We need to really understand it in its context.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

This is great verse and I’ve heard many people quote it and preach about it. They usually say something like, “Don’t worry, no matter how bad your situation gets, God will turn it around to good in the end.”

Is that what Paul’s saying here? To answer this, we need to think about the verse just before this one. What’s the context of this statement?

Remember, the apostle told us that our spirit and the Holy Spirit are in conference over us. The purpose of this conference is to bring about God’s will in our lives.

It turns out that there’s an alternate translation of verse 28.

“God works together with all who love Him to bring about good – the purpose to which they were called.”

Remember – I don’t know the objective precisely as needed. However, the Holy Spirit of God will work with me to overcome that weakness. This translation melds perfectly with what Paul said in verse 27.

Of course, many people want to believe this verse the alternate way. They feel they can do what they want – just “love God” – and He’ll work everything out.

I don’t believe that’s the case. The Lord will work together with me to bring about His good purpose in my life. That’s more in line with the context of this chapter.

Think about what the rest of Scripture teaches.

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Mark 16:20

As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

2 Corinthians 6:1

This concept is found all throughout God’s Word. The Holy Spirit and the saints working together. Why would Paul say that God will do the work Himself, all you have to do is love Him? I believe that it’s clear, God wants to work with us to bring about His will.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:29

The next big question is about predestination. The key is that those He foreknew, He predestined to be like Christ.

We forget sometimes, that God is outside of time and space. Before you were born, He saw the day you would receive Him as your Savior. So, He already made a place for you in His Kingdom.

He set a destination for you, based on your future decision. It’s the destination that’s the important part of this verse.

What is that destination? That we are conformed to the likeness of His Son. It says that we’re morphed together into the picture of Christ.

This is the plan that the Holy Spirit and my spirit are working together to accomplish. Everyday, I want to look more and more like Jesus. That’s the goal of prayer in the spirit. That’s the only way to truly overcome the flesh and its sinful nature.

Question: How have you changed since coming to Christ?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 14, 2021 in Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Firstfruits of the Spirit

05 May
Firstfruits of the Spirit

In my last post, I talked about the fact that the world system is waiting for the church to be revealed in God’s glory. That’s a body of believers who are walking in maturity. This is the goal Paul is bringing us to in the book of Romans.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Romans 8:22

According to this verse, the whole system is doing two things. The first word Paul uses means to be groaning together. This is a moaning because of the place we find ourselves in.

It speaks of a very narrow place. The world understands that there should be more to life than the petty things they’re chasing after.

The second word Paul uses means to be in birth pains together. Picture this in the spirit…the entire world filled with pregnant, groaning, women. That’s what God sees in regards to His destiny for the church.

In my last article, we saw that the world is desperate to be liberated from its bondage to decay. That’s the physical law that everything goes from new to old and decayed. It’s also known as the Third Law of Thermodynamics for all of us science geeks.

However, the kingdom of God – the church – should be a place where that law has no effect. We should be experiencing healing, prosperity, and joy – in spite of all that’s going on around us.

It’s just like Israel when they were in Egypt. When the plagues came, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived was unaffected. I believe this is what we’ll experience in the final days before the return of Christ.

Then, those with eyes to see and ears to hear will run to the kingdom of God before it’s too late. I believe that will be the final harvest before the coming of wrath and the return of the Lord.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:23

Now we see another groaning that the apostle talks about. The world system is groaning under the weight of decay. But we, as the body of Christ, are groaning too.

Who is it that’s groaning? It’s those who have the firstfruits of the spirit. That’s an interesting term. I understand the Fruit of the Spirit. That’s the result of the cultivation of the spirit walk.

In Old Testament times under the Law, you could plant fruit trees. According to that Law, you couldn’t touch the fruit for the first three years. Then, in the fourth year, all of the fruit belonged to God.

Then, from the fifth year on, it was considered a mature tree and all the fruit belonged to the owner. Now he could begin to give a firstfruits offering.

The Scripture didn’t say how much to bring for the firstfruits. So, the priests came up with some guidelines which became part of the traditions of the elders.

They said that the least anyone should give is one-sixtieth. However, if you want to be liberal with your offering, you could give one-thirtieth.

That reminds me of how the Lord blesses when we plant the seed of His Word. He blesses thirty, sixty, and even a hundredfold on His Word. He goes above and beyond all we can ask or imagine.

The fact is that those of us who are starting to see the work of God in us begin to groan inwardly. We’re waiting for the full adoption – the complete ransom – the deliverance of our body.

We’re starting to see the first of God’s work in us through the Fruit of the Spirit. But we’re groaning for the whole thing to be accomplished.

Question: How much of the Fruit of the Spirit do you see in your life?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 5, 2021 in Ministry, Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Good Suffering?

30 Apr
Good Suffering?

As we continue our study through the book of Romans, Paul is about to show us the way to finally overcome the flesh. He’s told us about the work of Christ on the cross. By identifying with Him, we count ourselves as dead to sin.

At that point, I’m a spiritual infant in God’s kingdom. I’m not where I should be yet. How do I deal with that? I want to be an adult son now.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 8:17

Maturity is something that takes time to develop. How do I live with this frustration of wanting to be mature right now? Nobody wants to wait to grow up.

This verse tells us that we’re co-heirs with Christ. It also tells us that if we’re co-sufferers with Him, we’ll be co-sharers of His glory.

This tells me that the suffering is what we go through to become adults. It’s not really what we want to hear. But, Paul goes on to explain it to us.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

Paul literally says that according to his calculations, our present sufferings cannot even be compared with our future glory. Suffering is one of those topics we don’t want to talk about.

The truth is that we need to co-suffer, but it doesn’t compare to the glory.

What is this suffering that he’s talking about? First off, let me assure you that it’s NOT sickness, poverty, or depression.

The Bible actually lets us know where this suffering comes from.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

The word, passion, in this verse is the same word as suffering in the Romans verse. The root of this word is passion, but it’s a passionate suffering. It’s like when something causes you to cry out, “I can’t take this anymore!” It comes from our sin nature. Why is this a good thing?

For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:5-7

Here’s another important word – comfort. In our modern culture, we think about someone putting their arms around us and saying, “There, there, it will be okay.” On the contrary, this word means to call alongside. It’s what a coach does when he trains his athletes.

The best illustration I’ve ever seen of the Holy Spirit’s comfort, was from a movie a few years ago. It’s called Facing the Giants. I encourage you to watch it. To see the clip I’m talking about, click here.

That perfectly illustrates the suffering and the comfort provided by our Coach, the Holy Spirit. It’s about making our flesh do what it doesn’t want to, under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

We think we can’t go on. We think we can’t do what we’re called to do. We call it suffering. But God knows better than us.

We need to learn to listen to, and obey our Coach. Only then will we see the glory of a victorious life.

Question: What are some times that you had to suffer on the road to maturity?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 30, 2021 in Power of God, Revival, Sonship, Spiritual Walk

 

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War on the Inside

26 Mar
War on the Inside

In my last post, we looked at putting God’s Word into our hearts. This is the first step toward a change in our lifestyle. Let’s continue with Paul’s teaching in Romans.

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

Romans 7:22-23

So far we’ve been talking about following God’s law. Now I’m looking at a different law in my body. It’s not God’s law. It’s the law of sin and death.

According to this verse, it’s on an aggressive, active military campaign with two objectives. The first purpose is to destroy the law of God in my mind and heart. It wants to totally wipe out God’s law from my inner man.

The second objective is to make me a prisoner of war to the law of sin in my body. That’s why the flesh – the desires of the body – is our greatest weakness.

Please remember that Paul is talking from the perspective of a baby, carnal Christian. He describes this phase of the Christian experience.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Romans 7:24-25a

Wretched, now that’s an interesting word! In the Greek language it’s a compound word. It combines a money balance and a severe trial. The word picture is of a balance that’s overloaded on both sides and is in danger of breaking.

That’s what the war between the flesh and the spirit feels like sometimes. It prompts the cry of the baby Christian who’s intent on growing up. “Who will rescue me from this?”

Notice that it’s not the complacent, “I Don’t want to grow up.” Instead, it’s a cry for deliverance from this body that’s aligned itself with death.

Even the word used for, deliver, is important. It means to flow like river sweeping us away from the problem. It doesn’t ask for the strength to endure, but a total escape from situation.

The good news is that the Lord has the answer.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:18

The condition we face is an attack of the flesh. But, thank God, we have the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Paul concludes this section by summarizing.

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:25b

With my mind, I serve God’s law. But my flesh is in slavery to sin’s law. It’s just like an overloaded balance. But, there is deliverance. This situation can be stopped, not just endured, or will-powered through. Jesus Christ can bring deliverance from this mess.

In my next post we’ll begin looking at Romans, chapter 8. There, Paul will show us the way to freedom. You won’t want to miss it.

Question: How have you experienced this battle between your flesh and your spirit?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 26, 2021 in Faith, Legalism, Power of God, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Ongoing Work of the Cross

12 Feb
The Ongoing Work of the Cross

In my last post, I talked about the spiritual work that’s started in us at baptism. I said that it was continued throughout our lives. The Apostle Paul continues that thought.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

Romans 6:5

This verse shows the link between our past and our future in Christ. The word that’s translated, united, is actually a term that deals with agriculture. It means the growing process of plants.

So what this verse is saying is…if we’ve grown together with Him in His death, it will be the same with His resurrection. There are not two words for “united” in this verse. The growth starts at death and continues on through resurrection.

That brings us to the central issue.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin…

Romans 6:6

The fact is that there can be no resurrection without the cross.

That’s why Jesus tried to explain to His disciples over and over that He needed to go to the cross. It was imperative that He suffers, dies, and then three days later, rises up from the grave. He did this so that all of the unneeded baggage could be removed from our lives.

This verse explains exactly what He removes. The Lord wants to get rid of your entire past. The “old you” is removed and nailed to the cross with Christ. It’s never to be heard from again. But it doesn’t end there.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

Christ doesn’t only deal with our past. The work He did on the cross affects our present and future as well. This is because the cross means nothing without the resurrection. The two must go hand in hand.

It’s great that Jesus got rid of my past sins and the guilt and shame that came with it. But I’m living in the present. I’m concerned about the future. How does what He’s done speak to this?

The power that was released when Christ rose from the dead is available to me today. I now have the power of God present in me. I have a source of strength that will get me through today victoriously. It will carry me through until I reach my destiny in Christ Jesus. That’s the power of the resurrection.

It’s just like when we’re editing something on our computers. You can create a lot of great stuff. But until you click on the save button, everything can be lost. Christ did a powerful work on the cross. But it was when He rose up from the dead that He hit the save button.

The Lord’s death and resurrection opened up the saving work of God for all time and to all people. This is what the church should be proclaiming.

Question: How does Christ’s work continue to change your life?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 12, 2021 in Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Baptism – A Spiritual Work

10 Feb
Baptism – A Spiritual Work

As we continue our walk through Romans, we’re seeing how God deals with sin in our lives. In my last post, I started talking about baptism. It’s the first step in our freedom from sin and its affects.

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Romans 6:3-4

I ended my last post by saying that baptism is a spiritual work. Let me get into more detail.

This passage tells us that not only were we immersed into the death of Christ, but we were buried together with Him. Please understand, this isn’t just a mental identification with Christ.

The verse says that I WAS buried with Him. That has to have been a spiritual work. However, it gets better as we continue in the verse.

The phrase, just as, literally means exactly like. So, the glory that God used in raising Christ Jesus from the dead, was used in exactly the same way at my baptism.

The glory of the Father raised me up from death to enter a new life. I rise up with new life exactly like someone who has been raised from the dead.

This is key in understanding God’s work of salvation in us. It’s more than just reciting a prayer and receiving an initiation rite into church membership. We’re talking about a powerful spiritual work that’s being done in us.

Listen to how Paul describes it elsewhere.

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Romans 8:11

In my last post I said that there was a spiritual work being done in our baptism that we needed to attach our faith to. Here it is.

I cannot see my baptism as a one-time occurrence. On the contrary, it was the beginning of an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in me.

By faith I can look back on my baptism and say, “Up until that day, I was living in death. Then, on the day of my baptism, I was raised from the dead. I now have the life of Christ in me by the power of His Holy Spirit.”

Understand what I’m saying. I was saved when I put my faith in Christ and prayed the sinner’s prayer. But, until the day of my baptism, I hadn’t yet placed a faith-demand upon God for victory over my sin nature.

The question is; did I know any of this when I was water baptized so many years ago? No, I didn’t. But I know it now and I can release my faith to receive the benefits of it. You can too.

If you haven’t been water baptized when you were old enough to accept it on your own, let me encourage you to seek it out. You won’t be sorry. Use it, not as a church tradition, but as a springboard to new life by faith.

Question: What was your life-changing experience in baptism?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 10, 2021 in Faith, Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Grace is Life

03 Feb
Grace is Life

We’ve been looking at Paul’s letter to the Roman church. In my last post, we talked about the battle between life and death.

Paul obviously understood the importance of this principle. He continues to talk about it in the next few verses..

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

Romans 5:18-19

Because of Adam’s sin, everyone is now under the same guilty verdict. Because of that, we deserve the death sentence.

However, because of the work of Christ on the cross, that sentence has been nullified. According to this verse, we now have been given access into a not guilty life through Christ.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:19

Paul finds another way to tell us the great things that God has done. Adam caused us all to become sinners. But, by the love of the Lord, His sacrifice has now made us righteous in God’s eyes.

These are wonderful truths that we need to be meditating on. Don’t let the enemy lie to you. Never convince yourself that you’re unworthy of God’s love. Jesus Christ has made you worthy. You can be clothed in His righteousness.

The law was added so that the trespass might increase.

Romans 5:20a

As we continue along this line, we see where the villain of the story comes in. Remember, it’s the law that empowers sin.

I like the way this verse reads in the original Greek. It tells us that the law sneaked in so that the sins would increase. The law is very stealthy. You would think that it’s trying to help you. But instead, it’s trying to trip you up.

In actuality, the law is the word of death that the devil stands upon. The law’s goal is to increase sin and the reign of death.

I’m grateful to God that this isn’t the end of the story.

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:20b-21

The truth is that where sin abounds, the grace of God super-abounds. Nothing can outperform our Lord. Sin, no matter how great, cannot outdo grace.

Christ won a great victory. So now, just like sin reigned in death, grace now reigns through righteousness, being focused on eternal life.

God’s grace is now carrying out the agenda of life. At the same time, sin is carrying out the agenda of death. It’s up to us to decide who’s reign we want to submit to.

Personally, I want to choose life. But the question becomes; how do I walk in this life that Christ has purchased for me? That’s a good question, and over the next couple of chapters in Romans, Paul deals with that very thing.

If you haven’t yet subscribed to this blog, take the opportunity now. You won’t want to miss this important teaching.

Question: How have you messed up in trying to follow the law?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 3, 2021 in Legalism, Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Death – The Evil Emperor

01 Feb
Death – The Evil Emperor

As we continue looking at the book of Romans, Paul is dealing with the battle between life and death. In my last post we were seeing the result of the cross in this struggle.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:15

This verse should really open our eyes to the truth. Death became king because of the one offense, when Adam sinned. But now, in Christ, how much greater is our reigning in life because of God’s super-abundant grace?

This verse literally says that we will rule or be kings in life through Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, it seems that many believers are fighting the wrong enemy. We think that the devil is the highest enemy. NO! He answers to his boss – death.

If you have subscribed to this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I’m a scifi nerd. I remember when Star Wars first came out. Darth Vader was the evil mastermind that the rebel forces were trying to defeat.

But then, in the second movie, The Empire Strikes Back, we were shocked to see Darth Vader bowing before an even higher being…the Emperor. That’s the way it is in our spiritual battle. Death is the emperor that the devil bows before.

Death is the real enemy, not the devil.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14-15

That’s why throughout Scripture the battle has always been life versus death. That’s what we’re always told to choose between (Deuteronomy 30:19). The choice is always between life and death. It’s not about good and evil, or even God and the devil.

That’s why Jesus holds out life to all who will come to Him.

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

John 5:24

Notice that we haven’t crossed over from the kingdom of Satan, but from death. We have got to grasp this truth. Our greatest enemy is not the devil, it’s death.

When we speak or act in the power of death, that’s when we give him power over us. Satan is the Darth Vader of the empire of death. His goal is to carry out the agenda of death.

But there’s a greater truth at work in us. Now we are the king through Christ. We have the authority of life. That is, if we speak and act according to the agenda of the God of life.

It seems that we’re always on the lookout for sin and the devil. We need to start watching for the little ways we let death enter the scene.

…and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:27

What is a foothold? Simply put, it’s a place to stand. We have to stand on God’s Word. The devil has to stand on death’s word. Actually, he has to operate the same way we do. The difference is that the Word of Life is more powerful, has more authority, than the word of death.

If you haven’t already done so, change your way of thinking. Choose life and speak the Word of God. That’s the best way to a victorious lifestyle.

Question: How have you seen the battle of life and death playing out in your experience?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 1, 2021 in Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk, Spiritual Warfare

 

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