The Power of Zero Principle

The principle of zero is dying to self.
A devotional study of Isaiah 20:1-6

" In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Zargon the king of Assyria sent him), and fought against Ashdod, and took it; At the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saying: "Go and loose the sackloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoes from thy foot. " And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

And the Lord said, "Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian prisoners, and the Ethiopian captives,young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. And the inhabitants of this isle shall say on that day, "Behold such is our expectation,wither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?"

Isaiah 20: 1-6 ( AKJV)

A brief look at the history tells us that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, the grandson of Manasseh, of a royal family, is the prophet of the time when Israel was divided into two kingdoms, and is looking forward to captivity. Because at that time, Assyria, (which is the modern Syria today) was the dominating power . To both kingdoms of Israel, Assyria was a posing threat. At that time, both kingdoms were submerged in idolatry and evil. God again and again called on to the people of Israel to forsake their evil ways and turn to Him for their salvation but they would not so. The people and its kings would rather trust their allied countries Egypt and Ethiopia for their safety and security.

God seeing the posing invasion of  Assyria (713 BC) , God spoke to Isaiah to bare naked himself as a sign of what will happen to Israel if they would not listen to Him.... for three years, Isaiah has to walk around the cities, bare naked! Did the invasion happen? Yes, in 2 Kings 15-16 in the Bible described the Assyrian invasion of Israel. If only Israel listened. 

So much for history. What does the passages tell you personally?

the bridge to the shinning glory of Jesus is to be zero

     

To walk bare naked in Israel is unlawful. But Isaiah obeyed the Lord. He was a prophet of gesture. Gesturing what will happen to the people as what the Lord reveled to him. Knowing his purpose, and faithful to it, he didn't mind what will be its outcome to him. Of course, we all know what bare nakedness brings --- it's shame, dishonor, humiliation. A royal blooded Isaiah walked bare naked for three years around the cities! What will make him dress up? The people's positive response to God's calling will. 

To "walk bare naked" is becoming "zero" in the eyes of the Lord. It simply means shedding all of "what is you" .... your position. your glory, your job, your honor, your selfishness, your internal motives, yourself...yourself..and yourself. My " me, myself and I", stripped of glory. 

 The principle is difficult to comprehend in the midst of achievement. We  have seen and heard people in the success level impressing us with their holy allegiance with God, only to be exposed by how they treat others lower than them. That is the reason why Jesus summed up the 10 commandments into two:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 

-Matthew 22: 36-39 (NIV)

The second commandment is the test of the first commandment.

The Principle of Zero is the gateway to a closer encounter with God. We all had a close encounter with God, but the I mean, closER. Seeing the God, your Maker actively working with you on the day to day basis is a different story from the occasional experience we have with Him. It will take a very intimate relationship with the Almighty God to see Him active with you daily.  This principle is the secret to the " undying oil" of the anointing in you. And most of all, the closer walk with God creates a transformation within us that no psychiatrist nor psychologist can ever do. It's the key to a no-return-to- the- past attitude and behavioral transformation. And when you're in the ministry, you badly need to be zero. We cannot fully obey if we are not zero. I mean "fully".

But never forget that we can only relate to God through Jesus Christ. No other way, no other person-- only through Jesus. And when we do, let's zero ourselves.

Enough explanations. Let's desire it.