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
We call Satan “the enemy.” But in many cases, it looks like regular church people have accepted payment from him to ignore the work of God. Are you one of these individuals?
God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
Romans 1:9-10
In this verse, the word serve literally means to serve as a hired menial. So Paul is saying that he considers himself hired by God for a purpose. He understands that there’s a payment, a reward that he will receive from God for a job well done.
How do we handle this? In our modern American culture there’s not a lot of job loyalty anymore. People are constantly keeping their resumes tuned up in case a better position opens up in another company. It’s unfortunate, but this same mindset has spilled over into the church.
Satan tries to capitalize on this thinking.
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.”
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Matthew 4:8-10
In this verse we see Satan trying to give Christ a better offer. It was promised that the Messiah would one day rule over all the kingdoms of the world. But by God’s way, the Lord would have to suffer and die in agony to receive it.
Satan is giving Christ the chance to bypass all the pain. By a simple act of devotion, He could receive the reward without the pain of the cross. I’m so glad that Jesus saw through the deception, and carried out God’s plan as it was meant to be done.
Satan tries to buy us off all the time. He holds out to us all the pleasures, entertainments, and activities of the world. He tells us to just play with these toys for a little while.
“They’re not sinful, and nobody will be hurt by them.”
But there’s a price that’s being paid. The work of the kingdom is being ignored by a large segment of believers. There are souls not being saved, prisoners not being set free, and lives not being healed. There’s a calling that only you can fulfill.
If you’re looking for a better offer, Satan will give it to you; he just won’t follow through with it. It’s time for the church of Christ to rise to its feet. We must throw off the distractions of the world and complete the assignments that we were call to do.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
Hebrews 12:28
Our wages from the Lord are well worth what we are called to do. We are hired by God for a purpose. Let’s give all and do great things for God!
Questions: How has the enemy tried to buy your time? How have you answered his offer?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: better offer, better position, bought off, Christ, church people, deception, destiny, have you been bought off, hired by God, ignore, Jesus, loyalty, Messiah, payment, purpose, Satan, serve, serving God, the enemy, work of God
Over the past few posts we’ve looked at the parable of the seed planted in different soils. The message Christ was focusing on should be clear. In order to prepare my heart for a great harvest, I must come to the realization that the Word of God must be the single crop in my heart.
This is what Scripture means by being single-hearted. When you have a single crop of the Word planted in your life, you’ve set yourself up for a plentiful harvest.
We have a spiritual epidemic across our nation. There’s an abundance of the Word of God, with very little fruit being produced. It’s time to weed out these distractions from the good, rich soil of our hearts. What we need is the mindset of a farmer when it comes to the Word of God.
“But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Matthew 13:23
It’s clear from this verse that in order to see the harvest, I must understand the Word – see that it applies to my life. I have to go beyond the person who lives too close to the road.
“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”
Luke 8:15
This literally says that I must hold it down fast; keep it secure in my heart. It has to take root deeply in my life. I must go beyond those who have rocky soil.
Mark’s Gospel adds that we have to accept the Word. (Mark 4:20) This means to associate with, delight in. If you delight in a crop, you’re going to keep it free of weeds. You don’t want anything choking it out.
The bottom line is that you must persevere. In actuality it’s never easy to keep a farm or a garden. It always requires tending.
I must come to the point where I acknowledge that the Word of God is everything to me. It’s the same principle as in the physical world.
In the past I’ve had a garden. The fresh tomatoes, peppers, and squash were a welcome sight throughout the summer and fall. I could proudly say, “This eggplant came from my garden.” Here’s the difference – I wasn’t a farmer. I enjoyed the fresh vegetables grown in my garden, but I didn’t need them to survive.
A true farmer, on the other hand, lives by what he grows. His livelihood is tied to the crops that he produces. His new car is a result of the crops he harvested. The renovations to his home are a result of the harvest. Everything he has is tied up in his ability to produce a bountiful crop.
We must pick up this same mindset in regards to the Word of God. We live by the Word. Everything we need for life and godliness is all tied up in the Word. How I relate to the Word determines my destiny.
Hopefully, you can see by Christ’s teaching that it’s not just a matter of getting the seed into the ground. You can be planting huge amounts of seed and never see a single piece of fruit if you’re not following the basic principles of spiritual farming.
It’s all about getting the right seed into the right ground, then persevering to make sure that the seed can grow and produce fruit unhindered.
Question: How do you cultivate a “farmer’s mindset”?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: abundance, abundant harvest, Christ, delight, destiny, farmer, fruit, fruit of the Spirit, harvest, Jesus, parable, perseverance, persevere, plant, plant the word, seed, single hearted, take root, the abundant life, weeds, word of God, word planted
God is calling His church to a higher level in Christ. The return of the Lord is very close, yet sometimes the church seems to act like we have all the time in the world. Are you complacent about where you are spiritually? Or do you want to see a greater move of God through your life?
At one point in his life, Moses had a similar choice to make.
Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.” So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
Exodus 4:19-20
Moses had been away from Egypt for a long time. But in this time of his life, God was calling him to return to his former home. The difference was that this time he had a mission from God – to set his people free. Even so, it still required a long wilderness journey.
Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to start. The planning and organizing are usually pretty easy.
I enjoy hiking. There are times that I have spent a few days on the trail.
When morning comes and it’s time to move on, thats when the truth of this is made real. It’s not that tough to break camp and put things away into your pack. But when you finally put your pack on, and stand there with your trekking poles in your hand – a subtle transformation occurs.
Suddenly, without warning, the campsite that you’ve called home for the past twelve hours is no longer yours. Now you’re a part of the trail and looking for a new destination.
We may be very satisfied where our life is right now. But this isn’t our destiny – the Lord has a greater work He wants to do in us. When God calls us to a higher level, we can never be satisfied this way again.
Remember that we need to be a people who are packed and ready to go. This world is not our home and the things of this world will never truly fulfill us.
Sometimes we just need to go before the Lord and reiterate to Him our total commitment to following His path for our lives – no matter where it leads. We need to thank Him for the destiny that He has prepared for us. Then, we need to be open and listening for any course changes He may speak to us.
It all depends on our attitude. Am I satisfied where I’m at, or do I hunger to see what God wants to do in these last days?
Question: Do you desire to move up to a new level in Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: attitude, Christ, complacent, course changes, destiny, greater move of God, higher level, hunger for more, Jesus, Lord, Moses, move on attitude, moving on in Christ, return of Christ, satisfied, spiritual, spiritual level, the world
Psalm 107:4-9
Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Many times I read the news of someone who is missing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Being lost in the wilderness is a frightening experience. When this happens, there is no course of action that is worse than wandering aimlessly. The best thing to do is either to stay put and wait for help, or to walk downhill and down stream.
As we look around at our society, we see many people who are wandering aimlessly with their lives. Without a compass or a direction for their soul, they live and die without ever reaching their destiny. It should be the number one priority to find your purpose in life.
This is why quality time with the Creator is so important in the life of a believer. It gives you the chance to set your heading with the Word of God and through prayer. Only by finding your God-given destiny will you be assured of living a life that means something.
Don’t allow yourself to live a life of wandering. Go before the Lord today and seek His plan for your life. Obtain vision from His hand. Live a life that reaps eternal benefits.
Tags: Bible, calling, compass, destiny, direction, God's plan, God's will, God's word, Holy Spirit, lost, mountain, prayer, presence of the lord, purpose in life, spiritual direction, wandering, wandering aimlessly
Genesis 16:13-14
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.
We serve a God of many names. It is beyond the capability of human speech to adequately describe Him in one simple name. Each time someone met the God of Heaven and earth, they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to refer to Him by a new name.
He was called Jehovah Rapha, “God my Healer;” El Elyon, “God Most High;” and Addonai, “God Almighty”, just to name a few. Here Hagar has just come face to face with a new revelation of her Creator. She knows Him as “The God Who sees me.”
What an awesome thought. This is the God who created the universe, the One who upholds all things by His mighty power, the King of kings that sits enthroned above the earth. Yet in spite of all His glory, He sees me.
Think of it. God does not only see us, He sees me – personally. He knows my joys, hurts, frustrations, victories, and needs. The Lord knows me more intimately than I know myself.
As you go before Him today, acknowledge Him as the One who sees everything about you. This will allow you to rest in His holy presence, knowing that He cares about everything that concerns you. Bask in the assurance of His love for you.
Tags: destiny, encouragement, fellowship, God sees me, God's faithfulness, God's love, God's will, Holy Spirit, names of God, personal, running away, sees everything, trust
Genesis 16:9-10
Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.”
I don’t know about you, but I hate getting instructions like that. Unfortunately, this is sometimes the case in life. The only way forward is to go back.
I have learned this the hard way on many occasions. I love to go on road trips with my wife. Most of the time it’s great fun. However, there have been times when I have missed an exit or a road I needed to go down.
That’s when the “man pride” starts to kick in. Do I keep going forward as if nothing’s wrong? Do I humble myself, admit the problem, and turn around? Sometimes it can be a hard decision.
Backtracking is never easy to do. It requires you to acknowledge that you’re not perfect. But, the fact is that not turning around can compound the problem. If I hadn’t gone back to the right exit, who knows where I would have ended up.
In life, don’t be too proud to backtrack. Sometimes you need to find the place where you last knew you were in God’s plan. If you find yourself a little “lost” in life, take the time to go before the Lord and seek His wisdom to get you back on track. Don’t be too afraid or proud to work on the areas He speaks to you about. Do what is needed to bring restoration.
Tags: backtrack, calling, destiny, go back, God's will, God's wisdom, Holy Spirit, humble myself, lost, path, pride, restoration, running away, turn around, victory
Genesis 12:7-8
The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
In all his traveling through the wilderness, Abram kept his focus upon the true purpose of life; to be a worshipper of God. This is the highest calling we could attain to.
Just thinking about the miles that he traveled is daunting. I Don’t say that because of the great distance he traveled. There are many long-distance hikers who do an incredible amount of miles each year. Following the trail is the easy part.
Here we have a man who left all to follow God on a trail that he didn’t know where it ended. When he got there – he was a stranger. Yet the first task he set for himself was to build an altar and worship God.
Where has the path of your life taken you? What kind of place do you find yourself at right now? No matter what your answers to those questions might be, follow the example of Abram.
Make this place your altar. Take some time right now to worship God. Without asking for anything, simply exalt Him for who He is and where He has brought you to – even if it is not the best of situations. Let the Lord know that He is the central focus of your life.
Tags: Abraham, Abram, calling, destiny, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, path, purpose, trust, worship
Genesis 12:4-6
So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
The story of Abram’s life always amazes me. The Word of God was not in written form yet, so he had no Bible. He had nothing written, upon which to base his trust of God. Yet, with open arms, he received the promise of God as the path for his life.
Not only was he convinced of the Lord’s faithfulness himself, but it spilled over. A whole host of others were willing to put their future into the hands of his God based solely upon Abram’s word. Two whole households moved to a new country in response to the call of God.
Is your faith that evident? Are there people that have trusted God based upon your word and the testimony of your life? We need to walk in the things we believe. Our faith needs to be seen and felt by those around us.
We have the written Word of God. We have thousands of years of history to view the faithfulness of God. How can we ever doubt Him?
If you have never made a decision to set the Word of God as the path for your life, today is the day for you. Spend time, today, placing your destiny firmly in the hands of the Lord.
Tags: Abraham, Abram, Bible, calling, Christian witness, destiny, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, promise of God, trust, word of God
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.
The Spirit and the Word 