It’s a new day! God is doing new things with me!
This is the first of monthly newsletters that I’m starting today. My goal is that it will come out the beginning of each month, on a Tuesday or Thursday.
This is to update everyone on what’s happening in the ministry. I expect new things to be taking place on a regular basis.
First off…
I have joined the Twitter community!
You can follow me @RevNickZacc. Hopefully, it will encourage you with short thoughts throughout the day. Sometimes I’ll retweet things that are encouraging me. Also, you’ll find that I’m starting to use # in my titles, since they’ll be posted on Twitter as they are released. (They are also posted to Facebook and LinkedIn)
Speaking at Churches
I feel the Holy Spirit pushing me to get out and do more speaking (outside my home church). I feel a need for the body of Christ to be prepared for the coming revival. The Lord has blessed me with insight into how we should be getting ready and what to be ready for. Because of this I have a spiritual pressure in me, that won’t let me keep it to myself. So as these opportunities open up, I’ll start posting my schedule as to when and where these events will be.
Prayer
As a result of all of this…I ask you to pray. Pray with me for revival to rock the church in the USA. Pray for the lost to hear the clear message of hope in Jesus Christ. Pray for me to faithfully follow the course God has for me. I’ll pray for you, the followers of this ministry, that you would experience the highest and best God has for you in Christ.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: body of Christ, Christ, get ready, God, Holy Spirit, insight, Jesus, Lord, move of God, news, newsletter, prayer, prepare, Quartermaster Ministries, revival, spiritual pressure
This post is the last in a series about our relationship to the Word of God.
The Book of Revelation mentions synagogues of Satan (Revelation 2:9). These are places where the teaching of Scripture was done by satanic influence. I need the Holy Spirit to help me interpret the Bible. Yet, there are those who listen to the demon’s view of it.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
1 Timothy 4:1
There are those who teach the Bible, but not the Word of God. This is a great deception. Of course no one would listen if a minister got up and said, “Satan says to do this.” But if he reads a Scripture verse and puts a demonic twist to it, the church seems to fall for it most of the time.
Just because someone quotes Scripture doesn’t mean that what they’re preaching is of God. I need the discernment of the Holy Spirit to protect me from false teaching. How can I tell the difference between Satan’s teaching, man’s teaching, and the true Word of God?
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Mark 16:20
This verse literally says that the Lord was a co-worker with them. They did their work – proclaiming the Word of God. God did His part – confirming the Word that was proclaimed. Miracles were commonplace. As the disciples went out, the Word of God spread, and there were signs and wonders everywhere they went.
When Satan quoted the Bible to Jesus (Luke 3:9-11), he used it to try and convince the Lord to jump off the highest point of the Temple. If Jesus had jumped, would God the Father have confirmed that “word”? Of course not.
Just because I quote the Bible, it doesn’t put God under any obligation to confirm it. Even if I’m preaching from a text on healing, there’s no confirmation unless it’s a Word God wants preached at that moment.
There are questions I need to ask myself. Is God working with me? Am I proclaiming the Word of God for these people? If the answer to both of these is “yes”, then I can expect a move of God.
We may not like it, but the truth is plain and simple. If there are no signs following, then it wasn’t the Word of God that was preached.
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said.
Acts 8:6
Scripture is very clear as to relationship between the preaching of the Word, and the response of the hearers. When the Word of God is confirmed, there is a supernatural manifestation that draws people’s attention.
America needs a revival of hearing the Word of God. It will only come from those who have received and planted the Word into their lives.
Questions: How hungry are you for a revival to sweep our nation? Are you willing to seek God for it?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: America, Bible, Christ, church, confirming the word of God, deceived, deception, discernment, false teaching, God's word, healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, last days, last-days deception, man's teaching, miracles, proclaim, revival, satanic influence, Scripture, spiritual discernment, synagogue of satan, teaching, truth, word, word of God
In many of my posts I talk about the relationship between the Word of God and the Scripture. The Bible is the written Word of God. But we also need to hear the Word from the Holy Spirit. This is where the power of God intersects with our lives.
For a few posts I want to write about how the Word of God relates to us. The Bible teaches that we must correctly handle the Word of Truth. In order to do that I must be studying the Scripture – the written record of God’s Word – so that I can handle the Word I receive from God today.
In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Acts 19:20
The Bible uses many terms in relation to the Word of God. It uses language such as spread, increased, grew, reached and multiplied. In the above verse we’re told how. The verse says in this way. If you read through this nineteenth chapter of the Book of Acts you’ll get a taste for the effects of the Word.
We see the gifts of tongues and prophecy being manifested. There was boldness in preaching. Handkerchiefs and aprons that touched Paul were taken to the sick and they were healed. Demonic spirits were confronted and expelled. There was widespread repentance such that a group of new believers burned the equivalent of $5,000,000 worth of satanic sorcery books.
That’s the way the Word of God is described as growing. Literally, the above verse says that the Word became a force to be reckoned with. The Word of God is alive and it grows. That’s the aspect that I want to discuss in this series of posts.
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Peter 1:23
We’ve been saved by the living Word of God. That Word is a seed that’s growing inside of us. It will never decay or diminish. It’s there forever.
Somewhere along the line somebody spoke God’s Word to you. It doesn’t matter whether they used the Bible or not – you heard a Word from God that changed your life. It might have been a Bible verse, a word of prophecy, or a statement of divine truth. Either way, you received it, it grew inside of you, and eventually you accepted Jesus Christ and were born again.
That’s how the Word of God starts its work in you. The fact that you’ve established Christ as your Lord and Savior is proof that the Word has taken residence in you. Now it’s up to us what we do with that seed.
Question: What was the Word of God that brought salvation into your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: a force to be reckoned with, Bible, born again, Christ, correctly handle, God's seed, God's word, grew, Holy Spirit, increased, Jesus, multiplied, saved, Scripture, seed of the word, spread, word, word of God, word of truth
As I was reading the Bible the other day, I came across a Scripture that caught my attention. It was describing Christ and how He was revealed to the world. It got me thinking about our relationship to God.
…and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 1:4
Jesus Christ was shown to be the Son of God. Not just by someone’s testimony. It was an act of power by God raising Him from the dead.
That in itself was not news to me. The part that really spoke to my heart was who did the declaring. The passage says that it was through the Spirit of holiness that He was shown to be the Son of God.
That’s what I found to be interesting – the Spirit of holiness. Why did Paul not call Him the Holy Spirit? Isn’t that the more common term? Actually, this is the only place in Scripture where He’s called the Spirit of holiness.
Holiness is something that this generation of believers really needs to come to grips with. It seems that we tend to back away from any mention of holiness. We find it boring and old fashioned.
This is a subject of great importance in the Bible. It’s found throughout the New Testament. We are to be a holy people before God.
Holiness is related to separation. It means to be set apart for God’s purpose.
It’s like this. When Christ found us, we were like a dirty, cast off piece of pottery in the trash heap of the world. When we turned to Him as our Lord and Savior, He rescued us from that place – that’s our salvation.
He then took us as His own and placed us on display in His household. We are now to be exclusively used for the Lord’s purposes. That’s holiness.
As we remain in His house, Christ continues to clean us up and restore us. That’s our sanctification.
By using the term Holy Spirit, we mean the Spirit of God who is set apart from the world and the things of the world. The phrase Spirit of holiness brings it to a whole other realm.
He’s not only the Spirit who is set apart – but the Spirit who sets us apart. He is the Spirit of God who makes us holy. That’s where we try to water down the truth.
We like to think of the Holy Spirit as the power source of the church. Miracles, healings, signs, and wonders always draw a crowd. But separation, on the other hand, sounds too much like commitment.
This generation seems to want the power without the holiness. I believe that it’s time for us to seek the Spirit of holiness. At the place where we are separated for God’s exclusive use, we will find all the power we need to live victoriously and win the lost.
Question: Have you seen examples of the Holy Spirit setting you apart for His use?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, commitment, exclusive use, God, God's purpose, holiness, holy people, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Lord, makes us holy, power of God, relationship with God, resurrection, savior, separation, set apart, Son of God, Spirit of holiness, the world
I’ve been posting about Jehovah Jireh – God my Provider. Specifically, I’ve been talking about how to enter that place of provision in Him. I’m using Abraham as our example as he was taking his son Isaac to the mount of sacrifice.
After days of walking through the wilderness, the Lord showed him the mountain he was to ascend. Abraham, Isaac, and his servants made camp at the base of the mountain. As he stands looking up at it he realizes that this is the place where he will offer up Isaac to the Lord.
What happens next goes beyond my comprehension.
He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together…
Genesis 22:5-6
Abraham tells his servants to wait by the goods. Then he says, “WE will worship and then WE will come back to you.” I believe that this is one of the most incredible statements of faith in the entire Bible.
The only thing that he had to go on was the original promise of God. The Lord said that it was through Isaac that Abraham’s descendants would become as numerous as the stars in the sky. As a matter of fact, the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us (In the 11th chapter) that Abraham believed that if he actually came to the point of killing his son, God would raise him from the dead.
What Abraham believed and what he spoke where in perfect agreement. He had the boldness to declare what was in his heart. We need to learn this lesson. If we are to be victorious under trials and see God’s provision for our needs, then we must learn to speak our faith, just as Abraham did.
Please understand that I’m not talking about denying our circumstances, as some do. I’m not talking about positive thinking, mind control, or wishful thinking. It’s not about speaking what you want to happen, or what some preacher has told you, but what God has already spoken.
We must speak what the Word of God says is true. This is a lot harder. It requires me to spend time reading the Bible and listening to the Holy Spirit. Only then can I declare what I’ve heard from the Lord.
As I spend time in His presence, I begin to understand what I’m called to do in His kingdom. This is important because my provision is intimately attached to my calling.
Abraham knew God’s will for his life and the life of his son. That’s why he could say, “We’re both coming back.”
Boldly speak what you’ve heard from God, and leave the provision in God’s hands.
Question: What has God called you to do? Are you trusting Him to provide for it?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Abraham, believe, Bible, calling, denying circumstances, faith, God my Provider, God's provision, Holy Spirit, Isaac, Jehovah Jireh, listen to the Holy Spirit, mind control, positive thinking, provision, speaking the word of God, the time to speak your faith, trust, wishful thinking
In my last post I shared that when I decided to tithe in order for God to rebuke the devourer, I was appealing to the law for my financial blessing. Through the gentle leading of the Spirit, I came to the realization that I had placed myself under the commandment. I now understand that trying to fulfill the requirements of the promises is a form of legalism.
What I forgot was this:
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
James 2:10
By placing my hope in keeping the tithe law, I was missing the rest of the puzzle. Here’s what I had neglected. The passage in Malachi showed me the conditions to rebuke the devourer. But there are 20 other verses that deal with things I can do that allows the devourer to get my stuff.
They talk about everything from hiring prostitutes to neglecting the needs of the church. So in effect, when I tithed, God rebuked the devourer. Then, if I neglected the church, I was calling the devourer back so he could continue his work.
Now, don’t get ahead of me. This is a dangerous point to only have half of the truth. You need the whole truth, if you’re going to walk in the power of God. At this point I’m still dealing with the first half. You must read all the blogs in this series to get the whole picture.
I became more and more aware of the fact that trying to fulfill the requirements of the promises actually puts me under the law. So I did a study of promises in the New Testament to see how they’re used under the New Covenant.
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20
I was surprised at what the Scripture had to say. Nowhere did I find it taught that we have to fulfill the requirements. As a matter, of fact it was just the opposite. The reason for this is the finished work of Christ on the cross. He even told us that was why He came to the earth.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Matthew 5:17
In this statement, Jesus tells us the whole foundation for walking in the blessings of the Word. Part of His work was to fulfill everything written in the Old Covenant.
The word, fulfill means to cram full, to fill in the holes. All of the open-ended requirements needed to “claim” the promises have been filled in by Christ.
This means that we are exempt from the requirements, unless we voluntarily place ourselves under the law. In that case, the kingdom of the enemy has the right to use its power against us on the same level.
Question: What promises have you turned into laws in your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: appealing to the law, Christ, cross, devourer, finished work of Christ, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, legalism, legalism and the promises, legalistic, promises, promises of God, rebuke the devourer, requirements, spirit, standing on the promises, tithe law, tithing
In my last post, I looked at Paul’s question – How does God give His Spirit and work power in the church? This question is the difference between all other religions and Christianity.
Think about it. In the book of Acts, the early church had no phones, radio, New Testament Scripture, or anything like the resources and knowledge we have today. Yet they walked in the power of God that’s unrivaled in our modern generation.
As I thought about it, I also realized that my grandparents couldn’t read and had no formal education to speak of. Yet there was an incredible manifestation of the power of God in their lives – what happened?
Let me say something now, for shock value, that I’ll explain more fully in a later post. It was when the church started teaching about the promises we began to lose the power.
Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
Romans 7:9-10
This verse is very clear. God saved me apart from the law when I trusted the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through this finished work I was made alive apart from the law. Then the commandment came, which the Scripture says is the power of sin (I Corinthians 15:56). When this happens, death begins its work in me.
Let me explain how God used this truth to minister to me. One day, as I was driving, praying, and meditating upon the Word, the Holy Spirit started to speak to me. I had been going through a rough time financially.
I had done everything that I knew to do. I had stood on all I’d been taught about prayers and confessions. I’ve always been a tither. I always remind the Lord what His Word says and that I’m standing on His promises.
At this point in my life I clearly heard God speak to my heart and ask me, “What are you basing your expectation on?” Immediately my thoughts turned to the Scripture. I’m basing my hope in the Word that tells me to tithe. If I’ll tithe, then You will rebuke the devourer and open the windows of Heaven. I give special offerings when You lead me to, so that I’ll receive the blessings of the seed of faith.
The Lord then asked me a question that floored me. He said, “So you’re basing your expectation upon the law?” I was speechless. I had no response to this. On the inside I felt like defending and justifying my actions. But deep down I knew that the Lord had hit upon the very root of the problem, even though at that point I had no clue how to get out of it.
I came to the realization that I had placed myself under the commandment. Trying to fulfill the requirements of the promises is a form of legalism.
Question: Are there Scriptural promises that you find yourself legalistic about?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Bible, Christ, church, commandment, finished work of Christ, God, God exposed my legalism, Holy Spirit, Jesus, law, legalism, legalistic, manifestation, miracles, power, promises, promises of God, Scripture, Spirit of God, standing on the promises, the law
I’ve posted in the past about the power of God and the power of sin. How do I know which power I’m using? When I understood the answer to this, I was shocked. I always thought that I was as far from legalistic as you could get. Be prepared, I think that the answer might change your whole outlook as well.
My goal is to answer two questions over the next few posts. Why does the church seem to have no power? And what do we need to do to get it back?
When I say this, I’m comparing us to what I read in the book of Acts. I’m also thinking about the stories I heard from my grandparent’s generation. They came to the Lord in the wake of the Azuza Street revival. When they were saved they saw miracles, healings, signs, and wonders. What has happened to us since then?
You may think as I did, “I’m not legalistic.” But do we even know what legalism looks like? Let’s find out what the New Testament has to say about it.
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
Galatians 3:1-2
The word translated foolish in the above verse literally means not thinking. Paul is asking these Galatian Christians why they are not thinking about what they’re doing.
The next line he writes literally means, who has fascinated you by false representations? It’s obvious from the way he writes that these believers were not being convinced by the truth, but rather a clever counterfeit. Paul reminds them of the fact that they first believed Jesus Christ was crucified for them.
He then asks a simple question – how did you receive the Spirit? The implied answer is that the Spirit was received by faith, trusting in God to do the work.
Paul was re-emphasizing to them that the law can’t save anyone. The law only condemns. Paul, however, continues along this line with another question and we have all but ignored its implications.
Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
Galatians 3:5
What most people don’t realize is that the word translated miracles in the New Testament is the Greek word dunamis – POWER. Usually it is just the context that the translators use to decide whether to use miracle or power as the English word.
The question Paul asks is fundamental to our understanding of the power of God. How does God give His Spirit and work power in the church? Obviously, the answer is by faith.
Question: Why does following the law never lead to the power of God?
© Nick Zaccardi
Tags: Azuza street, book of Acts, church, dunamis, faith, healings, Holy Spirit, law, law and the power of God, legalism, legalistic, miracles, power, power of God, power of the spirit, powerless church, signs, Spirit of God, truth, wonders
A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how the Bible describes our excellent God. It’s one thing to acknowledge that a perfect, holy, and Most High God is excellent. It’s quite another to see that we’re called to that same level of excellence.
Again, let me remind you that it’s not what we do, but whom we have become that makes us excellent. A ministry is not excellent because of its money, technology, modern equipment, large size, big building, or anything else that we may possess. It’s only when we compare what we’re doing to the normal, the average, or the expected that excellence can be seen.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Acts 13:2
The very act of finding and entering your calling is being set apart – you are being divinely moved from a large group to a smaller group. This, by definition, is the more excellent group.
It is a group of those who have been called, prepared, chosen, and accepted for a divinely appointed task. Don’t ever think you’re just like everybody else; you’re not.
There are levels to our callings based upon our obedience and excellence. The more we manifest excellence in our walk and ministry, the further from the pack we move. Make no mistake about it; the Lord is very clear in His call to us – we are to leave the normal behind.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
This seems like an almost impossible task. Are we really to be as perfect as God? Actually, the word perfect in this verse means fully mature. God wants us to grow up and act as mature believers. The life of maturity in Christ is the life of excellence to which we are called.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:15-16
It is clear from the above verses that God is calling us to live a life worthy of His excellent name. Please don’t get confused by what I’m saying. I’m not talking about your salvation. It’s not by works that we’re saved, but through the grace of God.
What I am speaking about, however, is the fact that once we’re saved, there is an expectation of change (for the better) in our lives. God is looking for His children to grow and mature into a people who accurately portray His kingdom and His desires.
For Christians, the walk of maturity is the walk of excellence.
Question: In what areas have you seen yourself mature since you’ve come to Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: above, average, called, called to a life of excellence, calling, chosen, excellence, expected, God, grow up, holy, Holy Spirit, mature believers, mediocre, normal, obedience, perfect, prepared, set apart, worthy
We all know that it’s impolite to interrupt someone when they’re speaking. Have you ever thought about this in relation to Christ and His work in you? He speaks to us in various ways. Are we guilty of interrupting what He’s doing in us?
I want to look at an incident in the life of Jesus that illustrates this. It’s found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 12. At this point in the Lord’s ministry, He’s publicly teaching somewhere when all of a sudden a loud voice interrupts Him.
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Luke 12:13
Can you imagine that? Jesus is walking down the street giving words of instruction and perhaps ministering to the sick when somebody yells out, “Tell my brother to give me my share of the inheritance.”
It makes you wonder what type of individual would be so self-absorbed, that they would make a public statement like that. Well, that kind of presumption was enough to set Jesus off in a new direction of teaching.
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:14-15
When Jesus got done, that person probably felt as though he should have kept his mouth shut. Jesus used this interruption to teach the crowd about the foolishness of greed.
He told them a parable about a rich man with no common sense. This man got a big harvest, built bigger barns, and stored it all up. Jesus explained that the man ended up dying before he could spend all of his wealth. That foolish man lost the eternal to gain the temporary.
The Lord’s message to those gathered around Him was that our life does not consist of what can be accumulated. You’re not to worry about what you’re going to wear or what you’re going to eat. God will provide for you.
Worry about serving God. Worry about doing the Father’s will. In that way you’re laying up treasure in Heaven. Christ said that where your treasure is, that’s where your heart is going to be.
This got me thinking. The Lord is attempting to do a particular work in my life. He communicates His plan to me through a series of events. He speaks to my heart, allows circumstances to come my way, and teaches me through the lives and words of others.
How often do I “interrupt” His plan with a totally unrelated request? I get my eyes off His plan and onto my desires. When it comes to the Lord, I need to think before I ask.
We must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit at work in us. Make sure that your requests are in line with His plan. Don’t be discourteous and interrupt the Lord.
Question: Have you ever found yourself guilty of interrupting God’s work in you?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, Christ speaks, eternal, Holy Spirit, interrupt, interrupt the Lord, interrupting, Jesus, ministry, my heart, self-absorbed, sensitive, serve God, temporary, the Father's will, the Lord, treasure in Heaven
The Spirit and the Word 