I’m posting about how fasting will revolutionize your spiritual walk. The disciples had tried, and failed, to cast a demon out of a young man. After Jesus was able to do it, the disciples asked Him privately why they were unable to.
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Matthew 17:20-21, NKJV
The disciples’ problem was unbelief. Jesus explains to them that faith as small as a mustard seed, working all by itself, can move a mountain. Nothing would be impossible for us if faith was the only issue.
If it were only about faith, then America should have the most miracles of any country on earth. We know that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. In America we have access to more of the Word than in any other country.
The problem is that we have unbelief alongside of that faith. The U.S. is also one of the most flesh-driven countries on earth. Just driving down the street I can see a billboard that feeds my flesh. Standing in a checkout counter, listening to the news on the radio, almost everything I do causes me to access food for my flesh. Even though I try to filter it by “taking every thought captive,” some of this trash still gets through.
So the stronger my spirit is built up on the Word of God, the more my flesh is built up just by living in this society. It’s the presence of these two powerful forces in my life, faith and unbelief, side-by-side, that’s watering down my spiritual strength. What can I do about it?
Again, the key is the statement made by the boy’s father. We have plenty of faith, but how do we overcome our unbelief? There is a solution. Jesus tells the disciples, “This kind only goes out by prayer and fasting.”
The question is, this kind of what? Most people say He was talking about the demon. I don’t believe it. A demon couldn’t care less whether you’ve fasted or not. Look at the emphasis of the verse. It’s the disciples who were talking about the demon.
Jesus never once mentioned the demon. He spent the whole time talking about the problem – unbelief. What Jesus wants you to get rid of is unbelief. It’s this kind of unbelief that blocks the working of your faith to the point where nothing happens, even though you believe the Word of God.
Where does fasting come into the picture? Fasting is a way to forcefully and supernaturally put down your flesh. You’re telling it, “I don’t care what you say – I’m not listening to you today.”
When you fast, it’s as if you’re turning down the volume control to the voice of your flesh. This allows the faith that you have to effectively become stronger. Without the voice of your flesh talking so loud, you will be better able to hear the voice of the Lord speaking to your spirit.
Question: How well do you hear from God presently? Would you like to increase your spiritual sensitivity?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, faith, faith and unbelief, fast, fasting, Jesus, miracles, moving a mountain, nothing is impossible, overcome unbelief, spiritual fast, spiritual strength, spiritual walk, victory over the flesh, voice of the flesh, voice of the spirit
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 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
I’ve been posting for a while on the Word of God and its relation to Scripture. In my last post I showed that the power of the early church was based upon their hearing from God. God spoke to them, they obeyed, and God confirmed His Word.
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
Scripture says that the Lord confirms His Word with the signs – healings and miracles – that accompanied it. What’s our problem? Do we serve a different God? Of course not. Is He still on the throne? That’s a dumb question.
We serve a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Then what’s the problem? It should be clear to us. We’re trying to get God to confirm the Bible verses that we’re preaching, when all along He wants to confirm the Word that He speaks to us.
He never told us to go out and read the Scripture to people for them to be saved – He tells us to proclaim His Word. I submit to you that our society has heard enough Scripture – it’s everywhere.
They’re sick of hearing Scripture. Many unbelievers can quote as much of the Bible as some Christians. What the world is desperate for is a Word from God. That’s what’s going to change their lives. They can argue with the Scripture, but the Word of God will cut straight to their heart.
In our exuberance over the enormous availability of Scripture, we have taken it too far. It doesn’t seem to matter what anyone says. As long as there’s a Scripture verse attached to it, we call it the Word of God.
It doesn’t take much listening to Christian radio or cable channels to see that many preachers are using Scripture to support their own teachings and philosophies. Hear me well. They may be preaching Scripture, but they are NOT proclaiming the Word of God.
In these cases, God is under no obligation to confirm what they’re preaching. God doesn’t have to confirm a quote from the Scripture; He only endorses His Word – what He wants said at that particular time and place.
Please don’t think, based upon what I said, that I have no respect for the Scripture. I cannot live without it. Daily, I read, memorize, study, and meditate on the Scripture. I use it prayerfully. I expect and seek God to speak to me through the pages of my Bible.
The difference is that now I’m also listening for God to use other means as well. I want to hear God’s voice – however He wants to speak to me. I believe that this was the basis for the power in the life of Christ and in the early church. One of my goals in this blog is to share how this works in a practical way.
Question: Is it your desire to hear a Word from God?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Bible, confirming the Word, desperate, early church, God's voice, God's word, healings, hearing from God, heart, how God confirms his word, life of Christ, listening, miracles, power, proclaim his word, Scripture, signs following, word, word of God
In my last post I talked about the tendency of our generation to replace time with the Lord by studying Scripture. I think that part of our problem is that we’ve become spoiled by an abundance of the availability of Scripture.
Bibles are everywhere. I personally have about 20 Bibles. That doesn’t even take into consideration all of the Bibles I have access to online.
Please understand what I’m saying. This proliferation of Scripture is a great thing. The availability and accessibility of the Bible to all people is a wonderful blessing.
You would think that with so much Scripture around, there would be more salvations, healings, and miracles. Instead, what we see is a greater rise of worldliness – even among God’s people.
The problem is not that we need more Scripture. We need more of the Word of God. The more I hear from God, the more power I have to live for God.
The early church exemplified this. Think about it. How did they live? When persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, the believers fled in all directions.
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
Acts 8:4
Here’s the foundation for their power. The Bible says that when they scattered, they preached the Word. How do you see this in your mind’s eye? What did they do, specifically?
Do you picture them walking into town, calling a meeting, and then saying, “Turn with me in your Bibles to John 3:16.”? That’s how we do it; but did they preach that way?
If you know your history, then you understand that nothing could be further from the truth. When this verse was written about them they had no Bibles. They couldn’t preach Scripture.
“Wait a minute, Pastor Nick, they had the Old Testament. They could use that to preach.”
First of all, most Christians of that day only knew a smattering of Old Testament Scripture. Secondly, they would have no access to an Old Testament “Bible”.
The Scripture was written on scrolls with painstaking detail. In order to afford a copy of the Scriptures you would need to be the equivalent of a multi-millionaire. Then if you did purchase it, you would need a storage space the size of a small living room to house it. Let’s face it, the normal Christian, on the run, had no access to a Bible.
Yet, we’re told that they “preached the Word” wherever they went. What is the Word that they preached? The answer is simple – they preached what they received in their intimate times with the Lord. As they did, an amazing thing happened.
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
Question: Is a lack of “signs” because God is no longer confirming, or because the church no longer preaching the Word?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: abundance, availability, Bible, confirm, confirm the word, God's word, healings, miracles, preach the word, salvations, Scripture, signs, signs following, study of Scripture, studying scripture, too much scripture, wonders, word, word of God
I believe that signs and miracles are a part of the true Gospel. Without them, it’s difficult to impact the unbeliever.
The Apostle Paul refers to this truth throughout his writings.
I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done – by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
Romans 15:18-19
Paul tells us how he led the Gentiles to obey God by announcing the Gospel and making disciples. Notice, that he accomplished this by what he SAID and DID. It was through the power of signs and miracles. The difference between a sign and a miracle is that a sign is a miracle that confirms what you say about God.
The key issue is that by operating in this way, Paul fully proclaimed the gospel. I believe that just talking about Christ is not the whole Gospel. The Bible is clear that the kingdom of God is “not a matter of talk but of power.” (I Corinthians 4:20)
Last week I asked, what is it about the Gospel that we’re ashamed of ? I used some illustrations. If I won a new car I would call you over to look at it. If I got a promotion at work, I would immediately show you my new business cards. How is that different from the spiritual Good News?
I believe it’s because we have reduced the Gospel to clichés. “Jesus loves you.” “Jesus wants to bless you.” “God loves you and I do too.”
The problem is that there’s no demonstration. It’s not like the new car or the promotion at work because I offer you no proof of what I’m saying.
Based upon Scripture, if there’s no demonstration, then there’s no Gospel. Many are ashamed because all they can do is tell about Jesus. Some can’t even see the proof in their own lives because of the lack of power. It makes many believers feel like charlatans when they share the Good News.
It seems we’ve lost the original Good News. We don’t understand the power of God and we don’t understand the Gospel. The two go hand in hand.
Without the Good News, there’s no need for the demonstration of power. Some American Christians want the power without proclaiming the Good News. The fact is, that without the message of the Gospel there’s no need to demonstrate healing, prosperity, joy, freedom from depression, or anything else the Lord has provided for us through the cross. I’m striving to spur the church on to get hungry to experience the full Gospel.
That’s why Paul could say that he had fully proclaimed the Gospel of Christ. Not only did he tell about Christ, but he also demonstrated the love and power of the Lord.
Question: How can we return to the true Gospel?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: announce, ashamed, ashamed of the gospel, Bible, Christ, confirm, demonstration, good news, gospel, Jesus, make disciples, miracles, place of signs and miracles, power, power of God, power of the spirit, proclaim, revival, Scripture, share, signs, true gospel
In the natural world, you must always have fuel to use power. No matter if it’s electricity, cooking, heating, or driving. Even something as simple as a candle requires wax as a fuel. The same is true for power in the spiritual realm.
What we commonly mean when we use the term fuel is combustible matter. But there’s also a general definition of fuel. According to this definition, fuel is whatever feeds or sustains any expenditure, outlay, passion, or excitement. What, then, is the fuel for our spiritual power?
It doesn’t take much study of the Bible to realize that faith is the fuel – that which feeds and sustains our spiritual passion – for the Christian life. Without faith it’s impossible to please God. Without faith we would have no access to the grace of God. Faith is the requirement for God to do anything at all in our lives.
Having the fuel is important. But we must also know how to utilize it. Just holding a can of gasoline doesn’t automatically make me travel 60 mph. I need to put it in the gas tank of a working automobile.
Unfortunately, there are many in the body of Christ who haven’t learned this simple concept. We hold on to the fuel of faith and expect the light and heat of God to start working. When nothing happens, we conclude that the Scripture is wrong, or that maybe God doesn’t do miracles anymore. The Bible has the answer to this dilemma.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Galatians 5:6
In the above verse the word value literally means force in the Greek. It’s not how you look on the outside that gives spiritual force, or power, to your walk. It’s the fuel, faith, expressing itself through love. What that verse says in the Greek is that faith must energize or activate itself through love.
If I put this in natural terms I could say that faith is the fuel and love is the generator producing the voltage needed to maintain the power of God in us. The Bible clarifies this truth.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2
If I have all the faith-fuel in the world, but don’t have the love-generator to use it in, I am nothing. This is where most of the church finds itself in this generation. We seem to be so full of faith, yet accomplishing nothing for God.
According to this verse it sounds like a love problem to me. If we are not using our faith correctly, then there will be no manifestation of power. I must use my faith to power my love-walk.
Question: Have you ever experienced the failure of faith without love?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: excitement, faith, faith love connection, force, grace of God, love, love walk, miracles, nature of the faith love connection, passion, power, power of God, spiritual force, spiritual fuel, spiritual passion, spiritual power
Ephesians 3:17b-19
…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
In this verse Paul is letting us in on a prayer that he frequently sent up to God. It is an interesting prayer because in it Paul is praying for power.
A prayer for power – I’ve heard a lot of those. God’s people are always praying for power. We want the power for healing and miracles. We want the power of the Lord to increase our finances and give us influence with those in authority. We all want the life changing, victorious power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in us. What exactly was Paul’s desire for the power of God to do in their lives?
It is actually something that I never hear the modern church pray for in regards to power. He wanted the supernatural power of God so that they could grasp the love of God. That is how absolutely beyond our experience this love is. It takes the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to grasp it.
So, in short, I cannot love God without knowing God. (God is love) I cannot know God and His love without His power at work in me. He has to reveal His love to me. Why is that so important?
Paul is clear as to why he wants them to know God’s love in a supernatural way. So that they may be filled with the fullness of God. Another interesting thought…I have heard many believers pray for the fullness of God’s power in them. Yet, I never heard them pray for the power to understand and know His love. Maybe that’s why the church in America is not where it should be. We want power without love.
Christ is our example. Power and love in perfect unity and balance. That is what we must seek. Press in to the power. Seek the power to grasp the love of God. Only then will you be truly equipped to walk in the fullness of what God has for you.
Tags: authority, Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, encouragement, established, faith, filled, fullness of God, glory, God's love, God's will, healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, miracles, overcoming, power, prayer, presence of the lord, rooted, victory
Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them.
In this passage, Nehemiah is praying, and remembering why Israel is presently in captivity in a foreign land. Time and time again they refused to listen to the Lord’s leading. They took no time to think and meditate on the many miracles that God performed on their behalf. Instead they had a history of outright rebellion against God’s leadership.
But here is the amazing part – in all that time God remained forgiving, gracious, and compassionate. I’m so glad that our God is not bound to emotional outbursts the way we humans are. Instead of writing them off and giving up on them, God worked with Israel. He tried to draw them in by His love for them.
This is truly a God who is abounding in love. This verse literally says that God has an over abundance of love. That only stands to reason. God is love. God is infinite. Therefore, His love is infinite.
What a comforting thought – God has more than enough love for us. You can personalize that and say that God has more than enough love for you. He will never run out. No one can ever say that they have done so many things wrong that God doesn’t love them any more.
Bask in the warmth of that love today. Let God’s overabundance minister to your soul. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak words of encouragement to your inner man. Be refreshed by this love that passes all understanding.
Tags: abounding in love, Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, fellowship, God is love, God's love, Holy Spirit, inner man, love, loving God, miracles, Nehemiah, praise, presence of the lord, rebellion
I’m posting about how fasting will revolutionize your spiritual walk. The disciples had tried, and failed, to cast a demon out of a young man. After Jesus was able to do it, the disciples asked Him privately why they were unable to.
The Spirit and the Word 