I’m posting about how Christ walked in the power of God. In my last one I started talking about His time in the wilderness as He faced the devil.
It’s now the end of the Lord’s forty day fast. I can only imagine how the Lord was feeling at the end of this time. But at this point it’s over; He could eat now, according to the rules of fasting.
It’s interesting to see how the devil attacks Jesus. This is how most of our temptations are based. It will give us insight into how the enemy works against us as well.
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
Luke 4:3
Think about Jesus’ teaching. Specifically how He taught on prayer. In what we commonly call “The Lord’s Prayer,” He prayed, “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)
This prayer is a son praying to the Father. If you look closely at this line, it’s not a request. Jesus is assuming that daily bread is the right of a son. He doesn’t say that God promised it to Him. He simply lays claim to what He wants, knowing God’s provision for His sons.
I believe that Satan based his attack upon this prayer. However, the enemy worded it in the form of a promise. He said, “If you are The Son of God…” He challenged Jesus to prove it by claiming the promise for daily provision. The sad thing is that we would have taken the bait, and we do regularly. Then we say that the Holy Spirit told us to do it.
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4
Jesus’ response is clear. The fast was over. It was perfectly in order for Him to eat. But that wasn’t the issue. Jesus wasn’t there in the wilderness for the purpose of eating. He was there to hear from the Father. In this verse, “word” is “rhema” in the Greek. It means the revealed Word of God.
Jesus was telling Satan, “I didn’t come here for bread; I came to hear a Word from the Father.” If the Lord wanted to eat, He could have brought food.
This is a classic strategy that Satan uses over and over again. Sadly, we continue to fall victim to it. We can be tempted to “over-claim” the promises.
In America we already have too much stuff and we believe God for more. It seems that Christians are always “trusting God” for bigger houses, better cars, and more toys. Then, we get discouraged when our “faith” doesn’t pay off.
I believe that it’s time for God’s people to grow up and act like mature sons and daughters of God – like Jesus.
Question: What should we be trusting God for?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, daily provision, devil, forty day fast, Jesus, Jesus walked above the promises, power of God, prayer, promises, promises of God, rhema, temptation, wilderness, word of God
I am posting about how Christ walked in the power of the Spirit. He’s our example for a life of victory over the power of the enemy.
You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Acts 10:37-38
This was the theme throughout the ministry of Christ. Whoever sought help to escape the enemy’s grasp was set free by the Lord. The reason He could accomplish this is because His anointing was based upon the power of the Holy Spirit. By the way, this is the same Holy Spirit who’s now resident in us.
So, the big question is why was He able to heal? Was it because of the Old Testament promises that spoke of healing? No, it was because God, the Holy Spirit, was with Him. What we need to come to grips with is the fact that God wants to heal. He doesn’t want anyone bound by the power of the enemy.
So we can see clearly that Jesus’ power was from the Spirit, not from the law. It’s vitally important that we understand this truth. This is the key.
To aid in our realization of this we’ll look at the best example that the Gospel record gives us. We will go to the section of Scripture where the devil and Jesus have their first battle – in the wilderness. The accounts of both Matthew and Luke, together, show the fullness of what happened during this time in Jesus’ life.
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert…
Luke 4:1
The first thing that we see is that the Lord Jesus allowed Himself to be led by the Spirit. That means that this encounter wasn’t an accident. This event was part of the strategy for victory over sin.
…where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
Luke 4:2
When Jesus went into the wilderness His intention was to meet with the Father. His desire was to fast and pray for the ministry He was about to begin. In order to do this, Jesus fasted for forty days.
This brings up an interesting question. How important to us is walking in God’s power? How far are we willing to go to obtain it? Are we willing to do a long term fast? Spend time in the wilderness, away from all distractions, seeking God? In most cases I see believers who live for themselves and are simply “trusting God for a breakthrough.”
If we want to see the results of Christ, we need to walk His walk.
Question: How far are you willing to go to walk in the power of God?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, Christ our example, example, fast and pray, fasting, healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus in the wilderness, law, led by the Spirit, legalism, life, life of victory, ministry of Christ, power, power of the spirit, prayer, victory
In my last post I talked about my struggle with legalism that I didn’t even know I had. I was like so many others who “stand on the promises.” They are trusting in the power of the law instead of the power of God working in them.
Then again, there are other Christians who have thrown out the whole idea altogether. They’ve tried to live up to the requirements of the promises and failed. They’ve come to the conclusion that they’ll never gain the blessings of the promises. So what they’ve done is to start living for themselves and chase after the things of the world. Unfortunately, if you throw out the promises altogether, and don’t remain in Christ, you’ll find yourself unplugged from the source of our power.
If my attitude is that I don’t want to read the Bible or go to church, then in essence I don’t love God. This is because love is an action, and I’m not showing it toward the Lord. You can say, “I love God” all you want, but that only means that you have good feelings toward Him.
That’s usually how the world defines the word “love.” In that sense you can love God without any of those things. However, I’m talking about true love – an action where all your heart, soul, mind, and strength are involved.
It’s clear from Scripture that there are two forms of power – the Spirit and the law. Both of them are strong forces for change, but the power of the Spirit is the greatest. We also know that trying to fulfill the requirements of the promises is a form of legalism.
Under the New Covenant, the promises serve two purposes, of which both are important. The blessings of the promises show us what God enjoys doing for us. The requirement side of the promise shows us what we can do to please God.
The real question we need to deal with is how did Jesus operate in the power? We will start by seeing how Jesus taught about the power.
He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
1 John 3:8
This is a simple yet profound truth. One of the main purposes of Christ coming to the earth was to destroy the devil’s work. The Lord wanted to end Satan’s reign of terror on this planet. To do that Christ would have to wield a power much greater than that of the devil.
It’s this power that I want to talk about in these posts. Christ is our example. If I can grasp how He walked in the power of God, then I can get the same results by following His principles.
Question: What works of the devil need to be dealt with in our generation?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: blessing, Christ, Christ our example, faith, Holy Spirit, Jesus, law, legalism, loving God, power, power of Christ, remain in Christ, requirements, spirit, standing on the promises, trust
Today I want to start a new series of posts about how Jesus walked in the power of God. But, before I do, I want to share a personal testimony about a trial I had to go through in order to receive this truth from the Lord.
Years ago, the church I pastored was running over a hundred on Sunday morning. The ministry was flourishing and my family was able to obtain a mortgage on our own house. It was a nice, little home on a quiet street – just what we always wanted.
Suddenly, the bottom dropped out. My wife lost her job. The mortgage payments doubled. Through a series of moves and other events, the congregation went down to about 30 people. To make a long story short, we went through a bankruptcy, lost the house, and now live in an apartment owned by my parents.
I don’t say all of this so you will feel bad for me. I don’t regret it. Many good things came out of it. One of them was a Word from God.
This was one of the lowest times of my life. On many occasions I cried out to God asking Him why this was happening to me. One day, while I was in this state, I distinctly heard the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart. He asked me what my problem was.
As I started asking Him why He allowed my finances to dry up, the Lord asked another question.
“Why should I provide for your finances?”
I was a little taken back by the question, but I was ready with my answers. I went through all the Scriptures I knew about the promises that God would supply my need. Malachi 3:10-12, II Corinthians 8-9, Philippians 4:19, and many others. These Scriptures were why I expected Him to bless my finances.
What the Holy Spirit asked next totally floored me.
“So you’re standing on the law to receive your financial blessing?”
I was speechless. I sat in silence for over an hour. I refused to believe that I was legalistic. But I had no other explanation.
I trusted the Scripture instead of the God of the Scripture. I was like the Pharisees that Jesus got upset at.
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
The Lord started showing me, on that day, that I had fallen victim to an epidemic in the church. Many believers are doing everything they can to fulfill the promises. They’re trying to work for the blessings of God. If you use the promises in this way, then you’re running on the power of the law. You’ll never reach the full potential God has for you.
In this new series I want to show how Christ operated – as one submitted to God and controlled by the Holy Spirit.
Question: What is your view on the promises of God?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: bankruptcy, Christ, church, financial blessing, God, heart, Holy Spirit speaking, Jesus, legalism, opened eyes to legalism, pastor, personal testimony, power, power of God, power of the Holy Spirit, promises, promises of God, Scriptures, standing
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18
In this verse, Paul is referring to Moses. When he was leading the children of Israel through the desert, they stopped for a while at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Moses went up to meet with God. As he spent time in the presence of God, he started to soak in some of the glory. At one point, upon his return, the people couldn’t look at his face because it shone like the sun.
The glory of God was reflecting off his face. Moses had to wear a veil until things were back to normal. It’s interesting that way the Bible relates it. It sounds like Moses wore the veil so that the Israelites wouldn’t see the glory fading. His experience was great, but it didn’t last a long time. He had an incredible encounter with God, but it eventually faded back to the way it was.
Understand this, the Lord has greater plans for us. The Holy Spirit is working in us to make us like Christ. Each day we are becoming more and more like Him, if we submit to His plan for our lives. This is the glory of God in us.
This glory that God is clothing us with is different than that of Moses. First of all, it doesn’t fade. It’s a glory that’s always on the increase. My prayer in the presence of the Lord is that throughout my life people will see more of Jesus and less of me.
This is a wonderful thought. God is doing greater things in us than He did in Moses! We sometimes look to the pages of Scripture and wish we were a part of what God did back then. In reality, there’s no need to go back. God is working just as powerfully today – if we let Him.
Another aspect of this glory is that we reflect it with unveiled faces. It’s not a glory that frightens others and pushes them away. It’s the warmth of love and freedom that draws men and women to the cross. Don’t ever use your walk with Christ as an excuse to condemn or put down other people. That’s not what the glory of God is about.
We are here to draw men to Christ. It’s the love, patience and passion of the Lord that brings people to a knowledge of His grace. We need to use the same tactics that He does.
What should our goal be? We must desire to spend time in the presence of this glory. Let it continue to do its transforming work in us. By doing this we are making it our goal to reflect more of His beauty. That’s what will attract people to Christ.
Question: How much quality time do you spend in God’s presence?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Bible, Christ, draw men to Christ, fading, glory of God, God's glory, Holy Spirit, increase, Jesus, love patience, Moses, Mount Sinai, passion, pray, prayer, presence of God, reflecting, reflecting God's glory, unveiled faces
In my last post I talked about the 5 symptoms of being addicted to ministry for Christ. It was based upon the KJV translation of a verse in I Corinthians.
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
1 Corinthians 16:15
Today I want to talk about the steps that it takes to become addicted. Again, I took them from a pamphlet of the American medical community.
Curiosity causes you to check it out. Sometimes seeing what someone else is doing for Christ will cause you to ask if you’re able to do something similar. You step out in faith and see what happens. After all, we’re encouraged in the Scripture to “taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Comparing your life with Christ to your life without Him. How has the Lord changed you? If you’re like most people, then you can look back on a life of death, sorrow, worry, and guilt. Now, in Christ, your path should be marked with life, joy, faith, and freedom.
You develop a taste for it. Most of the things that cause addictions start out tasting horrible. It’s only after people get used to it that they get “hooked.” It’s the same with the ministry. Sometimes it’s hard working with people. But as you get used to it, and especially the rewards of seeing changed lives, it gets better. Pretty soon it becomes normal. Experts tell us that it takes about a month for a habit to develop.
You start to become uncomfortable when it’s taken away (withdrawal). Being a blessing to others causes you to become a giver. When that happens, you have to draw on the sufficiency of Christ. If something happens to stop the process, you feel like something’s missing.
As problems increase, your usage increases. It’s easy to tell when someone is in the final stages of a “Christ addiction.” When the normal believer faces a crisis – the loss of a job or a loved one – you don’t see them around for a while. After all, they need time to sort things out.
Addicted people are different. During times of crisis or turmoil you find them seeking more fellowship, prayer, or worship. Their goal is use the strength of the Lord and His church to get them through the tough times.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
Psalms 42:1-2
David understood the concept. In my estimation, an addiction to Christ is the best thing you could ever experience. It becomes your strength in weakness and your channel of blessing. It will keep your walk with God from becoming stale or stagnant.
Cultivate this holy addiction!
Question: What’s your strategy to developing an addiction to Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: addicted, addicted to Christ, Christ, compare, curiosity, develop a taste, habit, hooked, Jesus, smptoms, step out in faith, steps, sufficiency of Christ, taste and see, usage, with and without Christ, withdrawal
I normally don’t use the KJV in my posts, but this verse gives me a lot to think about.
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
1 Corinthians 16:15
What was it about Stephanas and his family that caused Paul to describe them as addicted?
I looked up some facts, not from Christian sources, but from the American medical community. How do they describe addiction? You may think you’re “all in” for the Lord. How does what these doctors say stack up to your experience?
You need an increased level to maintain the feeling. Are you feeling tired and burned out by what you do for God? Or are you hungering to go deeper with Him? Addiction means that the amount you’re doing now doesn’t satisfy you the way it used to. You want more, greater, and higher dosages in order to stay fulfilled. I believe that’s the excitement of the ministry.
You are obsessed with the ministry. What’s your thought life like? When you’re not actively involved in your calling, are you still thinking about it? Addiction means that it’s constantly in the back of your mind. You continually think about ways to improve and increase what you’re doing for the Lord.
Even in recreation times, a thought, word, or something you see will trigger an image of what you could be doing to further the Kingdom. Thinking about it is uncontrollable.
You are continually sneaking “quickies” throughout the day. Addiction to the ministry is a lifestyle. Do you find yourself sharing about Jesus at the mall, school or workplace? Are you prone to spontaneously be a blessing to people around you, simply for the enjoyment of it? Maybe you find yourself praying for people as soon as you hear about their need. This is a sign of an addiction to Christ and His ministry.
You undergo a change in your appearance. Does the knowledge that you represent Christ change how you present yourself to others? Does the fact that you’re God’s ambassador to the world make a difference in how you live? The more we become addicted, the more radical the change. How much has your ministry affected you?
You are in “denial” – you continue deeper even though others may argue against it. Some people may say that you’re doing too much for God. After all, look at the lifestyle of most believers. “God will let you get away with a lot less commitment.” Arguments like these don’t even faze you. You want to touch as many people as you can for the Gospel.
You may like to think that you’re addicted – after all, it sounds good. But the truth is, unless you’ve come to the place I’ve just described, it’s only wishful thinking. Hey, don’t get mad at me – this is what the American medical community says about it.
If you find that you’re not addicted and you want to be – my next post will be about the 5 steps to becoming addicted!
Question: How has addiction to the ministry affected your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: addicted to the ministry, addiction, addiction to Christ, argument, change, Christ, deeper, denial, excitement, God's ambassador, hunger, improve, increase, Jesus, lifestyle, medical community, ministry, obsessed, praying, radical, represent Christ, sharing about Jesus
I’ve been posting about the walk of excellence for a few days now. Hopefully, as a child of God, you desire to walk in excellence before Him.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. 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 12:1-2
Where do you start on this road to excellence? As is the case with many things in Christ, it’s going to start with a choice.
It’s sad to say, but many believers will not be willing to make that choice. The cost is great. This is that small gate that leads to the narrow road that Jesus said few would find.
The reason is not that it’s difficult to see or understand, but because it involves sacrifice. I have to sacrifice my plans, dreams, and hopes to make room for His.
Basically, I have to learn to see myself as lying dead upon the altar of the Lord in order for His resurrection power to raise me to new levels in Him. That’s why, generally speaking, the body of Christ in this generation is in its present state.
There is a transformation process that I need to undergo in order for His Word, His will, and His Way to become a part of my being. I must allow the Living Word and the Holy Spirit to renew my heart and mind. My thought processes and desires must be transformed into that which conforms to His plans.
It’s only when I’m willing to see it through to completion, in God’s way, that He will entrust me with His excellent plan for my life. So many people have come to me as pastor down through the years asking me how to “find” God’s will for their lives.
The above verse doesn’t say that I need to struggle or search for God’s will. It says that if I’m willing to lay my life down on His altar and begin the renewal process of my mind, then I will just know it. When I see His will for my life, I will approve it. I think you can agree that if something is good, pleasing and perfect – it can also be described as excellent.
It’s only after the decision of excellence is made that God will entrust you with His will. Too often our attitude is that we want to know His will first so that we can decide whether we want to do it or not. The Lord requires faith if we’re to please Him. We must come to Him with the decision to see it through before He’ll give us the glimpse of the road ahead. If you will not trust God with your future, then He will not trust you with His vision.
Question: Have you chosen the road of excellence?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: choice, Christ, counting the cost, decision, dreams, excellence, excellence in ministry, first step to excellence, God's will, good, hopes, Jesus, knowing God's will, perfect, plans, pleasing, renewal process, resurrection power, sacrifice, transformation, walk of excellence
If you’re like me, then you can see by world events that the return of Christ is quickly approaching. What does it take to be ready for that great day? Some believers give the impression that it’s enough to simply sit back and wait for His coming. It’s important to know what Jesus said about it.
At one point in His ministry, Jesus was invited to a Pharisee’s house for dinner. He gave many important teachings there. But for the purposes of this post I will only look at one of them.
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 14:12-14
Sometime during this get together, the Lord turned to the Pharisee and talked about his motivation for throwing a party. A party might be given to impress people and increase your standing in the community so that you’ll be invited to bigger and better parties later on.
According to Christ, if that’s your motivation, then you’ll have no future reward. Jesus advises us to lay up treasure in Heaven. We do so by showing kindness and inviting those who cannot repay us.
Jesus makes it clear that at the resurrection of the righteous there’s going to be rewards. He’s just as clear that our rewards will be based upon our obedience.
Knowing this, we should be constantly aware of our calling. Our desire should be to please the King and to be found faithful at His return. Who are you trying to please? Are you trying to impress the world with your greatness? It’s time for us to wake up and become “God pleasers” instead of “man pleasers.” This is how we prepare for the Lord’s return.
Being prepared doesn’t mean sitting around watching the sky and waiting. It’s all about doing the Master’s business. Is God’s call on our lives important enough for us to seek it out? Once we do, are we faithful enough to complete our assignment? These are the kinds of questions we must ask if we’re to be truly ready for the Lord’s return.
Be prepared. Be faithful. Be found working at your assignment when the Master arrives. You’ll never regret it.
Question: How prepared for the Lord’s return is the church in general right now?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, faithful, faithfulness, future reward, get ready, God-pleaser, Jesus, man pleaser, motivation, obedience, ready, ready for the Lor'd return, return of Christ, return of the Lord, second coming, treasure in Heaven, world events
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’m posting about how Christ walked in the power of God. In my last one I started talking about His time in the wilderness as He faced the devil.
The Spirit and the Word 