Can you say that you are zealous for the Lord?

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great zeal.’” Zechariah 1:13-14.

God is a zealous God, and all of His true sons and daughters should be able to say the same. It is written about Jesus – our forerunner and example: “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” John 2:17. All true followers of Jesus can say: “Come, follow me, and see my zeal for the Lord.” 2 Kings 10:16.

Can you say that you are zealous for the Lord?

Zeal is a requirement

We need to see something as extraordinarily great and precious to be very zealous for it. Paul said that when he saw the glory he could gain in Christ Jesus, he counted everything in the world as loss and rubbish. (Philippians 3:7-11) That is zeal! Christ and the church were his only interests in life. He had received enlightened and anointed eyes, which meant that he could see and understand how great the life of a disciple of Christ is. He was fully absorbed by his love for Christ, so he always knew what he was working for, and he pursued it zealously. He also prayed sincerely for others, that they could also get enlightened eyes of the heart, so they could both see and understand their true calling. (Ephesians 1:18)

Now it is vital for us to understand our calling, and then to live it zealously. We are surrounded by all kinds of evil spirit powers that want to enslave us and hold us back. The spirits of indifference, laziness, immorality and impurity want to get their hands on us. If we do not watch and fight with sufficient zeal, we will soon feel at home in this world and desire earthly things. Then we will not view sin as serious as it actually is, and we will not be too concerned about a little bit of impurity, bitterness, unthankfulness, bearing a grudge against someone, etc. Jesus said it would be better to tear out your eye and cut off your hand than to sin. (Matthew 5:27-30) He had a clear vision.

Our entire interest must be Christ and the preparation of the church for His coming. This is where we need to use all our resources. Without zeal we will not partake of the wisdom that will rule for all eternity. The Lord is very zealous for you and me, to help us in all kinds of situations—if we are among the wholehearted. He makes sure that not a single temptation is too hard for us; He gives us everything that pertains to life and godliness.

Time is short

The darkness of night is quickly advancing over the earth. The time we have left is short, and we have to be ready when Christ comes to collect those who belong to Him. He is purifying for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:14)

Most people are zealous to defend their own honor and to earn money so they can buy everything they desire. If you speak to them about how glorious it is to deny yourself and suffer unjustly with joy, they usually cannot see any glory in it at all.

However, if we love Christ more than our lusts, we have a zealous love. It does not give in one millimeter to any kind of sin because of weakness. It loves what God loves, it hates what God hates, and it will always dwell where God dwells.

“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16. If we are in Christ and do not see anything sufficiently glorious there, so that it keeps us from becoming lukewarm and drawn away by outward things, then we are not worthy of being there either.

Time is getting short, so we need to encourage each other even more to zealous love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24-25) We have to test ourselves and make sure we always possess an enthusiastic love for Jesus. How could we allow even the least sin to have power in our life, when we know that every sin separates us from Christ?

Zeal will lead us to victory, growth and progress, and we will have fellowship with the Father, the Son, and with each other in the light. We can joyfully look for “the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)