2 Kings 10:16
And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
Jehu had a great zeal to do God’s command to destroy the house of Ahab. Jehu’s zeal is seen in what he did to Jezebel, but also in killing the seventy sons of the king. However, Jehu lost that zeal for God once this task was done. God could have used Jehu much more had he kept this zeal for God.
Having a zeal for God is greatly needed in today’s Christianity, but keeping that zeal will only be accomplished by character. It is easy to have zeal at the beginning of what you do for God, but keeping that zeal will be done on purpose. When a person first gets saved, they often have much zeal for God, but show me their zeal for God seven years later because that shows their character. Keeping the zeal for your zeal is something you must always guard.
When I became Pastor of the Maranatha Baptist Church, I had much zeal for what I believed God wanted me to do in our church. Often, when people from out of town visited, I took them around the buildings and showed them my vision. They often commented that they loved my zeal. Now that the initial vision is done, I have to keep the zeal of my zeal so that God can continue to do a great work in our church. I believe I still have the same zeal, but I have guarded against several things that have tried to steal my zeal. There are six things you will have to watch out for that will try to steal your zeal.
First, battles will try to steal your zeal. Battles from within and without will try to steal your zeal for God, but you must never let the battle take your zeal. You are sure to have battles if you have a zeal for God, but you must never let the weariness of fighting battles steal your zeal.
Second, the wrong crowd will steal your zeal. There are many who do not like someone who is zealous for God because it makes them look bad. Don't yoke up with the excuse givers, the worldly, or those who have died because they will steal your zeal. Keep yourself around zealous people so that your zeal stays zealous.
Third, other opportunities will steal your zeal. Stay focused on what you are doing for God and His will for you. Many things try to lure you away, but stay solely involved in what you are doing so that these other opportunities, even though they may be good, don’t steal your zeal.
Fourth, accomplishments will steal your zeal. It matters not how much you have accomplished; you must never let the amount of accomplishments steal your zeal. There is much more for you to do; never look back at what you have done, but keep looking forward to what you need to get done so that you don't lose your zeal.
Fifth, time can steal your zeal. Time has a way of dampening your zeal because you have yet to accomplish what you initially set out to do. Be like those in Hebrews and stay faith-focused on what you set out to do, and time will not steal your zeal.
Sixth, fleshly-driven believers will lose their zeal. You must stay empowered by the Holy Spirit if you want to keep your zeal. Only the Holy Spirit empowering you will keep the zeal for your zeal. Yield to the Holy Spirit daily, beg the Holy Spirit for His empowerment, and you will keep your zeal for your zeal.
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