Be vigilant. The enemy may distort God’s truths to plant doubt. When such attacks arise, take heart; these struggles are a normal part of the spiritual journey.

Giving your life to Jesus is the most joyful experience a person can have. However, Satan relentlessly targets the regenerated people of God, seeking to disrupt their lives and faith. In this article I will explore gospel joy and zeal, followed by the ways Satan works against them. In my second article, I will discuss what to do when Satan attacks.

Joy and Zeal at Conversion

Upon accepting the gift of salvation, our eyes are opened, our names are written in the book of eternal life, and our hearts are filled with joy and zeal for the gospel that saves. This stage is often called “the honeymoon phase,” while the Bible describes it as “the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4).

This joy reflects the experience of many believers in the book of Acts. Consider the Philippian jailer. “Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God” (Acts 16:34). Every believer who claims to be regenerated should experience this joy. If pressed, I would argue that this joy is one of the marks of true repentance and regeneration.

This is the stage or phase every Christian wishes would last forever. But for some reason it often doesn’t. I’m not suggesting that Christians lose their joy and zeal over time, although that can happen. Instead, I am suggesting that our joy and zeal begin to look different as we mature in Christ.

Joy and Zeal over Time

This happens as our joy and zeal become calmer, and enabling us to stand firm and endure life’s tests. We begin to experience a deeper, steadier joy that equips us to face hardships. The Bible is clear on this. Writing to believers in Philippi and Rome, Paul instructs them “rejoice always and not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:4-7); “All things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). There is a joy “post-honeymoon.”

As we grow, our zeal for the gospel also matures into a more patient and prayerful passion. Instead of trying to convert everyone we encounter, we learn to pray diligently and trust God to open eyes, softening the hearts of the lost. Early zeal is often dependent on our efforts and the responses of those we were evangelising to. However, with maturity, we come to understand that it is God who gives sight to the blind. Every believer should experience this initial zeal, whether in sharing the gospel or serving in the church.

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