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Healing Principles – The Word

30 Sep

BeamI’m taking a few posts to talk about the Biblical principles surrounding divine healing. I believe that God wants to use the church to the same degree that Christ healed the sick when He walked the earth. The problem is that we don’t understand all of the things involved.

One big key to healing is found in the book of James.

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
James 5:14-15

I feel that in this modern age we really don’t get what James means by the prayer of faith. I get the impression that we think it’s all about quoting the Bible and tacking on “in Jesus name” at the end. James has a whole different perspective.

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
James 5:17-18

The example he uses is Elijah stopping the rain from falling in Israel. What would cause him to do something like that? There’s an assumed chain of events that led to his famous prayer.

He was at home, in prayer, when suddenly he heard a Word from God. That’s the only explanation for the boldness he had. God spoke to him and said that the rain would stop when he delivered the message to the king.

This is the very example that James uses to illustrate healing prayer. The assumption is that to pray this kind of prayer, you must have heard from heaven. It’s based upon hearing a Word from God.

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17

This verse literally says that faith comes by hearing the rhema – Word of God. That’s the Word that God Himself speaks to us. But in order to hear this Word, we have to spend time in His presence listening to His Spirit.

That’s what we find so hard to do in this generation. We want everything to come instantly. No waiting on the Lord in prayer. We just want the perfect spiritual formula that will assure us the answer every time we pray it.

Unfortunately that’s not how God operates. Over and over again in the Scripture we see that healing is associated with receiving a Word from God.

He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
Psalms 107:20

If we want to see more healings in the body of Christ then we have to do it His way. We must spend more time in prayer and prayer in the spirit. That’s how we will position ourselves to hear from God. Faith will rise within us. Then the Word of healing that we speak will be powerful and effective.

Question: How have you seen divine healing operate through God’s people?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on September 30, 2015 in Faith, Healing, Prayer, Word of God

 

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Healing Principles – The Sin Nature

23 Sep

TargetI believe that Christ is the Healer. I believe that in His death, burial, and resurrection He paid the price for all sickness and disease to be healed. That being said, I also understand the reality that not everyone is healed at this point in church history.

Just like it’s God’s desire for all to be saved, I believe He wants us all healthy and whole. But please understand, I’m not one of those who lightly says, “You just didn’t have enough faith” when someone’s not healed.

There are certain kingdom principles that I think we’ve missed along the way. I want to take a few posts to talk about some of these as they relate to the healing that’s available to all believers.

The first is the principle of the sin nature. We need to understand how this relates to sickness. I covered this aspect in great detail in a series I posted called Healing 101. To read that series click here.

The bottom line of what Scripture teaches is that sickness is a part of the sin nature. Let me be clear – sickness is not always caused by a specific sin in our life, but it is a part of the total sin package that Adam embraced.

Sin means to miss the mark. Adam was created to never be sick. Sickness misses the mark of God’s desire for our health. Jesus Christ himself made reference to this fact during His ministry on earth. This took place when a group of men lowered their sick friend to Jesus through a hole they cut in the roof.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
Luke 5:20-26

In looking at this event in the life of Jesus, it’s important to note that the Greek word that we translate as forgive literally means to remove. Therefore, according to Jesus’ own testimony, in order to prove that He could remove sin – He removed sickness.

Jesus would not have made such an amazing statement unless it was true. This is one of the most important concepts we need to hear. When a person is healed, a manifestation of the sin nature is removed from their life.

In order to understand how healing works in the church, we must first come to grips with this truth. God feels the same way about sickness that he feels about any other sin – He wants it gone!

That’s good news. I don’t have to worry about whether or not it’s God’s will to heal me. It is. I just need to understand the guiding principles about how that healing is accomplished in me.

Hopefully, over the next few posts I can bring those across. My prayer is that as you read these, you can lay hold of it. If the result is that your healing manifests, please share it with us in the comments so that God can get the glory for His work in you.

Question: How has God healed you in the past?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on September 23, 2015 in Healing, Ministry, Power of God

 

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How Persuaded are You?

11 Sep

Bible 2We sometimes tend to treat the things of God very lightly. We say things like, “Of course I’m trusting God.” But are we really? How far would we let our faith take us? That’s the real test of our belief.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews talked about some Old Testament saints who stood their ground in the spirit.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
Hebrews 11:13

This Scripture says that they saw the promises of God from a distance. Obviously Christ had not arrived on the scene yet. They had to wait for the fulfillment. They went to their graves fully trusting God for the outcome He promised.

There’s actually more to it than that. The word saw in the above verse literally means to become persuaded. These believers become persuaded about God’s power.

How persuaded are you? They were convinced in God’s ability to accomplish what He said He would do. What’s the confession that people hear from your mouth?

It should be: “God can heal.” “God can restore broken homes.” “God can provide for needs.” “God can change people’s lives.”

Not only were these Old Testament people persuaded by God’s abilities, the verse says that they welcomed His promises. That word welcomed means that they embraced those promises even at a distance.

Are you embracing the Lord’s Word for yourself? It’s not enough just to agree that God is able to do something. You need to make it personal.

“God can heal me.” “God can restore my home.” “God can provide for my needs.” “God can change my life.”

We all have to come to the point where we understand that we serve a very personal God. Christ didn’t just go to the cross for the sins of the world. He went to save ME from MY SIN. I need to see Him as the One who is presently working in my life.

That will lead me to the next thing that these bygone saints were known for. They admitted, literally confessed, that they were aliens and strangers on earth. That word, in Greek, means to speak the same as. I need to speak the same Word that the Lord speaks.

I’m an alien here on earth. I’m a part of the heavenly kingdom. I have access to more than our society does. It changes the way I talk.

“God is my Savior.” “God is my Healer.” “God is my Provider.” “God is my Restorer.”

This is where our strength comes from. It’s not from how good I am, but how good my God is.

…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

That word confident is the same word persuaded from the verse above. How persuaded are you, not only that God can do the work, but that He will complete it in you? It’s not about us. It’s all about what He has accomplished for us. Let the Word of God fully persuade you to put your whole trust in the Lord.

Question: What are you trusting God to accomplish in you?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on September 11, 2015 in Faith, God's Provision, Healing, Power of God, Word of God

 

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Abraham’s Heritage of Unbelief

07 Sep

Dry2How do you compare to Abraham? We read about men like Abraham, Noah, and Moses and think they were somehow different from us. Kind of like a higher breed of human – much more godly than we could ever be.

We look at our lives, where we came from, the baggage we carry with us, and we think that we can never be like them.

“If only we were more like them, then we could accomplish great things for God.”

That kind of thinking only serves to make you ineffective as a child of God.

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:1-2

Many people think that God called Abraham out of the blue – without any warning. They think that the calling of God isn’t based upon any past history. This is simply not the case.

Actually, we’re more like the faithful men and women of the Bible than we think. I want to take a couple of posts to show what Abraham’s family history was like. He had to go against his upbringing in order to follow God. Like us, it would have been easier for him to just ignore God and go on business as usual.

Do we have a double standard when it comes to our children? We want the best for them. What about where faith is concerned? Abraham’s family had to wrestle with this.

When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber.
Genesis 11:14

Shelah was an ancestor of Abraham – 7 generations before he was born. He was given a name which meant the spear of attack. Interesting name…his parents must have seen great things in his future. Actually, we know that Shelah had a deep relationship with the Lord. God spoke to him just like He called out to many in this family line.

Long before Abraham was called, Shelah was given the same orders as Abraham. He was told to leave his home to follow God’s leading. The difference is that he never left everything to follow God’s voice.

How do I know this? Instead of leaving his home, he named his son Eber – which means the land across the river. He must have reasoned, “I can’t go, but I’ll have my son obey God’s call.” It turns out that Eber didn’t leave home either.

Procrastination can keep you from God’s best. The fact is that this incident happened before the Tower of Babel. That means that it was before the giants moved into the Promised Land. God’s people could have had it free and clear with no wars or struggles – if they had obeyed God immediately.

We need to learn this lesson. The quicker we obey God, the easier it is to see the outcome He’s planned for us. If there’s something you were meaning to do for God, but were putting it off – now is the time. Don’t wait any longer. Obey God’s call; you’ll be glad you did.

Question: How have you experienced the blessing that come from obeying God quickly?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on September 7, 2015 in Encouragement, Faith, Word of God

 

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Is Your Heart Burning?

31 Aug

FireWhen Christ rose from the dead, He began showing Himself to groups of His followers in various places. At one point two of them were walking from Jerusalem to a town called Emmaus. They had an encounter with the risen Lord.

At first they didn’t recognize Him. Later, once they knew who they’d been with, they discussed it.

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Luke 24:32

Recently, as I was reading this passage, I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to study this more deeply. I want to take a couple of posts to talk about what I learned as I meditated on these “burning hearts”. I believe that it will help you in your walk with the Lord.

Let’s start at the beginning. If this is about their hearts, then how did they begin the process? This is an important question.

As I said before, they didn’t know at first that they were talking to Jesus. He asked them why they looked so sad. They were amazed that there was a person who they thought had no idea of what had just taken place in Jerusalem.

“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.”
Luke 24:19-21

This is one of the most amazing confessions of faith AND unbelief that I’ve ever seen! On the one hand they saw in Christ the power of the Word of God. They were inspired to place their hope in Him as the Redeemer of Israel.

Yet at the same time they were walking in defeat, believing that there was nothing more to hope for. It was over. The chief priests and rulers destroyed the dream.

In this condition, they were what James called double-minded.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
James 1:6-8

Being double-minded doesn’t mean that you doubt everything. You’re trusting God for some things, while doubting others. You may trust God to save your soul, yet not believe that He wants to provide for your needs.

That’s the place that many Christians find themselves in today. They know what God’s Word says, yet they have no idea how to apply it to their lives. They’re hoping that God will do something in them, while at the same time they expect nothing to happen.

This is where the burning hearts come in. In my next post we’ll see the Lord’s remedy for this double-minded dilemma.

Question: When have you found yourself both trusting and doubting God at the same time?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on August 31, 2015 in Faith, Revival

 

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How’s Your Love-Walk?

10 Aug

Question MarkIn my last post I talked about how love is one of the non-optional ingredients to a powerful ministry. I defined it as treating people as if you like them – whether you do or not, whether you know them or not and whether you are in their presence or not.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I Corinthians 13:7

This is the atmosphere that should surround God’s people. When you’re ministering to others, all these aspects should be evident in your work.

Too often, we’re guilty of loving our ministry more than the people we’re called to perfect. This verse tells us that we’re to always protect, trust in, hope for and persevere for THE PEOPLE.

The ministry is a good thing. But it’s still a thing. Things can never be more important than people. Excellence will never develop in an atmosphere where you love the ministry to the extent that you do not care for the people.

You are not their Lord, Jesus is. Your ministry is never more important than God’s plan for their individual lives. If you’re walking in the way of love, you’ll be able to balance the two.

Love for people must start with your family. Too many Christians think that it’s noble to give up their family for “God’s work.”

I even heard a guest minister once prove how devoted he was to the ministry by saying that his children were not walking with the Lord. It was a sacrifice he had to make for the ministry. I never let him preach at our church again. God has never accepted child sacrifice. The Bible is clear that ministry begins at home.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13

It’s clear from the life of Christ (and we probably don’t want to hear it) that the way of love sees everyone as our friends. Jesus even laid down His life for those who were His sworn enemies. If so, then He included the whole race of mankind into His list of “friends.”

We cannot use this verse for an excuse not to love. Christ’s example stops us from doing this. He laid down His life for the Pharisee and the Atheist, as well as the disciples. When you walk in the love of Christ, you exhibit the same evidence of love that He did.

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1Thessalonians 5:8

Faith and love – they’re the two non-negotiable items with God. Scripture makes it clear that without faith it is impossible to please God. But just as true is the verse we looked at in the last post that clearly states that if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. You cannot please Him unless both are in operation.

Paul wasn’t forgetful either. He didn’t call the breastplate one thing here and then forget about it and call it righteousness somewhere else. The combination of faith expressing itself through love is the completion of our righteousness.

Without them both in balance and harmony, our works are not complete before God. That’s why you must be sensitive to the Lord and seek to develop both. Without them, you have no chance of developing the kind of ministry that will change the world around you.

Question: How has God’s love been evident through you lately?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on August 10, 2015 in Faith, Ministry, Power of God, Spiritual Walk

 

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Obedient Faith

17 Jul

BlurI’ve been posting about the Holy Spirit as the one who nourishes our spirits. I talked about Jesus speaking to the crowd who had been miraculously fed by the loaves and fishes.

The Lord told them that He was the living bread from Heaven. They got offended at some of His words and many began to leave Him. As He was left alone with His disciples, they told Jesus that His teaching was hard for them to understand. So He said the following…

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
John 6:63

He explained to them that He wasn’t talking about His physical flesh. Christ was talking about His Spirit – the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is sent from heaven He will give life.

At that point in history, Jesus fulfilled the role of the Holy Spirit to His disciples. That’s why He could tell them to believe His words and receive life – the living bread.

But understand; right now it’s the job of the Holy Spirit to give life. If I want this in my life I must feed on His word to me. Hearing and believing the Holy Spirit is the key to everything we need.

But the real question is; do you truly believe if you don’t obey?

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
James 2:17-18

What kind of faith is James talking about here? Some ethereal faith, believing it will all turn out good in the end? Absolutely not!!

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
James 2:20-23

We must have faith in the instructions God gives us. How? By the Holy Spirit. Why did Abraham offer his son? Because God had said to do it

That’s righteousness – our spiritual food. Believing that what God speaks to you is the right thing to do. That’s the same spiritual food that Jesus ate. That’s the life that the Holy Spirit is offering to us right now. But in order to see this manifest, I must spend time with the Holy Spirit – the giver of life to the church.

Question: How have you been obedient to the Holy Spirit lately?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on July 17, 2015 in Faith, Prayer, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Sent One

13 Jul

BreadI’m taking some time to talk about the Holy Spirit and His work in us. In my last post I looked at the following verse.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:25-26

Notice that Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit was the one whom the Father will send in my name. It’s important to understand that the Spirit was sent to us from the Father.

At one point, just after He fed the 5000, Jesus was speaking to the crowd that was following Him.

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
John 6:26-27

As He speaks, the Lord begins to tell them about spiritual food. He calls it food that remains to the point of eternal life. In other words, food that is eternally alive in you – always nourishing you. It doesn’t just leave your body after a day. That’s what we should be working for.

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
John 6:28

They knew He was talking about spiritual food so they asked what kind of work was required.

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:29

This is how you work for food that remains in you, bringing you eternal life. Believe in the one God has sent. Jesus could have said “believe in me”, “believe in my words,” or “believe in the Son of Man.” But He didn’t and there’s a good reason.

I’m a firm believer that Jesus meant what He said and said what He meant. Since He used a broader term – the one sent – it must be important.

At that point in history – Jesus was the revelation of God sent to Israel. But what about now…to us? Right now the sent one – the revelation of God sent to the world – is the Holy Spirit.

According to Christ, the work of God that feeds your soul is to believe the one that’s sent – the Holy Spirit. When He speaks I have to believe Him. That’s how I nourish my soul. That’s how I can receive spiritual food others have no concept of.

The Holy Spirit has been sent to us. We need a greater revelation of His work in us. In my next post, I’ll continue, taking this in more detail.

Question: What was the last thing you heard from the Holy Spirit?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on July 13, 2015 in Faith, Spiritual Walk

 

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True Biblical Faith

12 Jun

Icy RoadThis is the last of six reposts of my most read articles. It was originally posted in 2012. It was the start of a series on faith.

To view the original series click here.

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?

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 a 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 2015

 
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Posted by on June 12, 2015 in Faith, Spiritual Walk

 

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God and the Candy Machine

01 Jun

 

CandyThis is the first of six reposts of my most read articles. This one is from 2013. It was originally from a series dealing with how similar our modern attitudes are to the crowd in John Chapter 6. They seem to have their eyes on the temporary, while Christ is trying to point them to the eternal.

Click here to view the original series.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty…And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:35-40

Notice that Jesus repeats Himself here. Two times He said to them, “I will raise them up at the last day.” It’s a very simple statement. It’s so simple, in fact, that most Christians miss it as well.

He told them that if they come to Him and put their trust in Him, He’ll give them eternal life and He’ll raise them up at the last day. The key is that you must have this eternal life in you BEFORE you enter the grave. If you have this eternal life in you, then death will not be able to keep you any more than it could hold on to the Lord.

He said it twice yet they didn’t hear him. Look at their reaction.

At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
John 6:41

It went right over their heads. They missed it. The Lord said you can have eternal life and that He’d raise you up at the last day. All they heard was that He thinks He’s bread that has come down from heaven. “What does He mean He’s bread coming down from heaven?”

They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:42-44

Jesus is desperately trying to get it into their head that He wasn’t emphasizing bread coming down from heaven. He was trying to get them to embrace eternal life. Over and over again He said, “I’ll raise him up at the last day.” They just didn’t get it.

I think, that just like us, they didn’t want to get it. They could tell that what Jesus was talking about meant change. They would have to change their views and attitudes about God. The Lord would no longer be that big “candy machine in the sky,” but a friend with whom you must spend time cultivating a relationship.

Question: How do you deepen your relationship with Christ?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on June 1, 2015 in Faith, Prayer, Spiritual Walk

 

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