I’ve been talking about the connection between revival, repentance, and forgiveness. I believe that’s what’s necessary to usher in a revival in our nation.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21
Is this verse true? Can evil be overcome with good? The answer is a resounding YES! The principles of forgiveness bring victory over evil. Look at the example of Scripture.
In the early church of Jerusalem thousands of people a month were being saved. Jesus was being preached. Also during this time the apostles were arrested and brought before the religious leaders for questioning.
Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Acts 4:18
This was the outcome of their meeting. Does it sound familiar to you? It should. This is the attitude of society in the United States today. They tell us that we can do whatever we want – just don’t mention Jesus.
What was the response of the church in Jerusalem to this kind of attitude? Did they go out and preach some more? Hold a Jesus concert? Put a referendum on the ballot? Absolutely not.
They called a prayer meeting. This is what they brought before the Lord at that time.
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Acts 4:29-30
Considering that they were told not to use the name of Jesus, here’s their request. First, they asked for boldness. Then they asked for healings, miraculous signs and wonders. But the important point was that they wanted them accomplished in the name of Jesus.
They didn’t just want to preach in His name, they wanted the world to see the power of the name of Jesus. This is the forgiveness principle at work – it’s the power to arrest and destroy sin. It’s all done by the power of the Spirit.
That brings me back to the verse I first started with at the beginning of this series.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Do we want our land healed? Then sin must be forgiven – removed – arrested and destroyed. The only way this will happen is for the church to get on our knees. There needs to be intercession made for our nation.
Not praying for a better president or leaders. Not praying for new laws. We must cry out God to give us the boldness to speak His Word. We must intercede for the Lord to send miracles, healings, signs and wonders. All of this so that the name of Jesus can break sin.
After all, it’s so much easier to win the lost if the battle is won first in the heavens.
Questions: Why is it so hard to get people to intercede for our nation? Are you willing to pay the price for revival?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: boldness, Christ, forgiveness, healing, Holy Spirit, intercession, Jesus, miracles, name of Jesus, overcome evil with good, power, power of God, power of the spirit, pray for revival, repentance, revival, revival in America, victory
My last post talked about positioning yourself to flow in God’s power. It all comes down to the truth that agreement with Christ is the place of power. Do we always agree with Him? Or do we make excuses?
“You can’t know God’s will for certain.” “He may not want to heal.” After all it can’t be our fault. We feel there’s nothing wrong on our end so it must be God’s decision not to manifest His power.
In some cases we’re more like the Pharisees than we want to admit. Jesus explained their problem to them. I believe that it’s our problem as well. We need to hear the Lord, and meditate on His words.
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
John 5:39-40
Many believers spend a great deal of time pursuing the study of Scripture. There are radio and cable channels devoted to the study of the Word of God 24/7.
Just like Jesus said to the Pharisees, many of us think that by them we possess life and power. We believe that if we just know the Word enough, it will increase our faith to the point where nothing will be impossible for us.
The Scripture is given to testify about Christ. It was NOT given to grant us access to power or life. Jesus Christ is the grand focus of the Word. It’s IN HIM that we have power and life.
Our problem is that we refuse to go to Christ to have access to power and life. Jesus said, “I have come that you would have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) Power rests solely in Christ. If we don’t abide in Christ, then we don’t have access to the power.
The very Scriptures that we recite, confess, and memorize are telling us who Christ is and what He’s done. This should cause us to run to Him. Instead, we embrace the Word and think that it will give us power. It’s so much easier to live for ourselves and quote promises, then to abide in Christ. That requires spiritual effort, and we like to look for the shortcuts.
This is the instant generation. We want everything now without any waiting. By constantly using our credit cards we will give away our future for a momentary pleasure. We have to have everything now.
Well, this is something that’s impossible to get instantly. It requires the work of an intimate relationship with God. Power flows from Christ to us if we’ll do what it takes to position ourselves to receive it. It’s time for the church to wake up and view relationship with Christ as the priority of the hour.
Question: Are you willing to wait in God’s presence rather than seek for instant success?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: abide, abide in Christ, Agreement, agreement with Christ, Christ, confess, confession, excuses, healing, in Christ, Jesus, life, manifestation, memorize, position, positioning, power, power is agreement with Christ, power of God, promises, recite, relationship, Scripture, study, testify, testify to Christ, word of God
In my last post I talked about how we needlessly put God to the test. It was something Christ refused to do during His earthly walk.
When I began this series, I shared how I personally went through one of the worst points in my life. During this time we were one of the families who lost their homes in the recent mortgage crisis.
But I can state, without reservation, that at my worst financial point, I was still better off than most of the world’s population. I had a roof over my head and a full belly. How dare I even entertain the idea that God failed to provide for my needs. If I’m truly walking in faith, then I acknowledge that I serve a faithful God, who I never need to put to the test.
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
Matthew 4:8-9
The devil continued his assault using the promises of God. This time he used a promise specifically aimed at Christ, the Messiah. He was making a deal with Jesus in which the Lord could obtain the Messiah’s blessing without having to endure the pain of the cross. As far as the Lord was concerned, this was the last straw.
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Matthew 4:10
Jesus saw right through the devil’s smokescreen, and rejected the offer without even giving it a second thought. How dumb can we be? So often we fall when the enemy tempts us to do foolish, unscriptural, and even ungodly things…all for spiritual reasons, of course. We sometimes make crazy decisions all under the guise of “God wants me blessed, happy, and wealthy”
I’ve heard things like, “God told me that this is the woman He created for me.” My question is what about the woman you’re married to right now? What about “God hates divorce”?
By His life, Jesus showed that He lived above the promises. He lived as a Son empowered by the Holy Spirit.
We’ve lost the whole concept of sonship. I desire to post about it in depth someday. But for now we need to see how very differently Jesus lived than we do. He didn’t feel the need to spend His life rehearsing the promises. Neither did the Lord try, in His power, to fulfill the requirements so that He could obtain the blessings.
Jesus lived His life in the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s my goal, and the goal of these posts. That the church of the living God would wake up to our impoverished condition, and rise up to the potential that the Lord placed before us when He said that we would do the same works that He was doing (John 14:12).
Question: How have you experienced people doing foolish things for “spiritual” reasons?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, empowered, faith, faith or foolishness, faithful, foolishness, God is faithful, God's provision, Holy Spirit, Jesus, presumption, promises of God, sonship, spiritual, trusting God
This is the last post in a series I’m writing about the anointing. It seems that the church is under the impression that just because we have the Holy Spirit in us, we have the same anointing as Jesus. Hopefully, based upon my last few posts, you understand why that’s not the case. We need to seek God’s approval to walk in His power.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
We’re now in a position to understand what Paul was telling Timothy in this verse. Do your best – be diligent – to present yourself to God as one anointed. When you’re approved before God there’s no need to be ashamed.
This is a big problem among God’s people in our generation. We’re full of boldness when we’re in praise and worship. But on the job or at school it’s a different story. We keep our faith inside, not wanting to “offend” anyone. That’s foolishness, since every other group will openly declare what they believe to be true.
It all comes down to power. I want to say to those I work with, “God loves you. He will change your life. He’ll heal you and bless you.” But I worry that if they let me pray with them, nothing will happen. Furthermore, I’m not healed and my life isn’t blessed. What if they ask me about that? I’d rather just keep quiet and avoid the embarrassment.
The church needs to be on its knees seeking the approval for ministry. Then, when the anointing is upon us, we will not worry about what the world or our friends think.
I believe that the next great revival will involve the church coming to an understanding of this truth. But we will have to attain to a certain level of intimacy before the Lord will manifest His anointing in us. This is probably going to be the hardest move for the church to enter into.
I don’t think it will come as a wave, but as individuals begin paying the price for God’s approval. Then, they must show up at the place and time of their anointing. It could be a big or small meeting. It will not matter as long as it’s God’s appointed place.
Do what it takes to secure your anointing. Follow the example of Christ. Seek intimacy with the Father. Then, as the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart, walk in obedience to His voice.
Question: What could happen if the whole church walked in the anointing of the Lord?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: anointed, anointing, ashamed, be diligent, boldness, Christ, church, embarressed, God's approval, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, intimacy with the Father, Jesus, next great revival, power, prayer, revival, revival and anointing, the Anointed One
I’ve been posting about David’s anointing as king and how it relates to us. It’s surprisingly similar to what we go through in the church today.
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.
1 Samuel 16:13
It’s clear from this verse that the Holy Spirit and power follows the anointing. That’s what Christ was referring to when He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me BECAUSE He has anointed me.” (Luke 4:18)
I believe that this is a special move of the Holy Spirit to work signs and miracles. It’s not the same as the Holy Spirit simply being in us because of salvation. It’s the power of God, present to confirm His word.
If you’ve been following these posts, you may remember I said how little the word “anointing” was used in the New Testament. If you check it out, except once by Paul, all the usage was Jews writing to Jews.
Paul wrote most of the New Testament to Gentiles. What would a Greek know about the Hebrew anointing? Paul wrote to people who had no knowledge of it. How did he describe it?
To understand it, let’s talk about the priesthood in Israel. To become a priest, you didn’t just walk up to the temple and say, “I’m a Levite and I want to be a priest.” ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
To be anointed as priest, you had to attend and graduate a school of the law taught by a Rabbi. Then you had to prove that you’ve memorized the Pentateuch (The first five books of the Bible). You had to show your family records proving priestly lineage. Then you would strip and every inch of your body would be inspected by a board of priests who were looking for any defect that would disqualify you.
Only when you had passed every test would you be robed in priestly clothes and the oil of the anointing was poured on your head. Being in the right family was only the beginning. It wasn’t until you were tested and approved to be a priest that you could be anointed.
In reality, our spiritual anointing involves being approved by God. That’s the word Paul used throughout his writings to the Gentiles. They wouldn’t understand anoint, but approve they could grasp.
The Greek word that Paul used is translated as approve, commend, chosen, or election depending upon the context. But these words were used by Paul the same way anointing is used in the Old Testament.
What we miss sometimes, is that we can be saved, but not approved to walk in the power of God. We think that just because we have the Holy Spirit in us, we have the same authority as Christ. We have to be approved to walk in God’s authority.
That’s the true anointing of power.
Question: What does it take to be approved to walk in the authority of the Holy Spirit?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: anointed, anointed one, anointing, approval, approved, approved for the anointing, authority, chosen, Christ, church, commend, election, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Jesus, move of the Holy Spirit, power, power follows anointing, tested and approved
In talking about the anointing that we have in Christ, there’s a subject that needs to be addressed. I’m getting to the point where I cringe when I hear another sermon or teaching about our position in Christ.
It’s not that I think they’re unscriptural. Far from it. I believe that I am “the righteousness of God” in Christ Jesus. I believe that I am holy, healed, prosperous, and anointed in Christ.
The problem I see is that if all we concentrate on is our position in Christ, we miss out on seeing the manifestation. I want to live out all the things that Christ paid for me to possess.
One of these is our anointing. We are all called to an anointing in Christ. I want to see it manifest in us. That takes more than just sitting back and confessing it by faith.
For a few posts we have been looking at David’s anointing as king.
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.”
1 Samuel 16:10
Here we can see the problem in some of our teaching on the anointing. We are all called to an anointing. The problem is that all of us are called, but few are chosen. When you talk about walking in the anointing, it involves being chosen by God.
The anointing is not just about calling. The progression is called, chosen, and anointed. The simple truth is that you can be called from now until Jesus returns and never see the anointing manifest.
That is, if you never do what it takes to be chosen.
Look at what had to happen in David’s case.
So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”
1 Samuel 16:11-12
“I told you, that your whole family needed to be here.”
These words strike anger and resistance into the hearts of God’s people.
“Who are you to tell me that I need to be at these special meetings?”
When your church has a guest speaker and you see that as an opportunity to take the day off – do you know what you’re missing?
“I have something important that needs to be done.”
There are times and places that God may want to meet with you. Your prayer time, Bible study, a church meeting, or some other “holy appointment” could be a potential encounter with the anointing of the Lord.
God may have a pinpoint anointing for you. But you have to be at the right place, at the right time, where God has expected to meet with you. Don’t miss that appointment.
Question: How could this be a source of the lack of power and effect of the church in America?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: anointed, anointing, anointing dilemma, called, chosen, Christ, church, confession, divine appointment, faith, holy appointment, Jesus, manifestation, position, position in Christ, position versus manifestation, resistance, the Anointed One
In my last post I started talking about the Old Testament custom of anointing with oil. Specifically, I was looking at David’s anointing as the King of Israel in I Samuel, chapter 16. When Samuel approached David’s family, they thought they were merely being called to a public sacrifice.
In reality, they were called to an anointing of power for kingship. At some point Jesse must have said to David, “It’s not important that you be there.”
That was probably fine with David. As a teenager, he didn’t want to attend a boring church service anyway. He’d rather watch the sheep.
Please understand this point. The whole reason for the meeting was so David could receive the anointing as king. Yet, both he and his father thought it wasn’t important for David to attend.
This should be a sobering thought. Your invitation to the anointing of power will come wrapped in an envelope that looks like junk mail. You didn’t know that God had planned to give you an anointing to heal the sick this Sunday at church.
All you knew was that an invitation somewhere else was more important to you. After all, “I’ve attended faithfully for a while. I deserve to miss a week.”
The calling to the anointing will seem very unimportant in comparison to what we want to do.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:6-7
As a pastor, I want to find the ones in my church who are called to lead ministries. But I have to be careful. The first to arrive is not always the one God wants. Maybe God’s choice is still in bed.
Don’t miss receiving the manifestation of God’s anointing upon your life. Be faithful to show up where you’re supposed to be. Don’t let the excuses and distractions of the world disqualify you for service in the Kingdom of God.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not condemning you for missing church. There are many legitimate reasons we can’t make it. God is big enough to work in us during those times.
I’m talking about not meeting with God’s people in order to please the desires of our flesh. That’s where you run the risk of missing God’s anointing in your life. Don’t miss out on the good things that God has prepared for you.
Question: What’s the difference between missing public worship for the right and wrong reasons?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: anoint, anointed, anointed one, anointing, anointing to heal, boring church service, called, called to lead, David, don't miss the anointing, junk mail, king David, manifestation, ministry, missing church
I’ve been posting about the first great move of God after the Dark Ages. The Lord was using His people to restore the Bible as the foundation for faith and practice in the church.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Romans 15:4
It’s obvious from the lives of these people, that they were able to endure beyond the normal experience. It was their reliance on the Scripture that brought them to this level.
Who were these dedicated believers?
There were the Cathari in France. They believed that tradition, alone, is not a basis for faith. So they started printing and circulating Scripture. Pope Innocent III actually called for a crusade against them. Not only did he wipe them out, but the entire local population as well.
Another name to remember was Peter Waldo. Around this time he started preaching the Word of God and circulating Scripture. His followers were called the Waldensians. They fared a little better. When the order was given to kill them all, they were able to flee. This community of Christians escaped to the mountain caves of Northern Italy, where they still exist today.
One of the more famous names of this move was John Wycliffe, from England. Again, his goal was to preach the Word and get the Scripture into the hands of God’s people. His followers were called the Lollards. Unfortunately, they had to give up their lives for the faith. They were martyred by Kings Henry the IV and V.
In many cases, the problem with our humanity is that we don’t want to know that we’re wrong. The fact is that I need Scripture to correct me and then show me how to get back on solid ground again. Many don’t want to admit their need for change. Especially when there’s political power involved. That was a big reason that they crucified the Lord.
The list goes on and on of those who started preaching a new way of following Christ – using the Scripture as the standard of their lives. It includes such men as St. Jerome, John Huss, John Calvin, and Martin Luther. Many people don’t know that Luther was actually working on a German translation for the common people to read. Most of these saints of God were persecuted and killed.
Their commitment is summed up pretty well in a line from the dedication page of the KJV Bible: “So that if, on the one side, we shall be traduced by…persons at home or abroad, who therefore will malign us, because we are poor instruments to make God’s holy Truth to be yet more and more known unto the people, whom they desire still to keep in ignorance and darkness;”
I am eternally grateful for their sacrifice so that I could have a foundation for my faith. And, so that you could know the truth of God for yourself.
Question: What’s the best way to show our gratefulness to God for our unlimited access to the Scripture?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: access to Scripture, Bible, Cathari, caves, change, correction, crusade, dedicated, endurance, endure, foundation of faith, grateful, John Wycliffe, King Henry, lives laid down for the scripture, Lollards, martyrs, move of God, need for change, Peter Waldo, political power, Pope Innocent, restoration, restoration of truth, revival, sacrifice, Scripture, truth of God, Waldensians
In my last post, I talked about the church’s descent into the Dark Ages. It was a horrible time in history. Many people ask, “How could all this have happened?” What about all that the Bible teaches?
The bottom line is, that at that time, the Church was the ultimate authority in the life of the believer. Their teaching was viewed as infallible. The clergy would not allow the common people own a Bible.
“We’ll explain to you the truth you need to know.”
Around 1300 A.D., it seems that God finally said, “Enough – I’ve got to prepare my bride for my coming.” The Lord had to rearm his church. As I look at the flow of history, I see that God was restoring the armor of Ephesians 6. The bride had to be dressed and ready for the Lord.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
Ephesians 6:14a
First thing that was needed to be restored was the Belt of Truth. This is what the church desperately hungered for at that time. We need a foundation of truth.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
I would never have known truth without Scripture. I need to be taught the principles of God.
It seems that the church was without hope at this time. The door to heaven was locked and the priests had the only key.
I think that it’s no coincidence that the printing press was invented during this period. I also believe that it was a direct result of the move of God. The first book printed with this new technology was the Bible.
The above verse tells me that sometimes I need to be rebuked, to be told when I’m wrong. It’s how I react that tells whom I serve. Am I willing to listen to the Holy Spirit and change, or am I hard-hearted and rebellious?
Thus, some of the greatest persecution of God’s people began. Unfortunately it was not from unbelievers, but from the organized church, itself.
God started moving in the lives of His servants. It was small at first. Believers who wanted to read and study the Bible for themselves.
It’s hard for us in the United States to fathom this. Most Christians have more than one Bible in their home. We have access in stores and online. We’re free to read Scripture whenever and wherever we want.
Throughout history this has not always been the case. In my next post I’ll wrap up this series by recounting some of the precious saints of God who laid down their lives for us to have the abundance of Scripture that we now enjoy.
Question: How much do you appreciate your access to Scripture? How do you show it?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: armor of God, authority of the church, belt of truth, Bible, Bible teaching, church, church history, dark ages, first move of restoration, foundation of truth, history, Holy Spirit, hopeless, move of God, organized church, persecution, principles of God, printing press, rebuke, restoration, revival, Scripture, truth, without hope
I believe that there’s a great revival coming soon to the church in America. Sometimes we need to see how God has worked in the past, if we’re going to prepare for the future.
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.
Isaiah 51:1-2
It’s important to see how far we’ve come. Sometimes I get discouraged by the present condition of the church. But when I look at where we started, it’s encouraging to know how close we are to Christ’s return.
Many talk about revival and restoration. Do we really understand what that means? We need to look at history because every move of God depends upon the truth He’s already restored.
Let’s go back 2000 years – to the infant church. It was an incredible time in the spiritual realm. Thousands of people were saved at a time. Healings and miracles were commonplace.
The dead were raised. Jails were opened up.
Yes, there were some “baby churches,” like Corinth, who weren’t walking in their call the way they should have been. But the power of God was manifest throughout the known world. The church grew incredibly for 300 years.
Then something earthshaking happened. In 314 A.D., the Roman emperor Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. In this act, he planted the seeds of destruction. Constantine used Christianity to gain political power.
From then on that spirit started to infect the church. Think about how the government runs the IRS, welfare, and healthcare. Now picture the government running the church.
It’s no wonder that the descent to the Dark Ages began. It was a downhill slide for the next 1000 years.
This spirit of earthly power took root in the church. The Church, and specifically the popes, claimed the authority to rule over kings. Many wars were started over this issue.
The practice of simony, the purchase of offices, was common. Sanctuaries become more magnificent inside and out. As the worship services increased in splendor, there was a decrease in spirituality.
At one point there was a meeting between Thomas Aquinas and Pope Innocent II. The Pope showed Thomas the abundance of wealth that the church possessed – money, gold, and art.
Pope Innocent exclaimed, “You see, Thomas, the church can no longer say silver and gold have I none.”
To which Thomas replied, “True, but neither can she now say rise up and walk.”
These and many other abuses were prevalent in the Dark Ages. As I look back and see what the Lord has taken us from, it gives me hope for our generation.
In my next post, I’ll talk about what God did to bring about a change in that dark period of church history.
Question: Are you expecting to see a great move of God in our generation?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: America, Christ's return, church history, condition of the church, Constantine, dark ages, discouraged, infant church, move of God, Pope Innocent II, restoration, revival, simony, spirit of earthly power, spirituality, Thomas Aquinas, truth, United States
I’ve been talking about the connection between revival, repentance, and forgiveness. I believe that’s what’s necessary to usher in a revival in our nation.
The Spirit and the Word 