When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:21-22
In the past, I have posted about the anointing of God upon our lives. We receive God’s anointing when we are chosen by God for a specific task. We’re then anointed to complete it.
What we see from Scripture is that the Spirit follows the anointing. At Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Him in power. That was His anointing for ministry.
At the same time there was a voice from heaven (The Father) confirming this calling. My question is; how did He get to this point? The answer will help me in my walk with God.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Luke 2:52
Wisdom is the application of what you’ve learned. Stature speaks of physical growth. The word favor is the grace of God. These are very important points for us to learn.
Have you ever thought about it in these terms before? Jesus had to grow in grace. But the key word is grew. That Greek word literally means to drive forward as if by beating.
Jesus was driven to grow in grace and wisdom. Of course He did have an advantage over us. He was perfect and He had a photographic memory. The Lord only had to hear the Scripture once and He remembered it.
The key is that when He heard Scripture He was driven to enter into the grace of it. This should be the same for us.
Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.
1 Timothy 4:14-15
Paul tells Timothy, a young pastor, to be diligent and give himself totally the callings that were placed upon his life. Paul explains to Timothy the reason for this. It literally says, so that your driving forward may be a light to all.
We must drive ourselves to secure the anointing. To walk in our callings will take drive and determination. It will not just happen by accident. It’s a spiritual battle. But, through the power of God, we will be victorious.
Question: What does it mean to drive yourself forward in grace?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: anointed, anointing, anointing of God, battle, calling, Christ, driven, favor, grace, growing in grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, position, positioned for the anointing, power, spiritual, victory, wisdom
This is the second of two posts about how to receive answered prayers. The Scriptures say that we can ask anything from God. But few people know the requirements to these passages.
In my last post I talked about the first 4 requirements.
5. Your asking must be in the name of Jesus.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 14:13-14
Too often we think of this in terms of a spiritual formula. We pray whatever we want, then say “In Jesus’ name” at the end. Nothing can be further from the truth. We’re representatives of Christ. This means that we’re asking on behalf of Christ. We are praying what He would be praying in the same situation.
6. You must remain in Christ.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:7
This one is all about relationship. Many want to know how to get all their prayers answered while living for themselves. That will never happen. The closer my relationship with Christ is, the more I pray according to His will. Then I see the answers because they’re in His will.
7. You must be bearing spiritual fruit.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 15:16
Spiritual fruit are a sign of maturity. The more of the Word of God we plant in our life, the greater the harvest. It’s the same in the natural. I don’t know any children who get everything they ask for. Maturity breeds answered prayer.
8. Your asking must be with a clear conscience.
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
1 John 3:21-22
Too often we know what God is calling us to do, but we ignore it. When our conscience is not clear before God, we are open to the enemy’s accusations. It’s hard to trust God when we are under the cloud of a guilty conscience. That’s why a repentant life is so important.
When we operate in the calling of God it’s His good pleasure to supply what is needed to complete our destiny. That’s the true secret to seeing our prayers answered.
Question: What’s the relationship between the will of God and answered prayer?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: answered prayer, ask anything, bear fruit, calling, Christ, clear conscience, destiny, fruit of the Spirit, keys to receiving answers from God, maturity, name of Jesus, prayer, praying, relationship, remain, remain in Christ, spiritual fruit
I’ve been posting about our end-time ministry as the “John the Baptist Generation”. There were some interesting prophecies about John that I believe can be applied to us.
“…because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Luke 1:78-79
Our generation must be a light in the darkness. There has never been a darker time in the modern world. Unless you’re living with your head in the sand, this is an undeniable truth.
We need to understand what being the light entails. It’s obvious that light gets the attention in the dark. There’s no getting around that. We’re not called to just blend into the background.
This is because a light stands in direct opposition to the darkness. There cannot be any two kingdoms that are more opposite than us and the world.
We are not a part of this society. We live here, work here, and have to interact with those around us. We need to be loving, productive, and contributing to the welfare of our community. But the fact is we don’t BELONG here.
You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
1Thessalonians 5:5-6
The word night speaks of a segment of time – but we are eternal. Because we live in the eternal realm, we are of the day.
Dark speaks of a place – but we are seated with Christ in heavenly places; that’s the kingdom of light. This is not our time and place.
We need to be what we’re called to be. It’s not our destiny to blend in and become part of the whole. It’s our calling to show there’s a different way to live.
John the Baptist is an example to us of how to minister to the world while living in the Kingdom of God. It’s time for us to live up to this calling. The world is desperate to hear the message that has been entrusted to us. We need to stop chasing their dreams and live for Christ with an urgency that reflects the times we live in.
This generation of the church must grow up so that we can function as we must at this time in history. Be equipped with the spiritual weaponry. Be listening and hearing a Word from God. Then continue to walk in that word. Finally, if we do these things we will be the light that will draw people to Christ. We are the John the Baptist Generation.
Questions: How much light is the church producing right now? How can that light be increased?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: blending in, calling, Christ, darkness, day, destiny, Jesus, John the Baptist, John the Baptist generation, kingdom of God, light, light in the darkness, live for Christ, message, night, opposition, return of Christ, second coming, spiritual weapons, the world, urgency
God is doing great things!
New Book Now Available on Amazon
I am pleased to announce that my book, Breaking Free from the Pack – Developing a Spirit of Excellence is now for sale on Amazon. This is a book I originally wrote a few years ago. I have now revised and expanded it. There is a Kindle version available as well.
The purpose of this book is to help all believers, especially those in leadership positions, to live a life of spiritual excellence. This requires certain mindsets and disciplines. The response to this book, and the Excellence Seminar that it comes from, is overwhelmingly positive. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this book will change your life.
Click here for Paperback Version
Click here for Kindle edition
More to Come!
With the re-launch of this book I’m starting a new Recommended Reading page where you can see some of the books that have had a positive impact on my life. They will be linked to Amazon so that you can get them if you so desire.
I’m also developing a Speaker Page. God has been calling me to become more public with my teaching ministry. This page will explain the seminars and my availability. I’m looking forward to more travel as the Lord opens doors to proclaim His Word. It’s my desire to help prepare God’s people for the revival that I believe is imminent in this nation.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
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: calling, Christian growth, disciplines, excellence, leadership, newsletter, Quartermaster Ministries, revival, spirit of excellence, vision, word of God
As I was meditating on the life of John the Baptist in Scripture, it occurred to me that his calling was a lot like ours. He was positioned to minister before the coming of Christ. In the same way, we find ourselves very close to the return of the Lord.
How should we be living, knowing the age that God has placed us in? The calling of John the Baptist should speak to us about it.
“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous– to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Luke 1:17
I’ve come to the realization that he was a man ahead of his time. Scripture tells us that he spent a great amount of time in the wilderness seeking God. When God said go, John became a man on a mission.
As I studied his life and message I came to a startling conclusion. John saw forward not only to the first appearing of Christ, but to the second coming as well.
Do you believe that Jesus is coming soon? If so, then we are the “John the Baptist Generation.” I want to look at John for a few posts to get some insight into who we are and who we must become to fulfill our calling.
The above verse was told to Zechariah by the angel Gabriel. This message foretold who John was to be. His calling was to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. He was to provide a people thoroughly equipped for Christ’s coming.
Our generation must be equipped.
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
This verse literally says that we must be fully equipped to do any good work. If we want to do the work of God, then we must be equipped for it.
It’s important to realize that equipping relies upon purpose. How you’re equipped depends upon what your purpose is. So in the discussion about preparing us for the return of the Lord, we’re also talking about purpose.
What is your purpose? Why are you doing what you’re doing? John had a clear purpose; to prepare God’s people.
We have no choice in the matter. We’ve been born in the last-days before the coming of Christ. The question is; will we live up to that calling?
Question: Do you believe that Christ is coming soon? In what way does that affect how you live?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: calling, Christ, coming soon, endtime generation, equipped, Jesus, John the Baptist, mission, prepared, purpose, return, return of Christ, return of the Lord, second coming, second coming of Christ, seeking God, work of God
I’m posting for a while on how to walk in our anointing. In my last post we saw that the power of the Holy Spirit follows the anointing. Today, I want to start getting into some details that we may have missed along the way. If I can find the key to the anointing, then the rest will fall into place.
It’s interesting to note that anointing is only mentioned 13 times in the New Testament. Of those, it’s only referred to as a spiritual anointing for us 6 times. There’s a reason for so little mention in the N.T. It comes from an ancient practice in the Old Testament. If we can understand that usage, then we’ll have a good foundation for understanding the anointing in us.
Anointing was a ceremony of pouring oil on something or somebody. It was used for a lot of things. Personally, I don’t care about how to anoint cooking pots. What relates to us is the usage with prophets, priests, and kings. I want to know how anointing brings power.
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.”
The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
1 Samuel 16:1-3
God told Samuel to go and anoint a new king over Israel. He gave Samuel a Word – Go to Bethlehem. He told Samuel that He would show him what to do when he got there.
Once in Bethlehem, Samuel went to the house of Jesse as instructed.
Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
1 Samuel 16:5
According to the Word of the Lord he was given, Samuel invited – called them – to come the sacrifice. In actuality, he was calling them to come to the anointing of the new king of Israel.
It should be clear from this passage that anointing involves calling. The two go hand in hand. To reject your calling is to reject the anointing God has for you.
God has called you to do a great work for Him. The anointing is what enables you to walk in the power to fulfill that calling. Anointing is not a license to do whatever you want with God’s power. It equips you to fulfill God’s plan in your life.
Question: What is God calling you to do at this point in your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: anoint, anointing, anointing and calling, calling, God's plan, Holy Spirit, king, power, power of God, power of the Holy Spirit, priest, prophet, spiritual
I’ve been posting about Jehovah Jireh – God my Provider. Specifically, I’ve been talking about how to enter that place of provision in Him. I’m using Abraham as our example as he was taking his son Isaac to the mount of sacrifice.
After days of walking through the wilderness, the Lord showed him the mountain he was to ascend. Abraham, Isaac, and his servants made camp at the base of the mountain. As he stands looking up at it he realizes that this is the place where he will offer up Isaac to the Lord.
What happens next goes beyond my comprehension.
He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together…
Genesis 22:5-6
Abraham tells his servants to wait by the goods. Then he says, “WE will worship and then WE will come back to you.” I believe that this is one of the most incredible statements of faith in the entire Bible.
The only thing that he had to go on was the original promise of God. The Lord said that it was through Isaac that Abraham’s descendants would become as numerous as the stars in the sky. As a matter of fact, the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us (In the 11th chapter) that Abraham believed that if he actually came to the point of killing his son, God would raise him from the dead.
What Abraham believed and what he spoke where in perfect agreement. He had the boldness to declare what was in his heart. We need to learn this lesson. If we are to be victorious under trials and see God’s provision for our needs, then we must learn to speak our faith, just as Abraham did.
Please understand that I’m not talking about denying our circumstances, as some do. I’m not talking about positive thinking, mind control, or wishful thinking. It’s not about speaking what you want to happen, or what some preacher has told you, but what God has already spoken.
We must speak what the Word of God says is true. This is a lot harder. It requires me to spend time reading the Bible and listening to the Holy Spirit. Only then can I declare what I’ve heard from the Lord.
As I spend time in His presence, I begin to understand what I’m called to do in His kingdom. This is important because my provision is intimately attached to my calling.
Abraham knew God’s will for his life and the life of his son. That’s why he could say, “We’re both coming back.”
Boldly speak what you’ve heard from God, and leave the provision in God’s hands.
Question: What has God called you to do? Are you trusting Him to provide for it?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Abraham, believe, Bible, calling, denying circumstances, faith, God my Provider, God's provision, Holy Spirit, Isaac, Jehovah Jireh, listen to the Holy Spirit, mind control, positive thinking, provision, speaking the word of God, the time to speak your faith, trust, wishful thinking
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…
Romans 1:1
Paul uses some interesting language in this verse. He calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ – literally a slave. It’s interesting, because on various occasions Paul made a point of proving his freedom.
Once he was arrested and he asked the guard why he was being denied his right to a trial as a Roman citizen. The guard explained that he, personally, had to buy his freedom. Paul, on the other hand, said that he was born a free Roman citizen.
At that time, if you were born a slave, you were expected to be a slave forever – there was no escaping it. Under Roman law, a slave could find out his “sale price” from his master. Then, if he saved enough money, he could pay the buying price to and have the ownership transferred to one of the many Roman gods. Then, as a slave to that god, could serve as a free man.
I believe this was in the back of Paul’s mind as he penned these words. We are all born under slavery to sin. That was our unfortunate lot for the rest of our lives.
Jesus Christ paid the “slave price” for us. Now, just as Paul did, we need to transfer the ownership of our lives over to God. As God’s slaves we can now serve as free citizens of the kingdom of Heaven.
We have to live under this knowledge if we are to have a fulfilling life in Christ. We don’t own our lives.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8
Christ, Himself, set the standard of living that we need to follow. He said that He came to live a life of service. That should be our attitude as well.
The Apostle Peter understood this truth.
Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
1 Peter 2:16
In the first verse above, Paul said that as a slave, he was called to be sent forth as an apostle. Once we’ve transferred the ownership of our lives to God, our callings will open up to us. We are now free to serve Him to the best of our ability.
Paul finished off the verse by saying that he was set apart to the Good News. That literally means that we are set off by a boundary. The Good News is our field of service.
This is the attitude that will push you to great things in the body of Christ.
Question: Have you transferred the ownership rights of your life to the Lord?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: calling, Christ, citizens of heaven, freedom, God, Jesus, life of service, ownership, ownership of our lives, servant, servant of Jesus Christ, service, set apart, slave, slavery to sin, tranferred ownership
In my last post I talked about how we are called to live a life of excellence. Did you know that your eternal rewards are based upon how well you live up to this?
The Bible does speak over and over again about the different levels of rewards based upon the work we perform throughout our lives.
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Luke 12:48
The fact is that we are responsible for what we’ve received. A young Christian is not responsible for the truths that have not yet been made real to him. Someone who’s been walking with the Lord for years, and ignoring His call, will receive less in the kingdom.
It’s clear from Scripture that we’re going to be responsible for the grace that we’ve been given. With a greater anointing and calling comes greater responsibility.
I’ve found that many believers, ministers especially, want the miracles and the big churches without the character it takes to walk uprightly before God in that kind of work. The Lord wants us to grow from the inside out. An increase in power, without a corresponding increase in character, will destroy our spiritual walk.
As a matter of fact, it’s probably too late for you now. You’ve read too much. If you’ve been reading my blogs regularly, then God is going to require excellence from you and your ministry. Now that you know He’s a God of excellence, and that He requires excellence in His followers, you must begin to walk in it. Read on!
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
The Lord talked to His disciples about the narrow road. We like to interpret this verse as if it’s merely talking about the road of salvation. Salvation is indeed the first step toward excellence. When we chose Christ, we chose a better path than that of the world.
I believe, however, that this Scripture has a broader meaning in application to the body of Christ. Very few find the walk of excellence to which we have been called. “The few;” that sounds like the definition of excellence to me – “that which goes beyond the expected or the normal.”
The Lord expects us to find the narrow gate of excellence. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.
Question: Have you made the decision to live a life of excellence before God?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: anointing, beyond, Bible, calling, Christ, eternal reward, excellence, excellence and rewards, expected, Jesus, life of excellence, narrow, narrow gate, narrow road, normal, responsible, rewards, Scripture, walk of excellence, wide road, work
A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how the Bible describes our excellent God. It’s one thing to acknowledge that a perfect, holy, and Most High God is excellent. It’s quite another to see that we’re called to that same level of excellence.
Again, let me remind you that it’s not what we do, but whom we have become that makes us excellent. A ministry is not excellent because of its money, technology, modern equipment, large size, big building, or anything else that we may possess. It’s only when we compare what we’re doing to the normal, the average, or the expected that excellence can be seen.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Acts 13:2
The very act of finding and entering your calling is being set apart – you are being divinely moved from a large group to a smaller group. This, by definition, is the more excellent group.
It is a group of those who have been called, prepared, chosen, and accepted for a divinely appointed task. Don’t ever think you’re just like everybody else; you’re not.
There are levels to our callings based upon our obedience and excellence. The more we manifest excellence in our walk and ministry, the further from the pack we move. Make no mistake about it; the Lord is very clear in His call to us – we are to leave the normal behind.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
This seems like an almost impossible task. Are we really to be as perfect as God? Actually, the word perfect in this verse means fully mature. God wants us to grow up and act as mature believers. The life of maturity in Christ is the life of excellence to which we are called.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:15-16
It is clear from the above verses that God is calling us to live a life worthy of His excellent name. Please don’t get confused by what I’m saying. I’m not talking about your salvation. It’s not by works that we’re saved, but through the grace of God.
What I am speaking about, however, is the fact that once we’re saved, there is an expectation of change (for the better) in our lives. God is looking for His children to grow and mature into a people who accurately portray His kingdom and His desires.
For Christians, the walk of maturity is the walk of excellence.
Question: In what areas have you seen yourself mature since you’ve come to Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: above, average, called, called to a life of excellence, calling, chosen, excellence, expected, God, grow up, holy, Holy Spirit, mature believers, mediocre, normal, obedience, perfect, prepared, set apart, worthy
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
The Spirit and the Word 