Do you want to see souls saved? Do you long to hear the shout that "the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord"? Do you want to see crowns placed on the Savior's head and his throne lifted high? Then be filled with zeal.

Listen carefully: under God, the world will be won by the zeal of the church. Every spiritual gift will accomplish great things, but zeal must lead the charge. Wisdom, knowledge, patience, courage — they all have their place. But zeal goes first.

It's not the size of your knowledge that matters most, though knowledge is useful. It's not the greatness of your talent, though talent shouldn't be despised. It's your zeal that will do great exploits.

This zeal is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It draws its vital force from the Spirit's ongoing work in your soul. If your inner life is shriveling up, if your heart beats slowly before God, you will not know zeal. But if everything within you is strong and alive, then you cannot help but burn with holy desire to see Christ's kingdom come and his will done on earth as it is in heaven.

What feeds this fire? Deep gratitude will nourish your zeal. Look back at the pit you were rescued from, and you'll find endless reasons to spend yourself — and be spent — for God. The thought of eternity fans the flame too. Zeal looks down with tears at the flames of hell and cannot sleep. It looks up with urgency at the glories of heaven and cannot sit still. It knows that time is short and the work is vast, so it pours out everything for the Lord's cause.

And always, always, zeal is strengthened by remembering Christ's example. He wore zeal like a cloak. How swiftly the wheels of duty turned for him! He never dragged his feet. He never wasted a moment.

So prove you are his disciple. Show the same consuming fire.