Zealous for Christ

  STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

Zealous for Christ

Wednesday, 30 October

 

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:19

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: 1 Kings 19:10-14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

 

MORE LESSON: Revelation 3:19-21 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

 

Zeal is the tireless devotion to a person, cause or ideal. It comes with an ardent determination to see to the furtherance of what you are zealous about. Zeal is an expression of your deepest hunger and greatest pursuit. Aheart searching question today is, 'What are you zealous in?' A lot of people serve God but are not really zealous in their pursuit of God. Many are zealous in the pursuit of wealth, fame, knowledge, certificate and even ministerial success but few are passionate for Jesus Christ Himself. What you ardently seek is what you love the most. Elijah said in 1Kings 19:10, And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. Elijah was a man of zeal for the Lord; no wonder he did unusual exploits. There are levels of impact that are reserved only for men of zeal.

Zeal is not merely a human affair, even God has zeal. The Bible severally talks about ...the zeal of the LORD of hosts.... Isaiah 37: 32. God fights battles with zeal. Zeal is one of the attributes of God. The Church of Christ has known about the merciful, faithful and gracious God. It is high time we discovered the zealous God. 2 Corinthians 7:11 says, For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Zeal approves a man before God. It was zeal that approved Phinehas (Numbers 25: 1 – 13). If zeal approves, then lack of zeal disapproves. Can you see why so many people have not been approved by the Lord? It is not enough that you sing in the choir, preach the Word, give to God or even witness to sinners. It is only enough when you do them zealously. Prayerfully check your zeal gauge. Are you zealous enough for the Lord?

Zeal is doing everything you can to make things right. According to Revelation 3:19, zealousness is a requirement from God for those who will make Heaven. Today, pray for the zeal of the Lord to consume you once again.

 

Prayer/Action

* Ask for mercy in every area of your life, where you have lost zeal for the things of God. 

* Ask the Holy Spirit to reignite your zeal for God more than ever before. 

* Come against everything that kills the zeal for the things of God.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Hallelujah, my days of limitations are over now. Thank You Jesus.