MANAGING ZEAL (1)

TEXT: Titus 2:14b; John 6:38

Zeal is a good spiritual virtue when managed and applied positively. However, there is a thin line between a man’s zeal and divine will which must be balanced and if not handled well a man can confuse human zeal for God’s leading. It is because of this that some people are acting in error and when corrected they maintain they are led but do not know they are driven by zeal and not His will.

Once again, zeal is good. A man can be led through zeal. David had zeal (Psalm 69:9). It is good to be driven by zeal and it is good to be driven by good. Jesus had zeal (John 2:17). He did good things (Acts 10:38). But in all, at the centre of His life and ministry was the will of God (Hebrews 10:7). On SPIRIT’S SWORD DEVOTIONAL, we commence a series on how to channel zeal aright while remaining aligned to God’s will. Your motivation can be by zeal, but let your inspiration be borne of His will.

DIMENSIONS OF ZEAL

1. Zeal can be anti-God’s will

This was initially Peter’s challenge being oftentimes driven by zeal which most times were opposite to God’s will (Matthew 16:21-23). Even when Brother Peter was rebuked and corrected, he still did another act by zealously cutting off the right ear of a servant of the high priest (John 18:10).

Some zeal can actually do disservice to God’s work but those involved will think after all they are doing it to defend God. This is why we must be careful what we say in the name of defending the gospel. If because you want to “defend” God’s word you call somebody “foolish”, then you have missed it because such idle words shall be judged by God and whosoever calls his brother a fool is in danger of hell  fire (Matthew 5:22; 12:36). So, we must be gentle, humble but courageous!

2. Zeal can be misplaced

Paul had misplaced zeal: “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church” (Philippians 3:6). He was persecuting the church but thought he was doing God service. And so, when he advised Israel in Romans 10:1-2: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge”, he was speaking from experience because zeal is not the same as salvation.

Today, there are people tearing churches apart, causing divisions among church members, promoting gossips in the name of  revival, opposing church leadership, confronting and insulting elders, rebelling against church rules and all simply because they feel someone is not doing something well. The call it zeal, but it is misplaced zeal!

Beloved, zeal can take a man far, but God’s will takes a man eternally. Jesus made it clear that those who will enter Heaven are not those who worked zeal but them who walked by His will (Matthew 7:21-22). Zeal possesses efficacy, buy does not guarantee eternity (Numbers 25:11-13). This is not just milk-word, it is bone-word…he that has teeth let him eat: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16a).