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Category Archives: Prayer

The High Ground of Thanks

09 Jun
The High Ground of Thanks

In my last post, I talked about Paul’s exhortation on singing in the church. It’s the way we keep our attitudes right before God and each other. He ends this verse with a call for a thankful attitude.

As believers, we need to live a life of thankfulness to God. What most people don’t realize is that walking in thankfulness actually places you in a position of spiritual power.

…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20 NIV

This is actually a poor translation of what the Apostle was saying. Paul literally said we should be always giving thanks…OVER everything. We need to understand that in the name of Christ we are over the situation.

This verse tells me that giving thanks raises me over any situation that I happen to be in right now. We see the problems and they look so big.

It’s just like the Israelites who spied out the Promised Land. Most of the spies only saw that there were giants living there. They announced to Israel, “We were grasshoppers in our eyes.”

But Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand, were looking through eyes of thankfulness. They were thanking God for giving them the land. Their attitude was, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory.”

It doesn’t matter how big the mountain is. Thankfulness puts you over it. How does that work?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6 NIV

You’re told not to worry about the situation you see before you. Listen to the response of God’s will. We are to go before God’s presence, then we bare our hearts before Him, and finally, we lay our needs at His feet.

Look at the outcome that’s promised to us.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7 NIV

When you offer up thanksgiving in a worrisome situation, then the peace of God will begin its work in you. This verse says that it transcends your understanding. Do you know what that means?

The actual Greek word is Huperecho. It literally means to hold oneself above. So, when you present these challenging situations to God, with thanksgiving, God’s peace will hold you above all your human understanding.

This same peace of God will also be a guard, like sentries, around you. We need to see that it’s the peace OF GOD that will hold you above the circumstance.

But it’s the giving of thanks which results in the peace of God. Then, that peace is activated to hold you above the circumstance.

Allow the peace of God to work in you. Yes, thank God for all that He’s done in your life. But don’t stop there. If there’s anything that you’re facing that’s challenging or causing you to worry, thank God for the victory over it.

In faith, take the high ground today, and every day.

Question: What future victories do you need to thank God for right now?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on June 9, 2023 in Power of God, Prayer, Spiritual Walk

 

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Purchasing Time

05 Jun
Purchasing Time

We’re continuing our walk through the book of Ephesians. We’re looking at how we should walk in the light of the Holy Spirit. Paul continues with this thought.

What he tells us is the foundation for revival. I want to see revival in the church. It’s obvious from what’s happening around us that we need it. The real question is; do we want it? And more than that, are we willing to do what it takes to lay hold of it?

Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:15-16

In this passage, we’re once again told to be careful, to live wisely, and to pay attention. The days we live in are evil, hurtful.

I used to teach that inanimate things couldn’t be evil or good. After spending some time studying this verse, I realized that I was wrong. Things like days and money can be evil. It’s actually talked about throughout the New Testament. The times we’re living in are evil by influence and effect.

We’re told that we should be making the most of every opportunity. That literally means purchasing, buying time in the Greek.

God has set times where He wants to accomplish things through the church. But the times are evil. That means that it’s on us to redeem time.

We have been redeemed – from the law and the curse. Now we must redeem time from the curse. We must set aside times for God’s purposes.

We must purchase the time through prayer. That’s what he means by redeeming or purchasing the times.

We live in dangerous days. We want to see the hand of God at work. We must set the foundation through prayer and prayer in the spirit.

That’s why Paul goes on to say…

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:17-18

I’ve heard it said that we must pray the price. I never understood it until now. It’s time. Time to pray and purchase the appointed times for the move of God.

That’s what revival is going to take – time in the Lord’s presence. That’s where we find out what God’s will is. That’s where we receive His strategies for the days ahead.

That’s what Paul meant in talking about walking in the light and in the day. We are children of the light. More than anyone else, we should know and walk in God’s will.

It’s all based upon the prayers of His people. America desperately needs revival. Time set apart to Christ is the only way we’ll bring that to pass.

The unfortunate thing is that this generation seems to be extremely stingy with their time. If I said that a revival would cost a million dollars, we’d probably raise it pretty quick. But if I say it will take a week of meetings and prayer, where we clear our schedules for the move of God, few would take part in that.

It takes time to purchase revival. Those who want to discern the times and reap the harvest will redeem the time. We must pray the price, buying the time.

Question: How much time are you willing to clear up from your schedule for a move of God?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on June 5, 2023 in Ministry, Prayer, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk, Word of God

 

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Let the Light Do Its Work

02 Jun
Let the Light Do Its Work

We’re going through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In my last post, I started talking about how we are to walk in the light of the knowledge of God. There’s a reason that this is good for us.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.

Ephesians 5:11-14a NIV

This is a very important aspect of our walk with the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, this translation doesn’t do justice to what’s being brought before us. We really need to understand what the apostle is teaching us here.

The first thing he says, is that we shouldn’t be participants in the unfruitful works of the darkness. These are the things that we don’t want anyone to know about. They don’t produce any good fruit. They are the weeds in our spiritual garden.

Jesus said that these cares and desires choke the Word that we’re trying to plant in our lives (Mark 4:18-19). They cause it to be unfruitful in us.

This verse tells us that we need to expose these things. But expose is not really the word that Paul is using. He’s literally telling us to rebuke these things that would bring unfruitfulness. That means that we need to call them out as wrong.

No, I’m not talking about calling out the wrongs that other people are doing. I mean that we need to see our actions through God’s eyes, and rebuke ourselves, if needed. This is an important part of our Christian journey.

Paul was clear about this when writing to the Roman church.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live..

Romans 8:12-13 NIV

This is how we come against the fruitless misdeeds of the flesh. We must put them to death by the spirit. But, how can this be accomplished if we never acknowledge them as works of darkness?

The above verse from Ephesians is all about us allowing the light of the Holy Spirit to bring these things to our attention. The way the above verse is translated makes it sound like it’s talking about other people.

In reality, the word, disobedient, is not in the original Greek text. What Paul actually said was that it’s shameful to even talk about these secret things. We would probably be embarrassed to talk about these faults with others. That means we need to deal with them in the power of the spirit.

The last sentence above, tells us that everything the light rebukes, becomes apparent. That’s the job of the light. Spending time in the presence of the Lord, causes us to see things the way He does. It causes sin to look sinful to us.

That’s why Paul exhorts us to come into the light of the Holy Spirit.

This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Ephesians 5:14b NIV

It’s very easy for us to become complacent in our sins and moral weaknesses. Time spent in the spirit changes all of that. If you want to see real change and a greater degree of fruitfulness, then apply this to your life. Allow the light of the Lord to expose, rebuke, and uproot these unfruitful works.

Question: How has the light of Christ exposed things in your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on June 2, 2023 in Power of God, Prayer, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Putting On the New Man

17 May
Putting On the New Man

We’re continuing to go through the Book of Ephesians. I’ve been posting about the foundational teachings that Paul referred to in this letter.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

So far, I’ve talked about the putting off of the old self and the renewal of the mind. The final piece that these early believers were taught was how to put on the new man that was created to be like God.

This process can take place slowly or quickly, depending upon our obedience and understanding. In looking at the modern church, it seems like this is the step that we know the least about. We definitely have very little experience with it.

But, before I get into the “how” of putting on the new man, I need to warn you. What I found in Scripture, as I studied it, totally changed my perception of how God works in us. As I got deeper and deeper into the Word, I found that my definition of the words I was reading was inadequate and, in some cases, inaccurate.

As we go along, I will have to redefine some words that the church has watered down over time. It wasn’t done maliciously, but it’s had a negative effect on us none the less. Please keep an open mind as you prayerfully take in what the Word of God teaches us.

Keep in mind that this is what the early believers were taught, at least under Paul’s ministry. Through prayer in the spirit, they overcame and put off the old man. They won the war against the flesh and its misdeeds.

Also, through prayer in the spirit they were able to grasp and retain the mind of the Lord. It caused their minds to be renewed in the process. They no longer thought the way they used to.

Now there’s a need to put on the new man. The old is gone, but we must replace it with something better. God wants to give us a new nature that’s been manufactured, fabricated, to be like God.

What’s the sign of this transformation? According to the Scripture, it’s true righteousness and holiness in the lives of those who accept it. I’m not talking about positional righteousness and holiness. As important as these are, they don’t always manifest in the lives of believers. They must be laid hold of by faith.

I’m talking about the actual, physical walk of righteousness. It’s living out the holiness that God has for us. When this happens, the world sees something different in us.

Unfortunately, based upon this definition of the new man, much of modern Christianity has missed it. What we have is a church that can’t get out of its own way. God’s people are too busy chasing after the world and its pleasures. All the while we’re confessing Scripture and believing for the blessing of God. Any talk of commitment or devotion to God is seen as condemnation and we avoid it.

The simple truth is that we’ll never be like Jesus until we put on this new man. The phrase put on literally means to sink into like a robe. We must be immersed in it.

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:12 NIV

It’s clear from this verse, and many others, that putting on the new man is a matter of our choice. It’s not automatic. Why would we be exhorted over and over again to do it if it would just happen by itself? It’s another step in our Christian growth.

In my next post, I’ll finish talking about this important truth.

Question: How does the modern church compare to the life that Jesus Christ exemplified for us?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 17, 2023 in Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Path to Daily Renewal

15 May
The Path to Daily Renewal

We’re continuing our walk through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. In my last post I began talking about the renewing of our minds. We saw from Ephesians 4:23, that it’s a work that’s accomplished in the spirit.

…to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

Ephesians 4:23 NIV

Even the phrase be made new is full of meaning. It’s the Greek word ana-neoo. Neoo means brand, spanking new, right out of the box. Ana is a prefix that adds an intensive repetition. This renewal is to be done over and over again.

This is the only place in the Bible that this word is used. Every other place the word renew means to freshen or renovate. In this verse we’re talking about resetting everything back to the original factory settings. This is the ultimate do-over. But it can only be done in the spirit.

That’s why I place such a high emphasis on prayer in the spirit. Without it we have no chance of overcoming the sin nature or walking in the renewed life. I feel that the renewal of the mind is the most important part of the process. Without setting our mind correctly, it will never fully cooperate with God’s plan.

This is reiterated throughout Paul’s ministry. At one point he felt the need to remind Titus, a young pastor, about these things. He reminded Titus what they were like when they first came to God. They were just like everyone else in the world. They thought and acted like everyone around them.

…he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit…

Titus 3:5 NIV

The salvation process is described here in two parts. First, the washing of rebirth – the removal of the old man and the putting on of Christ. Then came the renewal by the Holy Spirit. We have to give up the idea that it’s just about reading the Bible.

As important as Scripture is to us, I know many people who aren’t even saved, who read the Bible every day. Their lives show no improvement because of this practice. The Bible will only bring change if it’s activated by the Holy Spirit.

That’s why this is not a one-shot deal. The word renewal contains the thought of repetition. We must continue in it day after day. Prayer in the spirit is not a holy “toy” that we take out of the box merely to play with on Sunday mornings. It’s a vital agent of change that needs to be cultivated day after day. We must continue to refresh and reset our minds.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV

In the context of this verse, Paul is not talking about the entire church. We read this and think that every Christian is being renewed daily. That is absolutely not the case. In all of 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, Paul is talking about himself and his ministry team. Paul, who prayed in the spirit more than most believers of his day, was allowing himself to be renewed daily in the spirit.

This is why our daily time with the Lord is so important. We must take the time to read the Bible and pray in the spirit. Reading gets the written word into you. Prayer in the spirit activates that word and brings it to life within your heart.

That’s how you live in daily renewal, just like Paul. Not doing this is one of the biggest hindrances to serving Christ in His ability.

Question: How do you spend your daily time with the Lord?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 15, 2023 in Power of God, Prayer, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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A Renewed Mind

12 May
A Renewed Mind

I’m continuing my posts about the teachings that the Apostle Paul referenced in his letter to the Ephesian church.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

My last few posts dealt with the putting off of the old self. Now I want to talk about the second thing that the Apostle Paul said was taught to the believers in Ephesus. He tells us that we need to be made new in the attitude our minds.

In the sequence of putting off the old self and embracing the new, the mind becomes the battlefield. It can be our greatest ally or our worst enemy. That’s because our mind can side either with the flesh or the spirit.

In order to win the war, our minds must be renewed. This can be a very quick process, if it’s done in the spirit. But the mind must be in agreement with submission to the will of God.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2 NIV

So many people have approached me over the years asking how they could find God’s will for their lives. The reality is that you can never “find” God’s will. According to Scripture, you must approve the will of God for your life. This will only happen as your mind comes into agreement with what God wants for you.

God has a perfect plan for your life. He developed it before the foundation of the universe. He knew you before you ever existed.

Even so, He’ll never implement His plan without your approval. That’s why we’re told not to conform…to the pattern of this world. That literally means don’t be forced into the world’s mold.

Instead, we are to let our mind be renewed. The word Paul uses for this is like the English word morph. We know about morphing in special effects in movies and on TV. When one thing changes into another, we say that it’s been morphed. That’s what God wants to do with our mind.

He wants to remove the thought pattern that we’re used to, the attitudes of the world. Then the Lord changes them into His thought patterns. In that way we’re renewed into His way of thinking. This is a work that the Lord must perform in us.

We’ve watered it down, in this generation, to the point where I’ve heard it taught that all you need to do to renew your mind is to read the Bible.

What is the Scriptural way to a renewed mind? It’s right in the second verse that we first looked at.

…to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

Ephesians 4:23 NIV

Again, the translation waters down the true meaning of this verse. We need to get back to the original meanings. The literal Greek of this verse says renew, in the spirit, your mind. Let that sink in. We need a spiritual renewal. How can we ever expect our mind to renew itself?

There needs to be an outside force at work in our mind. That’s where true renewal comes from. It’s a work done in the spirit.

I don’t know why we keep striving to do in the natural what can only be worked in the spirit. You may think that I’m wrong for continually emphasizing it, but our spiritual prayer life is more important than we realize.

Question: How has your thinking changed since you’ve been saved?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 12, 2023 in Power of God, Prayer, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Baptism – The First Step to Victory

10 May
Baptism – The First Step to Victory

We’re continuing through the book of Ephesians. In my last post I started talking about how other generations of believers experienced the transforming power of God. I said that we needed to be retaught what they had learned. We looked at the following passage.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

According to Paul, the first thing we should be taught is how to put off the old self. This is talking about our flesh – the dwelling place of our evil desires. It’s the gift given to us by our ancestor, Adam.

According to James, this is where all of our temptation comes from.

…but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

James 1:14 NIV

Contrary to what we see in the cartoons, it’s not the devil sitting on our shoulder that tempts us. It’s our own flesh that sees something it wants, and tries to get our soul to agree with it. The desires of our flesh – that’s where the battle starts.

Paul wrote a lot about this subject. It’s from his writings that we can learn how to overcome the flesh. It’s in Romans, chapter 6, that he begins dealing with the subject of sin. He tells us that it’s the grace of God that covers our sin.

Paul goes on to ask a question that may sound a little foolish, but it’s one we deal with all the time. Should we sin more in order to get more grace? Obviously not. But he uses the following argument.

By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Romans 6:2-3 NIV

Here’s an important truth – in Christ we’ve died to sin. In the waters of baptism we’ve identified ourselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. So, we shouldn’t want to live according to our old life. But by the very question he asks, he implies that it’s possible to live in sin even though we died to it. How can we get the victory over this sin?

It all starts with our water baptism. This is where we identify with Christ. This is where we begin the process of removing the old man. Peter agrees with Paul’s assessment.

…and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…

1 Peter 3:21 NIV

The word pledge in the above verse means the asking, desire or demand. When we allow ourselves to be baptized in water, we are placing a demand on God for a good conscience. Because we desire to live rightly before Him, we take this step. It’s how we start down the road to remove the old sin nature.

That’s also how Romans chapter 6 starts. The first 10 verses describe our identification with Christ through water baptism. Then, in verse 11, Paul brings out the next step in the process.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11 NIV

The words in the same way let us know that this is a new truth. You were baptized, and by faith identified with the death of Christ. In the same way that you trusted God for this, now go on to the next step of faith. I’ll talk about that step in my next post.

Questions: Were you baptized in water? How was your faith released during your water baptism?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 10, 2023 in Power of God, Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Do You Truly Know Christ?

05 May
Do You Truly Know Christ?

As we continue through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, I just talked about how not to live for Christ. Paul exhorted us to live above the world’s way of thinking. Now he goes on to show us the true way to a fulfilled Christian life.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:20-24 NIV

The apostle is talking about gaining a knowledge of Christ Jesus. The knowledge of Christ that he’s talking about is that which is based in relationship. It’s the knowledge of Christ that changes your life. Nothing is off-limits to the Holy Spirit.

This was the basis of Paul’s prayer that we looked at in the beginning of this series from Ephesians.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Ephesians 1:17 NIV

What is this knowledge actually about? He uses the Greek word epignosis. There’s really no exact word in the English to translate it. It means to have full discernment or recognition.

It’s like this…I can tell you that I know Abraham Lincoln. But you would immediately realize that I was lying. That’s because you know that there’s no way I could have ever met him.

I may have studied about him in history. I might have watched documentaries about his life. I know about him – but I don’t know him.

That’s what Paul is trying to tell us in this verse. He didn’t pray that we would read the Bible more; or that we would attend church and listen to more sermons about Christ. Instead, he prayed that we would tap into the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. He wanted our knowledge of Christ to be more intimate than second-hand word of mouth.

In order to truly know the Lord, we need wisdom – the ability to interpret and apply the facts that we know. We also need revelation; the uncovering of things that we don’t know. That’s how we learn to know Christ in the way He wants to be known.

“Well, then it’s up to God to give me this knowledge.”

Actually, He already did. When we were saved, He placed the Holy Spirit on the inside of us.

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true — even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5:20 NIV

This has already been accomplished in us. If we’re in Christ, then we have the Holy Spirit. Now it’s up to us to receive the wisdom and revelation that He desires to give to us.

But that seems to be the hard part. Because receiving God’s wisdom means that I leave the foolish thinking of the world. That’s key to living a fulfilled life in Christ.

I’m going to take a few posts to look into this a little more deeply. Hopefully, it will be a blessing to you as you come along with me on this spiritual journey.

Question: How does worldly thinking have a negative effect on the life of a Christian?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 5, 2023 in Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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That’s No Way to Live

03 May
That’s No Way to Live

We’re continuing through the book of Ephesians. Paul now tells us the type of life to keep away from.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

Ephesians 4:17-19 NIV

Paul has quite a lot say in this paragraph. But it goes a long way in describing our society at this point in history. Unfortunately, we see much of this creeping into the lives of God’s people.

The first thing he tells us is that this is no way to live. We’re not like the rest of the world. So, we shouldn’t think like them. We can’t have a life view like society around us.

The apostle describes it in this way. He says that their thinking is futile. That literally means that their thoughts are empty, devoid of truth. That should never be a description of how a Christian thinks.

But, the fact that Paul is warning us about it, tells me that we could fall victim to this thought process. How could that happen? What would make a believer take on the world view of the unsaved?

According to Paul, their understanding is darkened. This means that the area of their mind that thinks deeply is darkened. They aren’t using this facility that God has given them.

This is something I’ve observed in the lives of some Christians. We don’t want to think deeply about the things of God anymore. We want the shallow teachings that can get us in and out of church quickly.

The word, separated, in this verse means to be off on one’s own. Too many of us want to be off on our own, away from the life of God. We know what God wants for us, but we don’t want to walk in it just yet. We have other priorities right now.

We have to understand that it’s the life of the Lord that brings light to our minds. The further we walk from God’s way, the darker our thinking becomes. But that’s just a symptom of the true problem.

It starts with ignorance – the desire not to know something. There are some things from God’s Word we just don’t want to hear. That’s because we know that it will convict us.

As we continue down this path, our hearts become hardened. The knowledge of God’s Word has less and less of an effect on us.

At that point, we begin to lose sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. We no longer listen to that still, small voice that’s calling us closer to God. Then, we find ourselves in a place we never thought we would get to. We’re doing things we never though we would do.

It’s time for us to turn around. Listen to what the Lord spoke to Israel if they would turn back to His ways.

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 11:19 NIV

If you find yourself in this condition – thinking and acting the same as the world around you – it’s time to pause and consider. Begin to think deeply about your relationship with God. If repentance is needed, then be quick to approach the throne of grace.

The time is now for God’s people to live on the level He calls us to. Then the world will see the difference in us. Then they’ll be drawn to the feet of Christ.

Question: What is the condition of your heart?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 3, 2023 in Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Unity of the Spirit

19 Apr
The Unity of the Spirit

As we go through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, we must keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is beginning to emphasize our corporate walk. He’s showing us how to function together as the body of Christ on earth. This thought continues.

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

In order to grasp this, we must first define the term, unity. We must understand that there’s a big difference between unity and agreement. Most Christians use these two terms interchangeably. Actually, they’re two very different truths.

The Word of God is clear that agreement is when we think and believe the same way.

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.”
Matthew 18:19

In this verse, the Greek word that’s translated, agree, is sumphoneo. It’s where we get our English word symphony. It literally means to sound together. You agree on the facts, so you speak the same thing.

This means that if I believe Jesus is Healer, and you believe Jesus is Healer, we’ll sound the same when we speak. In that case, we’re in agreement. That makes it a function of our soul.

Unity is a whole different thing. Look at the above verse from Ephesians again.

In the same way that agreement is a function of our soul, unity is a function of our spirits. What we need to realize is that we’ve already been made one in Christ. It’s now our job to keep or guard the unity of the spirit.

In the Greek, the phrase, make every effort, means to use prompt and earnest effort. This tells me that it requires work on our part. There’s something we need to do. In order to keep this unity, it will require the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

It’s all about allowing the Lord to connect me to those around me in the body of Christ. Only then can we fulfill our calling together. Listen to Paul’s exhortation to the Philippian church.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel…

Philippians 1:27 NIV

Whenever I read this verse, I have to change the tone of my voice. This should be read like a general encouraging his troops on the eve of battle. Their goal is to have complete victory over their enemy.

It’s the same for the church of Jesus Christ. Everyday should be considered life on a battleground. As a matter of fact, Paul will get into that further on in this letter to the Ephesians.

Too many believers don’t understand this fact. They think that they can float through life caring only for themselves. That’s a recipe for defeat.

The Lord, Himself, as well as the apostles make it clear that we’re in a spiritual battle. If that’s the case, then it’s impossible to win this victory all by ourselves.

Paul’s commands are perfectly clear. We are to stand firm in one spirit. That’s the only way that we can be contending as one man for the Gospel. In order to do that, we need to line up our spirits with the Holy Spirit.

I believe that this means we need to be praying in the spirit. It’s this prayer in the spirit that unifies us for the spiritual war that we face each day. This is the unifying factor in the church.

Question: How often are you involved in corporate prayer in the spirit?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 19, 2023 in Fellowship, Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Relationships, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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