In my last two posts I’ve been talking about the power of God at work in us. We have seen that spiritual power relates very closely to natural power. Just as power in the physical universe produces change, God expects His power to change us and those around us.
We also saw that the first component of this power is love. This relates to voltage in the realm of science. Love is the spiritual pressure placed upon us to produce change. It was what compelled Christ to minister the way He did.
Actually, I can’t think of any more powerful force in all of life other than love. For the love of God, or another person, we will do things that we might never have done under ordinary circumstances. Love is a driving force in many of the things we do.
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:5-6
Here is the source of our spiritual power. The same love that drove Christ forward is now placed within us. When we had no power, God saved us by the death and resurrection of Christ. He has plugged us into His power source. The very love that pressures Him can now drive us forward to bless others.
As I said before, our power can be measured. Let’s use our spiritual volt-meter. Do you feel a pressure that drives you to reach out to the lost? Does love compel you to be a blessing to those around you even when you don’t feel like it? Do you have a compassion for those who are in need? If not, then you haven’t tapped into the love of Christ.
It’s so easy to say, “I love the lost and I want to see them saved.” But if there is little or no pressure to do something about it, then that’s a sign that there’s little or no love voltage. The verdict is simple, no love, no power.
If you want to see this principle in action, just look to the early church in the book of Acts. Spiritually speaking, they should’ve had a sign over their door which read “Danger High Voltage”! They felt the pressure of God’s love to the point where they were willing to die, if necessary, to bring salvation to those around them. We must do what it takes to live in intimacy with the Lord. Only in this way will His love increase in our hearts.
Question: Do you ever feel the pressure of Christ’s love within you?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: change, God's power, heart, hearts, high voltage christian, love, love of Christ, love of God, love the lost, measured, natural power, porducing change, power, power of God, power source, powerful force, pressure of love, produce change, spiritual, spiritual power, volt meter, voltage
We have been talking about the nature of God’s power in your life – how His Spirit produces change in us and in those around us. We also saw that in nature, power is composed of two components, voltage and current. How about spiritual power? Scripture gives us some insight into this.
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
It’s obvious from this passage that the Lord doesn’t want us operating in fear. What He desires for His people is a spirit of power. It seems that the more I meditate on this verse, the clearer I see it. I believe that this verse is telling us that the spirit of power is evidenced by two component parts – love and self-discipline.
The natural power law says that power is voltage times current. It’s a known fact that in the natural, power is always measurable. I believe that if you know the Word of God, you should be able to gauge your level of power.
The first component of power we’ll look at is voltage. In the natural realm voltage is electrical pressure. It’s the force that’s pushing the electrons through the wires in your home. How does this translate into the spiritual?
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
2 Corinthians 5:14
It’s Christ’s love in us that compels us to work for the Lord. By using the word compel, Paul means that it’s the love of Christ that puts pressure on us to minister for the Lord. This verse makes it obvious that love is the spiritual equivalent of voltage. It’s love that puts pressure on us to serve God, to reach out, and to help others.
Jesus Christ walked in more power than anyone who ever walked the earth. Do we see the evidence of this love putting pressure on His life?
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:14
This incident in the life of Christ happened just after the death of John the Baptist. Jesus had recently been told that Herod had beheaded John. Not only was John a colleague in ministry, he was also a family member. If you read through Matthew chapter 14, you’ll find that Jesus went to a remote place to get away from the crowds so that He could mourn the death of John in private.
When He arrived at what He thought would be a secluded spot, Jesus found that the crowds were waiting for Him. What would we do in that situation? We know what Christ did. Scripture says that He was moved, pressured by compassion to minister to the people in spite of His grief.
Question: Have you ever been pressured by the compassion of Christ to go beyond your normal boundaries?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: Christ, compassion, current, God's power, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love, love compels us, measure spiritual power, measureable, ministry, power, power of the spirit, pressure, produce change, spirit of power, spiritual power, voltage
True power is defined as the ability to produce change. Do you know how this relates to spiritual power? Do you understand the nature of the power of God working in you? For a few posts, I want to explore these issues.
To see this, I relate spiritual truth to the physical world. In the natural realm there are laws of power. One of these basic natural laws can aid in our understanding of how power works in the spiritual.
As an Electrical Engineer I had to calculate power usage in a number of applications. I had to learn all the formulas associated with those calculations. Is there a way to determine how much power we have in the spirit? It’s remarkably similar.
The electrical power law is as follows: Power is calculated as the Current multiplied by the Voltage. This law tells me that there are two components of power. There must be two aspects, voltage and current, that are both operating together. These are two things, without which there’s no power. No voltage, no power. No current, no power.
Let’s translate that to our walk with God. Paul wrote to his spiritual son, Timothy, about what religious church people would be like in the last days.
…having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
2 Timothy 3:5
This verse tells us a few important things about what some church people will be like in the last days. They appear to be godly, religious people. Their problem is that they deny the power.
Deny, now there’s an interesting word, especially for an Electrical Engineer. The Greek word translated as deny is a-rheo. It literally means not pouring out. It so happens that this Greek word is also the root word for a common electrical device. It’s called a rheostat. Of course, you would know it better as a dimmer switch for your dining room lights. It’s basically a faucet for electricity.
This gives me an excellent picture of what’s going on in the spirit. These people appear to be godly, but no power pours from them. They have shut off the faucet to the power of God in their lives.
If you say that you’re a godly person, and yet no change is being produced, something is wrong. Somewhere you’re shutting down the power before it can affect anything. You can’t be a light to the world if your dimmer switch is set to the off position.
This is why it’s so vitally important to understand the components of power. If I can understand how the power of God works in me, I can keep the lines open and clear for the Holy Spirit to operate through me.
Question: Do you desire to see God’s power producing change in your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: current, denying the power, dimming the power of God, electrical power, electricity, nature of power, power, power law, power of the spirit, produce change, spiritual power, voltage
Spending time in God’s presence is not an option, if we want to hear from God. As we quiet ourselves in His presence we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit more clearly.
The question is, what happens when you leave the place of prayer? Do you remember what you heard in the Lord’s presence a week later? How about a month or even a year later? How can you thank God for fulfilling His word to you, if you don’t remember what He’s said?
As you seek the Lord’s presence, you’ll find more and more that He wants to speak to you. He wants us to be a people who hear His voice.
Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.”
Habakkuk 2:2
It’s God’s desire to reveal Himself to all believers. If you’re listening, you may receive a word from Him concerning your personal walk, your home life, your ministry, or your career. The Holy Spirit may speak to you about new ventures to launch or old things to cut out of your life. The point is, whenever you hear from God for your life, write it down!
It doesn’t matter if you’re sure it was God’s voice, or if it was only a slight impression. Maybe your heart was stirred over a certain passage of Scripture. Perhaps you feel a leading to do something new for God. It doesn’t matter how weak or strong the feeling is – it needs to be recorded.
So often we miss out on God’s best because we forget what we heard, or we alter it along the way. It’s good to be able to look back in a journal and see the conversations we’ve had with the Lord. Make it a point to bring a journal along with you in your prayer times – and use it to record what you’ve learned.
Very often, I look back through my journals. It gives me encouragement as well as insight onto the path God has me on. I need to review the things I’ve learned in the presence of God.
Keep your eyes and ears open. God will speak to someone who is prepared to listen. Keeping a journal shows that you value the voice of the Lord. Begin today recording what you learn in your private times with Him.
Question: Do you keep a spiritual journal? How has it helped you?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: diary, God's best, heart, Holy Spirit, intimacy with God, journal, keep a spiritual journal, leading, look back, Lord's presence, revealed word, spiritual diary, spiritual journal, word from God, write it down
I am hoping to wrap up my talk about faith with this post. I hope that by now it’s obvious that faith is an on-going process of discovery and response. It’s how we continue to grow in our walk with Christ.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
Hebrews 11:1-2
Actually, even though I usually like the NIV, it’s not really a good translation of verse 2. The KJV is a little closer in saying that the ancients “obtained a good report.” Literally, the verse says that in faith, the elders witnessed.
We must go from being a discoverer to a witness. Let’s talk about our good friend Christopher Columbus again. In my last post I talked about him coming to the New World and discovering America. At some point he returned home.
At that point he has become a witness of what no one else in Europe has ever seen. He tells anyone who would listen, “I’ve seen a New World. I’ve discovered a land that no European has ever been to before.”
In the same way, faith is your witness. Every time you see something new about Christ, you choose to respond to it. You believe this new truth and embrace it. As you begin to put your confidence in it, you become a witness to this truth.
In the last post I used the example of hearing for the first time that Christ is the Healer. The Holy Spirit makes it real to you through the discovery of faith. You then go out and begin to share with others that Christ is the healer, even if you’ve never been healed.
It’s not a matter of, “Well, the pastor preached about it so I guess it’s true.” On the contrary – it’s on the inside of you. Then, when you need it, it’s there to heal you.
If you lay hold of each new truth, you will continue to trust Christ even if the enemy tries to knock your faith out of your hand. That’s why it’s so important that we see faith as a walk and not just an event.
The fact is, “we walk by faith and not by sight.” It’s time for believers to pick up their shields and move forward. Then, we must never back down, but respond in faith to each new discovery of the Word of God.
Question: How has your faith in Christ brought you through in your hard times?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: be a good witness, Christ, Columbus, discoverer, discovery, embrace the truth, faith, growth, healer, Holy Spirit, never back down, respond in faith, response, share, truth, walk by faith, walk in Christ, witness
I have been posting about faith lately. Our faith is seen in our choices. As we learn new things about Christ, we then have a choice whether to believe it or not.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
We looked at this verse in my last post. I said that being sure meant that our faith is a support to our expectations in Christ. So each time I learn something new about Christ, and make the choice to believe it – I add a new support structure. As long as this continues, my walk with the Lord grows.
The above verse also says that faith is being certain of what we do not see. The word translated as certain means proof or discovery.
Faith, then, is the discovery of things not seen. Notice that the writer of Hebrews did not say it was the discovery of things invisible. Rather, faith is the discovery of things you haven’t seen.
We say that Columbus discovered America. We understand that the New World was not invisible; it just couldn’t be seen from Europe. Through a series of choices Columbus got to a place where he could see it.
In the same way, you can discover new worlds of faith in Christ. You may not have known that the Lord paid the price for your healing. Through a series of choices, you came to a healing service. While there, you hear a message that touched your spirit proclaiming Christ as Healer.
As the Holy Spirit works in you, you choose to accept this truth by faith. Now your faith is the proof, the discovery, of that which was not seen.
The things that God has prepared for me are not invisible; I’m just not in a place where I can see them. Faith is the proof I need that they are there.
But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all…
1 Corinthians 14:24
When we let God speak through us, an amazing thing happens. Someone may hear the message that has not yet accepted Christ. He discovers that he’s a sinner. If he embraces this new discovery, he can make the choice to cross over into the kingdom of God.
Faith is always discovery and response. As I respond in faith to each new revelation, I lay hold of a new support. Each positive response helps me to climb a little higher. We must continue to live out this faith-walk and let God complete His work in us.
Question: What was the most recent discovery that added to your faith-walk?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: America, choice, Christ, Christ is Healer, Christopher Colombus, Colombus, discover a new world, discovery, expectation, faith, healer, new world, proof, response, revelation
In my last post, I talked about true Biblical faith. We learned that you can’t just “set it and forget it”. Instead, it’s a process that must be walked out on a daily basis. Here is an illustration that Paul used to describe it.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16
Think about faith like a huge wooden shield, big enough for you to hide behind in the raging battle. What is it protecting you from? Paul says that it’s the flaming arrows of the enemy.
What does flame do to wood? We all know that wood is a fuel. As the weapons of the enemy hit it, the shield begins to wear away. If you just stand still in your Christian walk, you begin to lose ground. What you believed last year, you may not believe this year. Your faith begins to fade.
Scripture tells us that we must continually maintain our faith. That’s why prayer, reading the word, and fellowship with other believers are so vital to our walk with the Lord.
We need to continue in all of those things just to stand still. If that’s the case, then I really need to build my faith for moving forward in God.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
The words being sure in this verse literally mean setting under. The scriptural definition for hope is our expectation of what God is going to work out in our lives. So, in actuality, what this verse says is that faith is our support or foundation.
Faith is a support for our expectations. How can I continue to expect God’s best in the middle of the struggles of life? My expectations must be supported. It’s only through faith in what God has said that I can have this kind of foundation.
We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Hebrews 3:14
This is really what we want from God. We want to share in what Christ has provided for us. The only way this will take place is if we hold firmly to our support. That’s why we need the shield.
If faith is not held firmly, it can be knocked out of our hands. Make sure that you are maintaining your faith. It’s what you need to support you through the rough times.
Question: How has your faith in God supported you in the past?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: expectation, faith, flaming arrows, foundation, give your life a solid foundation, shield, shield of faith, solid foundation, struggles, support
Many people talk about faith. Few live it out to its full potential. It all comes down to how you perceive it.
Is faith a single response to Scriptural teaching, or is it more than that? The next four posts will deal with this important concept. If you haven’t yet done so, take the time to subscribe to this blog via e-mail so that you won’t miss any of these life-changing installments.
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
Hebrews 10:39
Whether we want to admit it or not, faith is an on-going process. In our society we like to “set it and forget it.” That’s not the case with Biblical faith.
Faith is a walk. It’s the path God leads us on from godlessness to perfection. We start out our lives with no knowledge of Christ or His Word. God takes us from where we are to as far as we’re willing to travel with Him.
What we find in this walk is that along the way there are always choices. These choices come at regular intervals – usually when we least expect them. These points are like forks in the road ahead.
It’s then up to us whether we accept or reject truth when we see it. Each new piece of knowledge comes with a choice. Do I trust God and His Word, or do I continue in the old direction I was headed?
It may sound like a “no-brainer” as to which path we take, but based upon my experience, it’s a little more complicated than that. We sometimes tend to stick with what we’re comfortable with, even though it’s wrong.
Choosing to trust God in a new way is a big step. There are those who come to a hard decision and simply stall out. There are others who start out trusting the Lord, but then when the going gets rough, they “shrink back.” Why do we find it so hard to totally surrender to God’s will?
This is the problem – faith is an uphill climb on an icy slope. When we come to a new choice and decide to stop, we begin to slide backwards, whether we intended to or not. In the above verse, the word destroyed means ruin or loss. Just standing still causes us to lose the ground we’ve already gained.
In our Christian walk, you have to put effort into it just to stand still. If you want the power of God’s salvation working in you, then you have to keep moving forward.
Where are you in your walk with Christ? What choices are you wrestling with? If you find yourself at standstill – where did you stop, and why? Most Christians don’t deal with these questions because think that faith is a one-time event.
Make it your goal to make the tough choices and then keep moving forward in Christ Jesus.
Question: What’s the hardest decision that you’ve ever had to trust God for?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: biblical faith, choices, decisions, faith, faith walk, process, response, Scriptural teaching, shrink back, stall out, true biblical faith, true faith, truth, walk
In Scripture we read about how different men and women encountered God in the wilderness. Did you know that this is still something we can experience today? In this post I want to describe it to you.
The Bible is full of accounts of the people who met with God in the outdoors. Here is one such encounter.
Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.
Genesis 32:1-2
The name Mahanaim means double camp. Jacob acknowledged that there were two camps where he was staying. There was his camp and the camp of God. This is important because now that Christ has risen, we are in a “double kingdom.” We live in the world, yet at the same time we are in the kingdom of God.
Wherever we go, whatever we do, we take this heavenly kingdom with us. Whether we realize it or not, we have access to God’s kingdom at all times. Our problem is usually the distractions that keep us from seeking the spiritual.
I just returned from a camping trip. I spent a night, alone, in a nearby state park. I set up my tent at a secluded site and settled in.
The purpose was to get alone with God for a while. You might think that this sounds a little extreme. Maybe it is, but I’ve found that I can hear from God better without all of the distractions in my familiar settings.
When God gets me by myself like this, He can (and does) get my undivided attention. There are times He deals with me about things I may have been neglecting. Sometimes it’s about God teaching me something new, or giving me insight into the Word.
This trip I can truly say that God showed up in the camp. There were some things that He worked through with me and I received an “extreme makeover.” Looking back, I wouldn’t have missed that time with the Lord for anything else.
If you read through the Gospels you’ll find that praying in the wilderness was a major part of the life of Christ. I believe that this is one of the secrets of His intimacy with the Father. I want to follow His example.
The good news is that this type of encounter with God is available to every one of us. If you are able, I encourage you to give it a try. Go out with a tent and other supplies. Bring your Bible and a notebook. Then expect to meet with God.
I believe that He honors our desire to seek Him intimately. The Lord loves the quality time we spend together. Then He can deal with things that take time to work through.
I can truly say that spending alone time with God in the outdoors is an incredible blessing.
Question: Have you encountered God in the outdoors? Could you share about it?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: camp, camp with God, camping, distractions, encounter God, intimacy, kingdom of God, Mahanaim, meet with God, outdoors, quality time, undivided attention, wilderness
“My neighborhood is in total spiritual darkness and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Have you ever felt like that? Do you see the enemy’s kingdom taking over your town, your schools or your local businesses? Do you feel helpless? There is an answer.
I was having breakfast with a friend of mine by the name of Dr. Randy Sprinkle. During the course of our conversation, he told me about a book he had written. The title was Follow Me – Becoming a Lifestyle Prayerwalker.
I knew about prayerwalking. My church had been involved in it for a couple of years. We talked about it for a little while. Later on, he gave me a copy of his book. I thanked him, knowing that part of his ministry was going to churches and teaching on prayerwalking.
I must admit that the book lay on my shelf a while before I began to read it. Now that I’ve read it, I wish I had done so sooner. The book is absolutely life-changing.
It’s one of those “must read” books. Every believer needs to grab hold of the principles taught in these pages. That is especially true if we want to see the power of God manifest in our cities.
The book is just over 120 pages. But don’t expect to get through it in one sitting. It wasn’t designed for that. It’s written in the form of six weeks of 5 daily devotions. That’s why it can change your life.
Each day it starts with prayer. Then it’s followed by reading the Scripture, meditating on it, and getting some teaching. Next, it helps you to plan how you are going to implement what you just learned as you go throughout your day. The last part of each daily segment is an evening reflection that asks you think about what you did during the day. It’s a very powerful plan.
This book is well written and keeps you interested. Dr. Sprinkle gives teaching, examples, testimonies, and encouragement. I looked forward to my time in this book each day.
The fact is that we need to be a people of prayer. Not the “hands off” kind that keeps a safe distance from the ones in need. We need to be out praying on our streets. That’s how we win the spiritual battle for the souls around us.
We need to stop looking for someone else to do the work. Wherever you live, you are called to intercede. This book will equip you with everything you need to bring spiritual change to your area.
In Dr. Sprinkle’s words, prayerwalking is a “strategic, world-transforming activity that calls believers out of church buildings to intercede for the work of the kingdom while quietly walking through local neighborhoods and mission fields around the world.”
The book is available on Amazon. Click here to order Follow Me: Becoming a Lifestyle Prayerwalker
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Question: Have read this book? How has it helped you? Have you seen any results?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will help my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Tags: book review, devotional, follow me, prayerwalk, prayerwalking, Randy Sprinkle, teaching
In my last two posts I’ve been talking about the power of God at work in us. We have seen that spiritual power relates very closely to natural power. Just as power in the physical universe produces change, God expects His power to change us and those around us.
The Spirit and the Word 