E422: How to keep your zeal in every season

Benjamin Lee (0:00): Hello, and welcome to the I Can Do podcast with Benjamin Lee. We're here to talk about tips and strategies to have an I Can Do mindset. Life is what you put into it. Get the most you can. Here's your host, Benjamin Lee.

Benjamin Lee (0:23): Your zeal for God is not measured by never stumbling. Rather, it is to be measured by continually returning to Jesus and remaining faithful until the end. Is it possible for us to have lifelong zeal for God? The answer is yes. It is absolutely possible.

Benjamin Lee (0:51): Today, we're going to look at a man, the Apostle Peter, to look at his light, to see the highs, to see the lows, and yet, throughout it all, to see him returning to Jesus and faithfully walking with him until the end. I think for so many Christians, that's exactly what we're looking for. And we do struggle. And we do fall short of the glory of God. But it is also possible for us to return to Jesus, to turn away from our sins, to confess our sins to him, and to restore the joy to me of my salvation, as David said in Psalm 51, as he mourned over his sins.

Benjamin Lee (1:36): How do we maintain this zeal for Christ through every season of life? Well, I think the Apostle Peter gives us one of the best lives to look at. He had so many great accomplishments. No other apostle got out of the boat in Matthew chapter 14 to walk on water, but Peter did. Peter's there on the day of Pentecost preaching the gospel, and about 3,000 souls were added to the body of Christ.

Benjamin Lee (2:04): But even more impressive, he was faithful until the end. It does not mean at all that he did not fall short. We know that he sinned. We know that he lied and denied knowing Jesus three times. We know that in Galatians chapter two he played the role of a hypocrite and he stood condemned.

Benjamin Lee (2:22): Yet, when he was confronted by Paul, we know the rest of the story as well because he would continue on and he would repent. So, I want to walk us through 10 thoughts as we think about lifelong zeal. It is possible. And we're going look at the life of Peter. Number one, we begin with this.

Benjamin Lee (2:42): Zeal begins with Jesus. If we're going to be zealous for the Lord, it has to begin with him. We see that Peter was called by Christ in Matthew chapter 10 verses one through five. He was one of the 12 apostles. He was an ordinary man, an ordinary fisherman, yet Jesus is going to choose him for extraordinary work.

Benjamin Lee (3:04): I love this thought that our zeal begins with God's grace, not our greatness. Peter was ordinary, but Jesus is gonna use him in a mighty way. For Christians in second Thessalonians chapter two verses fourteen and fifteen, we have been called by the gospel of Jesus Christ as we have heard the message. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10 and verse 17.

Benjamin Lee (3:30): And we responded with obedience from the heart. We obeyed that pattern of teaching that's been delivered to us. Romans chapter six verse seventeen and eighteen. As we think about zeal, it all begins with Jesus and responding to his message, responding to the gospel call. And that's something important for all of us as the people of God.

Benjamin Lee (3:52): Don't forget where your journey began. Can you remember when you put on Christ? Can you remember when you made that great confession, I believe with all of my heart that Jesus is the Son of God, that he has risen from the dead, that you were baptized, or when you were baptized for the forgiveness of sins? Go back to that. That's a great way to maintain that lifelong zeal.

Benjamin Lee (4:17): Number one, our zeal begins with Jesus. Number two, zeal requires courage. Remember that scene on the Sea Of Galilee in Matthew chapter 14, verses 28 through 33? Peter asked the question, Lord, if it's you, command me to come out and to walk on water. And that's exactly what he did.

Benjamin Lee (4:40): He stepped out of the boat. No doubt that took so much courage for Peter to do. And yet, while he succeeded, he also failed. Because as he looked around, he began to sink. He began to drown.

Benjamin Lee (4:56): But here's the thing. Who did he cry out to? He cried out to Jesus, and the Lord saved him. Zealous people are willing to trust Christ even when they may fail. And that's what Peter did.

Benjamin Lee (5:10): He turned back to Jesus. Lord, save me. Now, Jesus did challenge him. Where's your faith? Why did you doubt?

Benjamin Lee (5:22): And sometimes we fall into that category as well. But as we think about zeal and maintaining lifelong zeal, number two, it's going to require courage on our part to walk by faith and not by sight, to trust God. We don't have all the answers. Life is always going to have something that is uncertain. Our response is to walk by faith and to trust in Him.

Benjamin Lee (5:46): We trust in the Lord with all of our heart, and we do not lean upon our own understanding. So don't let fear keep you in the boat. Jesus demands and wants us to be zealous, but also courageous as His people. And that courage can come in so many shapes and forms. Doing what's right, even when it's challenging.

Benjamin Lee (6:09): Sharing the good news of Jesus with others. Standing out and being different when everyone else is conforming to the things of the world. And we're standing firm on the things pertaining to God. You want to maintain your lifelong zeal? Number one, it begins with Jesus.

Benjamin Lee (6:28): Number two, it's going to require courage. Number three, from time to time, zeal must also be corrected. In Matthew chapter sixteen twenty one through 24, we find that Peter had to be rebuked by Jesus. Jesus told Peter exactly what was gonna happen to him, and Peter said, may it never be, Lord. Certainly, that's not gonna happen to you.

Benjamin Lee (6:53): In Matthew chapter 16 beginning in verses 21 through 24. From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised up on the third day. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, God forbid it, Lord. This shall never happen to you. But he turned and said to Peter, get behind me, Satan.

Benjamin Lee (7:18): You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on God's interests but man. You're not setting your mind on the things of God. Peter was zealous, passionate, but his zeal needed to be corrected. While it is great for us to be full of zeal, full of passion for God, it's got to be according to his word. Paul would say in Romans chapter 10, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.

Benjamin Lee (7:55): Though they had a zeal for God, it was not according to knowledge. So as we think about lifelong zeal, it's not just about an emotion and passion and energy and just doing whatever we want because we're so excited for Jesus. We have to abide in the apostles' doctrine. We have to know the authority of God and what is it that God wants us to do And who does He want us to be? Even sincere people can have misguided thinking.

Benjamin Lee (8:30): And zeal is not a license to do whatever we want to do in the name of the Lord. And so zeal is going to require correction, number three. We have to be teachable. And correction is part of this spiritual growth. So look at the journey that we already see with Peter.

Benjamin Lee (8:49): He's being called by Christ. He's courageous. He's already being corrected as well. Number four, zeal must be strengthened as well. Trials are going to come.

Benjamin Lee (9:02): And for Peter, trials came. Jesus warned him in Luke 22 before his death in verses 31 through 32 that Satan desired to sift Peter like wheat. But Jesus had prayed for him. And Jesus told him what would happen, but when he would return, what he needed to do. Jesus already had this restoration in mind for Peter, and Peter's going to face trials.

Benjamin Lee (9:28): And as we think about zeal, our zeal needs to be strengthened. What this means, and as I think about this example, we really need to guard our zeal, and we guard our zeal by listening to the warnings of Jesus. We need to take seriously the warnings of Jesus. We were driving somewhere a couple of days ago or yesterday at the time of this recording and getting onto an overpass, there was a car that wrecked. And evidently, it either was turning too fast on this on this highway.

Benjamin Lee (9:57): It was just by itself. I think it just ran into the wall. You know, when we get get off a highway or get on a highway and the curve is there and tells us to slow down or go 20 miles an hour or 35 miles an hour, evidently, whoever was driving that car didn't take that warning seriously. Sometimes we can be the same way when it comes to our faith and our zeal. Jesus warned him exactly what was going to happen, but Peter didn't take it to heart.

Benjamin Lee (10:25): We need to take the warnings of God to heart that we have an enemy, the devil, Satan, who is going to seek to tempt us. But there's also avenues and exit ramps for us to overcome those temptations. Think about one Corinthians 10 twelve-thirteen. No temptation has overtaken us, which is common to man, but God is faithful. With every temptation, He's going to provide a way of escape so that we may be able to endure it.

Benjamin Lee (10:54): We need to take the warnings of Jesus seriously. Our zeal has to be strengthened before trials, and the way for that to happen, we need to guard it, we need to protect it, and we need to listen to what Jesus has to say. King David lost his zeal due to sin in Psalm 51 when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. He didn't take the warnings of God seriously. Solomon's heart was taken away by many foreign women in first Kings chapter 11 when God specifically told him multiple times to guard your heart.

Benjamin Lee (11:31): But here's the good news. When we find ourselves in this valley, as we think about lifelong zeal and faithfulness to God, number five, zeal can be restored. After Peter denied Jesus three times, we find that after the apostles ate breakfast with Jesus after his resurrection, in John chapter 21 verses 14 or 15 through 17, Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to reaffirm his love. Do you love me? Do you love me?

Benjamin Lee (11:57): Do you love me? And each time Peter said, yes. You know I do. He was grieved the third time Jesus asked him that question. But Jesus already had work for him to do.

Benjamin Lee (12:10): Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep. Tend my sheep. Peter failed. He had a dark night, a horrific weekend.

Benjamin Lee (12:23): But that failure did not define the rest of his life. And my failure was sin, and your failure was sin, does not have to define the rest of our lives, and it doesn't have to define eternity because we can always come back to Jesus. When we turn away from our sins, confess our sins, our joy, too, can be restored, just like it was for King David. That's how you can maintain lifelong zeal, just knowing that, that God, He is waiting for us to come back to Him. And that's exactly what Peter did.

Benjamin Lee (13:05): Number six, as you think about lifelong zeal, think about how your zeal can help serve others. In Acts chapter two, we find Peter, after he had denied Jesus, a short time later, he's now boldly preaching Christ. And about 3,000 souls were saved. And now he's serving Christ in a mighty way even more. He was given a second chance.

Benjamin Lee (13:28): Have you been given a second chance? Yeah, me too. I've been given many second chances. As we think about second chances, coming back to the Lord and seeking forgiveness, we need to make the most of every opportunity. We need to enjoy and appreciate the great mercy and grace of God and utilize those moments and be zealous to help serve others, to put our apron on and getting to work and seeing how we can help others.

Benjamin Lee (13:57): That's how we can maintain lifelong zeal. Number seven, zeal produces boldness. God wants us to be courageous. We've already talked about that. He also wants us to be bold as well.

Benjamin Lee (14:08): We know Peter, when we go back to his life in Acts chapter four and five, persecution already is starting. 3,000 souls have been saved. It's not going to be an easy journey. But people stood before Peter stood before the very people that had condemned Jesus. And he would make it very clear to them that we must obey God rather than men.

Benjamin Lee (14:29): You see, real zeal is courageous because it fears God more than people. And our zeal for God should naturally produce boldness in our lives, where our conviction grows stronger as we think about the grace of God that appeared according to Titus two eleven, talking about Jesus Christ, our faith should mature as well. And that will help us to continue to be bold. Number eight, as you think about lifelong zeal and we go back to the life of Peter, it also is going to require a great deal of humility. You see, Peter already had a bad night when he lied about knowing Jesus.

Benjamin Lee (15:07): It would not be his last. In Galatians chapter two actually, in Acts chapter 10 verse Acts chapter 10 and Acts chapter 11, Peter had a bad night, but it would not be his last. In Acts chapter 10 and Acts chapter 11, Peter was humbled. Because the kingdom of God was never meant just to remain a Jewish kingdom. It was a kingdom for all, and it still is a kingdom for all nations.

Benjamin Lee (15:35): Peter's gonna have to learn some difficult lessons about his bias and prejudice and that Gentiles as well, those who fear God and keep his commandments, can be accepted into the kingdom of God too, that God shows no partiality. So God is going to correct Peter again. And Peter's gonna continue to learn a valuable lesson. And this is something for all of us as we think about lifelong zeal, that growing Christians, we just never stop. Allowing God to shape and to mold our hearts.

Benjamin Lee (16:08): And what a blessing we have the word of God. The words of the Holy Spirit preserve for us in the Bible. And the word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, and it will convict us. It should convict us to continue to grow, to continue for our faith to be transformed and to be shaped into the image of God. Number nine, what do you think would happen here with Peter?

Benjamin Lee (16:37): We've already had a lot of highs and lows. He's going to hit another low. But through it all, he's going to be faithful to God. You see, zeal can still stumble. Peter did in Galatians chapter two, a very tragic fall.

Benjamin Lee (16:50): The text says that he stood condemned. That's pretty clear with where he was. Thankfully, Paul was zealous enough and bold enough and courageous enough to help pull Peter out of the fire. But not just Peter, even others like Barnabas as well. Peter played the role of a hypocrite.

Benjamin Lee (17:13): What lifelong zeal is going to require as well is accountability. I know he was thankful for Paul, and we all need accountability. David needed Nathan. By the way, who did Solomon have to hold him accountable? Well, even if he didn't have a person, he still had God.

Benjamin Lee (17:35): It's possible for us, if not careful, for us to follow the same pattern as Peter, which is why we need to guard our zeal and guard our faith. But the last point, at the end of his life, number 10, is that zeal finishes faithfully. In two Peter chapter one, verses 11 through 14, he knew that the time of his departure was near. He knew that he would die. But he's not slowing down.

Benjamin Lee (18:05): He's encouraging the saints. He's helping the future generations. He's reminding them to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, to grow continually and to add to their faith, so that they would never stumble, so that they could enter into this eternal kingdom. What we find with Peter is truly a journey of faith and a journey of lifelong zeal. It did not mean that he was sinless by any stretch of the imagination.

Benjamin Lee (18:36): But what it did mean, he kept getting back up. He kept returning to Jesus. And he would listen to the words of Jesus. And he would be engaged in the work of Jesus. It's so easy for us to start off well and to be zealous for God.

Benjamin Lee (18:54): But how well do we recover? How well do we repent? How well are we confessing? And are we willing to finish the race? Peter reminds us that the Christian life, it's not a straight line.

Benjamin Lee (19:10): There's a lot of highs. There's a lot of lows. But through it all, Jesus is with us. Our job is to remain with Him.