MANAGING ZEAL (2)

TEXT: Colossians 4:12; Romans 10:1-2

We began a series yesterday, trusting God to help us understand the thin line between ‘zeal for God’ and the ‘will of God’. I explained that zeal is good and Jesus had zeal. But it is possible that a man be so zealous yet it is outside the will of God. We saw that Jesus in spite of His zeal allowed God’s will to be the centre of His living.

More so, we started identifying different dimensions of zeal. We noted that zeal can be contrary to God’s will. Peter was very close to Jesus and had His presence yet he spoke so zealously but outside God’s will. He tried to defend Jesus and even “rebuked” Him, saying: “Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” (Matthew 16:22). It looked so spiritual and sounded godly that Peter was defending Jesus, but it was pure zeal and not God’s. Today, brethren act in zeal, speak in zeal, do many things in zeal, and when they are corrected, they refuse correction claiming they are speaking for God, whereas they are actually outside God’s will. A thin line indeed!

Today, we continue by looking briefly at some other dimensions of zeal:

3. Zeal can be unbridled

This is the kind of zeal that goes without knowledge; it pushes people out of God’s will. Many abandon school in the naming of running to the mission field because of souls, but that probably wasn’t God’s will for them. They may continue in that and win many souls, but in the end what would count is whether they lived in God’s will or by their own zeal.

There are people who have zealously jumped into opening churches and it is good to preach, but did God ask them to open churches? God respects His will above the most fruitful human zeal.

4. Zeal can be spiritual

This is the zeal-type that is in line with the will of zeal. It is to rise up and pursue with utmost passion what is in line with God’s will. It is to know what God is saying and to be a mouthpiece for Him on earth. It is to know which direction God is taking and to follow suit.

Paul referred to this type of zeal in Colossians 4:12-13;

“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis”

Brother Epaphras coupled zeal with the will of God.

David is a practical example of a man that had spiritual zeal – the zeal that bowed to the will of God. He wanted to build a house for God, but God said he (David) won’t, and David said “Yes sir”! It is like trying to do something for God or organize a program in God’s name but God says “NO; this is not what I want you to do”. The question is: “Is it wrong to organise spiritual programs”? It is not wrong. But zeal must bow to God’s will.

Tomorrow, we shall consider why zeal must bow to God’s will. Remember, when your zeal is outside God’s will it becomes self-will. And you cannot go far with God and in divine destiny with your will intact…it must bow to God’s way and His will.