RSS

Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

Advancement in the Kingdom

10 Jan

Jet Plane to NowhereAs the disciples listened to Jesus’ teaching, they began to learn a great deal about the day of resurrection.  At one point they started to put two and two together and were making their plans accordingly.  They knew that they would be dead before the Days of the Son of Man, but because of the resurrection, they would see the kingdom.

Now it so happens that two of the disciples, James and John, who were also brothers, set a plan into motion.

“Mama, come here, we have to ask you to do something for us.”

“What is it, my children?”

“We want you to ask Jesus something.”

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
“What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
Matthew 20:20-21

They had it all thought out.   They knew that they wouldn’t see the days coming up to it, but they would be there for the kingdom.  If they played their cards right, they could get in on the ground floor.  Jesus had said previously that if any two agreed, they could ask what they wanted, and it would be done for them (Matthew 18:19).

But just to make sure, they asked their mom to make the request that one of them be on the right and the other on the left.  Because, of course, their mom had more pull then they did.

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them.  “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
Matthew 20:22

They had no idea at all what they were saying.  Jesus was talking about the cup of death.  He was looking at their ability to be martyred for the faith.

Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
Matthew 20:23

Jesus’ reply contains some interesting concepts.  We need to remember that our places in the kingdom are not going to be decided on by us.  We miss the fact that it’s not up to us to say, “I want to be a prophet so I’m going to Bible College and learn all about the Bible.  Then, I’m going to go to prophet school and learn how to be a prophet.  Then, I’m going to do this and do that, and then, finally, I’ll be a prophet.”

I’m sorry.  That might be how it works in the world, but not in the Kingdom of God.  In the Church, we are to be led by the Holy Spirit.  It’s up to Him to show us the plan for our lives.

Question: What are you called to do for God’s kingdom?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on January 10, 2014 in Ministry, Return of Christ, The Church

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s a Lie: “I Can’t Change.”

08 Jan

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAHave you made any New Year’s Resolutions?  Are they still going or have you given up on them?

I recently read a book called Changeology by John Norcross, PhD.  He talked about some myths we’ve bought into about change.  I’ve noticed them in the lives of many believers, so I’m adapting them for this blog.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

As Christians, our faith is in Christ as the agent of change, making us more like Him.  We can’t afford to buy into the lie that change is beyond our grasp.  Have you listened to the enemy’s deception in this area?

1. “I can’t change on my own.”  This one is partly true.  If you take God out of the equation, then change is a lot tougher.  But the simple fact is that you have to start the ball rolling.  It all begins with your decision to change, then God has your permission to act on your behalf.

2. “I can only make insignificant changes.”  The deception in this is that no change is ever insignificant.  Sometimes the smallest change has the greatest effect.  On the side of a mountain, the smallest gust of wind can start a huge avalanche. If God can change something small in your life, then you can trust Him for something greater.

3. “I don’t have enough willpower to change.”  It’s not about willpower, it’s about faith.  Willpower places trust in yourself to do the work.  You need to put your expectation in the power of the Holy Spirit working in you.  The simple fact is that your flesh will never change itself.  Time in God’s presence is the most effective means to see God’s hand upon your life.

4. “I can’t change who I am.”  The Scripture above exposes this fallacy.  In Christ, your past never determines your future.  Personality, family traits, and even bad habits are not outside the power of God.  The Lord can heal hurts and bitterness of the past.  You need to open your heart to the Great Physician to do the work that only He can do.

5. “I’ve tried to change in the past and failed at it.”  The Bible is clear that we might experience failure in our lives.  The key is to not wallow in it.  You may fall, but keep getting up.  Perseverance is the key to victory.  One great success will wipe out all the sadness of past mistakes.  Let God strengthen your heart for the path ahead.

Maybe you have fallen victim to one of these insidious attitudes.  If so, then it’s time to lay them down and choose the path to your destiny in Christ.  Decide today to yield to the Holy Spirit’s power.  Let Him work with you as you walk step by step to your high calling in the Lord.

Questions: What do you want to change in your life?  How can you allow God to be a part of this process?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
2 Comments

Posted by on January 8, 2014 in Faith, Power of God

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Two Kinds of Righteousness

18 Dec

BeamIn my last post I started talking about the relationship between the power of God and righteousness.  There are so many believers bound in the notion that if we can just be righteous enough, we can walk in the power of the Spirit.

They spend their lives frustrated trying to live up to the righteous rules set out by their teachers.  Many give up on ever obtaining a walk in the power of the Spirit.  Little do they know that their quest is in vain.

And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
2 Corinthians 3:11

It’s the power of the law which, like batteries, eventually fades away.  Not so the power of the Spirit.  This verse literally says that it lasts, remains, stays perpetually.  What kind of power are you looking for?  A temporary boost that fades as your strength declines?  Or do you seek a power that comes from the Spirit of the living God?

The righteous life can only come from a walk of power.  Jesus not only walked in power, but also in the righteousness of the Father.  This means it’s possible for me as well.  I just need apply the truth of Scripture to my life.

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:17

Righteousness is not a function of my strength or my will power.  It comes from God through His Holy Spirit.  The key is that this truth is revealed in the Gospel – the Good News.  Truly, to many believers righteousness from God is Good News.

As I’ve said before, so many live their lives constantly failing to live up to the standards set by Christ in the Word.  The Good News is that you don’t have to.  But wait a minute!  Maybe you think I’m talking about the imparted righteousness that God gives to us when we’re saved.  I’m not.

The Bible teaches about two different kinds of righteousness under the New Covenant.  First, there’s imparted righteousness.  This is the righteousness that Christ places within you when you’re saved.

This means that when God the Father looks at you, He sees you in Christ.  This gives you access to God at all times so that your sin will not keep you from approaching the throne for forgiveness, praise, worship, or any other purpose.  We need this righteousness to establish a relationship with the Lord as we grow in our faith.

There is also another kind of righteousness that the New Testament talks about.  That’s the walk of righteousness.

This is the application of the righteousness of God to our daily lives.  This means that I live correctly before God.  This one is harder to see manifest in my life.  That’s especially true if I try to accomplish it in my own power, as so many Christians endeavor to do.

I believe that in the above verse, Paul is talking about the walk of righteousness.  It’s this righteousness from God that allows us to live righteously.  We can never hope to walk rightly before God in our own strength.  It’s going to require us to walk in the ability of the Lord in order to please Him.

Question: Why is it so tempting to please God in our own strength?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on December 18, 2013 in Legalism, Power of God

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thanksgiving Bread – The Spirit and the Word #thanksgiving

27 Nov

BreadUnder the Old Testament law, many different types of offerings were to be presented to God.  Some were called Fellowship Offerings because they were given simply out of love for God.  An offering of thanksgiving was one of these Fellowship Offerings.

If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.  Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast.
Leviticus 7:12-13

There are four different kinds of bread that were associated with this offering.  The common elements in all of them are flour and oil.  I believe that they correspond to the word and the spirit.  This is central to thanksgiving since everything I receive from God is through the Word and by His Spirit.

The first bread is cakes of bread without yeast and mixed with oil.  The term “unleavened” comes from a root which means to greedily devour because it is sweet.  It was made with flour mixed with oil.  To make these today, we would use shortening or butter.  They would be more like shortbread or butter cookies.

Sometimes the word is sweet to me.  I devour it greedily.  It satisfies my inner longing and refreshes my spirit.  I’m thankful for the Word of God that lifts me up.

The next bread is the wafer – literally, a matzah.  This matzah cracker was to be anointed with oil.  The matzah is very dry and pierced at regular intervals throughout the cracker.

Sometimes the Word pierces me, like a sword.  It’s in times like this that God is doing surgery on me.  The Bible teaches that faithful are the wounds of a friend.  I need it because this is the place of the anointing.  I’m thankful for the Word of God that corrects me.

Another bread is made with fine flour and cooked in oil.  Fine flour is like our bakery flour.  When we cook something in oil, we call it deep fried – like fried dough or donuts.

This one is brought about in the heat of the spirit.  It takes the fire of the Holy Spirit, heating up the Word to produce change in my life.  A prophet said to God that Your Word is like a fire in my bones.  This fire pushes you to action.  Christ has said that He wants you either cold or hot.  Lukewarm just won’t cut it.  I’m thankful for the Word of God that fires me up to action for the Lord.

The last bread of the thanksgiving offering is made with yeast.  Yeast usually speaks of our imperfections.  It amazes me that God will entrust His divine Word to imperfect humans.  The Lord gives me a word to share with others.  If I were God…it would never happen.

But He knows best.  He gives us a word to share, even in our humanity.  This is something that my imperfect life can give to others.  I’m thankful that Christ lets us represent Him by His Spirit.

Thank God.

Question: What are you thankful to God for at this moment?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on November 27, 2013 in Encouragement, God's Provision, Word of God

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are You Positioned for the Anointing? #anointing

20 Nov

OilWhen 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

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on November 20, 2013 in Anointing

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Revival – Overcoming Evil with Good #prayforrevival

01 Nov

WaveI’ve been talking about the connection between revival, repentance, and forgiveness.  I believe that’s what’s necessary to usher in a revival in our nation.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21

Is this verse true?  Can evil be overcome with good?  The answer is a resounding YES!  The principles of forgiveness bring victory over evil.  Look at the example of Scripture.

In the early church of Jerusalem thousands of people a month were being saved.  Jesus was being preached.  Also during this time the apostles were arrested and brought before the religious leaders for questioning.

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Acts 4:18

This was the outcome of their meeting.  Does it sound familiar to you?  It should.  This is the attitude of society in the United States today.  They tell us that we can do whatever we want – just don’t mention Jesus.

What was the response of the church in Jerusalem to this kind of attitude?  Did they go out and preach some more?  Hold a Jesus concert?  Put a referendum on the ballot?  Absolutely not.

They called a prayer meeting.  This is what they brought before the Lord at that time.

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.  Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Acts 4:29-30

Considering that they were told not to use the name of Jesus, here’s their request.  First, they asked for boldness.  Then they asked for healings, miraculous signs and wonders.  But the important point was that they wanted them accomplished in the name of Jesus.

They didn’t just want to preach in His name, they wanted the world to see the power of the name of Jesus.  This is the forgiveness principle at work – it’s the power to arrest and destroy sin.  It’s all done by the power of the Spirit.

That brings me back to the verse I first started with at the beginning of this series.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

Do we want our land healed?  Then sin must be forgiven – removed – arrested and destroyed.  The only way this will happen is for the church to get on our knees.  There needs to be intercession made for our nation.

Not praying for a better president or leaders.  Not praying for new laws.  We must cry out God to give us the boldness to speak His Word.  We must intercede for the Lord to send miracles, healings, signs and wonders.  All of this so that the name of Jesus can break sin.

After all, it’s so much easier to win the lost if the battle is won first in the heavens.

Questions: Why is it so hard to get people to intercede for our nation?  Are you willing to pay the price for revival?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
2 Comments

Posted by on November 1, 2013 in Power of God, Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Warfare, The Church

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Society, Revival, and Forgiveness

30 Oct

JailI’ve been posting about the link between forgiveness and revival.  I think that it’s clear from Scripture that the spiritual battle is not only fought on the ground.  There’s a higher aspect to it.

In my last post, I talked about Daniel’s prayer while in Babylon.  As he was praying and interceding on earth, the angels were warring in the sky.  If we want a breakthrough in our nation, then there must be a spiritual battle.

As in any war, it requires strategy.  It’s not just about politics.  It’s not even about me sharing the Gospel with someone.  We’re in a spiritual war.

Another lesson that we need to learn is that it’s not just up to individuals.  In an army, soldiers don’t just wake up and say, “I’m going to go out and fight today.”

“I’m going to do warfare today.”

That doesn’t work in the natural, so why do we think that it has a lasting effect in the spiritual?

Understanding forgiveness will give us a view of the whole war.  We are so intent on our individual fight.  When that happens, we get self-absorbed and that’s the exact opposite of being humble.

In warfare it’s imperative that I know what the enemy’s objective is in attacking us.  What’s our objective in the spiritual war, as the body of Christ?

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
John 20:21

Jesus said this to His disciples after the resurrection.  “In the same way that the Father sent me…”  Jesus’ objective was to destroy the works of the evil one.  How can we do that?  There’s only one way – the same as He did.

And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
John 20:22-23

The victory comes through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Then, there needs to be forgiveness – the picking up and removal of sin.  Sin is that which misses the mark.  We are to heal society by forgiveness principles.  The principles of sin removal.

In actuality, the word, forgive, is not in second half of the above verse.  The word used is seize, take hold, dominate, or arrest.

When we deal with society, sin and people in sin, there are two objectives.  The first is to remove sin.  This means getting someone saved and/or healed.  It might even be getting a godly law passed.

The other objective, if people refuse the Good News, is to arrest sin.  We can take dominion over it in the Name of Christ.

“This far and no further.”

Then, we can push it back in the spirit.  In my next post I’ll wrap up this subject showing what I believe is God’s way to overcome evil and bring about revival in our nation.

Question: What are the evils that need to be arrested and pushed back in our nation?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on October 30, 2013 in Power of God, Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Warfare

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Praising God in the Storm #praiseHiminthestorm

09 Oct

StormThen the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm…
Job 40:6

From time to time I try to get away to the wilderness and get alone with God.  A couple of weeks ago I felt a prompting of the Spirit, so I spent three days hiking on the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire.  I’m glad that I did.

The presence of the Lord was very real during that trip.  I had some great prayer times with Him.  But there is one thing that happened that I want to share in this post.

My plan was to start out early and park my car at the ending point of the hike.  I had made arrangements with a taxi company to meet me there and take me to where I was to start.  As I sat in my car, waiting for the cab to arrive, it started to lightly drizzle.

According to the weather, it was only a 20% chance of rain first thing in the morning, then clear skies later.  Since there was no cell phone reception to call off the taxi, and I figured it would clear up soon, I decided to go forward with my hiking plans.

I put on my rain gear and took the taxi to the start of my hike.  It started off fine.  Under the cover of the forest, the slight rain didn’t even make it down to where I was walking.

However, the further I hiked up the mountain, the less cover there was.  Then it happened – the sky opened up and I found myself in a torrential downpour.  I had to scramble across slippery rocks, on the edge of a cliff, in the rain.

At one point the trees cleared for a bit giving me an incredible view.  (That’s the picture I took at the top of this post.)  It was at that moment that the Spirit of the Lord became wonderfully real to me.  I had no choice but to stop, right where I was and worship God.

As I looked around, standing on the rocks on the side of a mountain, dripping wet in a rainstorm, I had the funniest thought.  I told the Lord, “God, You even make rainstorms magnificent!”

It was an experience to remember.  The sound of the rain and wind in the mountains.  The sight of the clouds racing past me as I stood level with them.  The expanse of the mountains and trees around me.

It all combined to inspire awe toward my Creator.  I realized in that moment that I was experiencing something that few people ever will.  Actually, few people would ever choose to be there!

In our Christian walk, if you desire to do great things for God then you will go through a spiritual storm.  But in the middle of that challenge, know that the Holy Spirit is with you.  If you turn the downpour into a chance to praise God, you’ll know the wonder of His presence with you.

Questions: Are you going through a spiritual battle at this time?  Will you choose to give God praise during the tough times?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on October 9, 2013 in Encouragement, Prayer, Spiritual Warfare, Times in the Wilderness, Worship

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Who’s in Control Here? #submittedtoChrist

02 Sep

RemotesIn my last post I talked about how Christ ministered on a different level than the Pharisees.  The power of God flowed out of Him without His control.  In the case of the woman with the issue of blood, it was even without the Lord’s knowledge.

Now that’s a definite problem for us in modern day Christianity.  We want control.  We want to be able to turn it on and off.  We want people to know who the power came from.

It seems to me that God wants us to be a hose, and we want to be a faucet.  This brings my mind back to a post I wrote months ago.  It was about II Timothy 3:5.

This was the verse in which Paul warned us that in the last days there would be those who had a form of godliness but denied the power.  If you remember, the Greek word for deny was a-rheo – not flowing.

So many people want to control instead of flow.  We cannot have that kind of attitude and be greatly used by God.  We must see ourselves as a channel of the Lord’s power, and not a container.

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases…
Luke 9:1

This is the next logical step in this line of thinking.  Because the power of God flows, it can be given and received.  Jesus was able to give the disciples power because it flowed through Him.  This is good news for us also, because we have the same Holy Spirit living in us that Jesus had within Him.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

What a great verse!  Power is given by the Holy Spirit and we can receive it.  This seems a little too simple for our liking.  We try to make it so complicated.  So we have come up with all kinds of laws, disciplines, steps, and rituals that we say are necessary in order to walk in this power.

We have placed tithing, confession, and a whole host of other requirements in people’s path.  But the truth of the matter is that I must abide in Christ.  Then the power will flow through the Holy Spirit to me if I’m in a position to receive it.  It’s actually all about positioning ourselves correctly.  That’s what a majority of my blog is about.

I’m trying to get the church to reposition itself for revival.  That’s where we need to be.  In a position to receive the power of the Holy Spirit the same way that Christ did.  Then, the world will see the difference and be drawn to the Lord.  After all, it’s all about Him, not us.

Question: How would our church look different if we ministered like Jesus?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
1 Comment

Posted by on September 2, 2013 in Ministry, Power of God, Revival

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are You More Like the Pharisees or Jesus? #belikeJesus

30 Aug

Come to JesusI have posted about what happened when the most powerful user of the law (Satan) attacked the most powerful user of the Holy Spirit (Christ).  The battle wasn’t even close.

Now I want to relate how Jesus lived and taught about power on a daily basis.  The last thing I want is to be in error, trying to defeat the devil on his level.  I want to face each battle from a position of strength in the Holy Spirit.

In order to understand this truth, we’ll look at the differences between the Pharisees and Jesus.  It’s no secret that the Pharisees walked in the power of the law.  But…they were powerless in the spirit, so they were usually jealous of Jesus’ power.

All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching?  With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”
Luke 4:36

When Jesus ministered, the people saw something different.  He wasn’t like the Pharisees who simply made excuses why people were sick or poor.  They would point out people’s sin as the answer for everything.  With Jesus, it was a whole different way of ministry.

…and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Luke 6:19

The people could see the power of God at work through the Lord.  It got to the point where they were not even asking Him to touch them any more.  They were trying to touch Him.  Power was flowing, issuing out, all around Him.  They simply had to put their faith in Him to receive this life transforming flow.  And that’s exactly what it was – a flow of power.

That’s because power is like a liquid.  If the channel is clear, it will move like a river from one person to another.  It was for this reason that a woman tried it later on in the Gospel of Luke.  As He was with the crowd, suddenly Jesus stopped and turned around.

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet.  In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.
Luke 8:46-47

As I was meditating upon these verses, a very interesting question popped up in my mind.  In both Luke 6:19 and Luke 8:46-47 power was flowing out of the Lord.  The question is, was Jesus “controlling” the power?  According to the verses above, He was not consciously deciding who to pray for.  The people were touching Him and the power of God was healing them.  He was simply the avenue through which the Holy Spirit worked.

Questions: Do you want to be used of God in this way?  Are you willing to walk the same road of relationship with the Father that Jesus walked?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 30, 2013 in Faith, Ministry, Power of God

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older posts
Newer posts →