God You Are My Strength
Pastor Richard Nunez
Who Am I In Christ • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 34:43
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Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good Morning. Over the several to many months, the media has shown many who have become passionate about their stance on different issues going on. We’ve watched cities looted, vehicles burned, historic icons defaced, portraits of former speakers of the house removed. Many of these things that took place happened because a person felt compelled to take action on what was going on. Have you ever had that feeling — the feeling about wanting to act because something had to be said. A situation needed to be addressed. Have you had that feeling — where you felt, “I can no longer sit on the sidelines, I’ve got the get involved?” Some of us might call that “having a fire in your belly.”
Jeremiah had this feeling. Jeremiah was fired-up! He was excited! He was ready to go. Have you ever had that feeling — oh yeah, I’m good to go! I’m excited! I’m encouraged! I feel the Spirit of God! I’m ready! Then moments later to find your enthusiasm has just evaporated. When this happens, it can make us feel like - oh man what just happened? We could be left feeling disappointed, perhaps even deceived — if we were talked in to it! Our passage this morning, Jeremiah shared many of these same thoughts. Let’s read together Jeremiah Chapter 20, verses 7 through 13.
7 O Lord, you have deceived me,
and I was deceived;
you are stronger than I,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all the day;
everyone mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I cry out,
I shout, “Violence and destruction!”
For the word of the Lord has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
9 If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
10 For I hear many whispering.
Terror is on every side!
“Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”
say all my close friends,
watching for my fall.
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we can overcome him
and take our revenge on him.”
11 But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble;
they will not overcome me.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonor
will never be forgotten.
12 O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous,
who sees the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.
13 Sing to the Lord;
praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hand of evildoers.
Pastoral Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
[Display Verse 7]
Has there every been a time in your life where you felt that you were taken advantage of? Or, a situation that was pitched to you, that you thought — hey that a good idea, count me in, to find out it is nothing like it was described? We see this situation all the time. You don’t have to raise your hand, but how many of you shop from popular sites like Amazon. Do you normally check out the reviews before you commit? That’s almost a norm now when we shop for stuff. Jeremiah didn’t have Amazon reviews when he was called by the Lord to be “a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5). He didn’t have a way to see what others were saying. Jeremiah did say that he didn’t “know how to speak,” and that he was “only a youth” (Jer. 1:6). The Lord essentially said not to say such things (Jer. 1:7). The Lord said, “whatever I command you, you shall speak.”
In verse 7, we see Jeremiah is heartbroken. It looks like things did not appear as Jeremiah might have thought. After all, we see here Jeremiah saying to the Lord, “You have deceived me, and I was deceived.” Deceived means to have been persuaded or as the NLT translates, “mislead.” Jeremiah is going forward on the promise “I am with you” (Jer. 1:8), but where is God? After all we’re riding on a promise from God. But, Jeremiah looks to be feeling disappointed and discouraged. He says, “I have become a laughingstock all the day, everyone mocks me.” And:
[Display Verse 8]
“For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction! For the world of the Lord has become for a me a reproach and derision all day long.” Jeremiah is doing the talk the Lord has laid before him, and nothing seem to be clicking. Jeremiah has this deep burning desire in his heart to preach to the people. But here’s the thing, NO BODY IS LISTENING! They’re hearing but not listening. Top top it off, those near by are laughing and mocking! Jeremiah is delivering messages of “impending disaster,” trying to call the people “back to God.” The people were not doing that. Jeremiah is losing confidence in his call. Perhaps you’re going through this, or you feel like you’re lost or losing your call? What is Jeremiah is to do? What are we to do?
Focus on God — God does the heavy lifting!! The first Chapter of Jeremiah is all about Jeremiah’s call from the Lord. Here’s some points from Chapter one (in no particular order).
[Display Bullet Point Slide]
Whatever I command you, you shall speak
Do not be afraid of them
Dress yourself for work; arise and say to them everything that I command you
Do not be dismayed by them
They will fight against you
I am with you, declares the Lord
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you
I have put my words in your mouth
This means God is our strength when we’ve lost confidence! Nothing can stop God’s plan! King David once sang a song of praise for God’s deliverance. God delivered David from the hand of his enemies. David didn’t know how God was going to deliver, or when God would deliver. David spoke about “the waves of death” ( 2 Sam. 22) that were around him, the feeling of being “afraid” and distressed. David focused on God, as his source of strength, a “stronghold” and a place of “refuge.” David said:
33 God is my strength and power,
And He makes my way perfect.
Perhaps you’re trying to discern God’s will. Continue praying about it! Perhaps God has already revealed something to you. Continue praying about it! God moves powerfully, and God moves slowly. It’s usually us who move too fast. No matter how long it takes — when God works, it’s always worth the wait! Patient prayer is key. When we’re patient, God continues to reveal more and more. This helps us to understand if this feeling we have is a flash-in-the-pan, something we’re seeking, or is this desire something that is not going away. Jeremiah was not experiencing a flash-in-the-pan feeling. The feeling was not going away:
9 If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
Jeremiah is thinking about keeping quiet. He can’t keep God from speaking to him, but he doesn't have to speak for God. Have you ever felt the situation of being at a cross road? Jeremiah’s in a similar situation. He’s trying to figure out what to do. Do I go left, or do I go right. If you’re following along in your bible, verse 9 and verse 10 is the cross road. Verse 9 is the encouragement to follow God. We have a burning desire, where Jeremiah is “weary with holding it in,” packaged with the Holy Spirit of God working on his heart, where he “cannot” hold it. Jeremiah need to open the gate and allow the Word of God to flow. Verse 10 is the chatter, the “whispering,” the “terror,” close friends turning away. Verse 10 are the distractions that fly-in from all directions that discourage us in not wanting moving with God. We see Jeremiah’s humanity. He’s just as concerned as the next. He want’s to serve God. But! There’s that burning question — what will everyone think, what if I mess up, what if I say the wrong things, what if …?
When we keep building the ledger of “what if’s,” they eventually turn into “I can’t.” “I can’t” is something we talk ourselves into, it’s a mind-set, which means it’s a personal decision we’ve made. Have you ever thought — what am I doing here, what’s the point, I’ve had it, I’m this close to throwing the towel in, there’s no point! And like Jeremiah, we too could be going through a ride of emotions. It’s interesting to wonder if our Lord Jesus Christ felt similar emotions when he was rejected over-and-over!?! Could He have thought … what’s the point, I’ve had it, I’m this close to throwing the towel in. I’m being rejected over and over, there’s no point! The religious leaders of the time had access to the Old Testament writings; they had access to prophecy, but the Word of God was denied. Jesus and Jeremiah shared one common trait — they were both right where God needed them to be. The book is Isaiah has much to say about the coming messiah. Jesus is seen time and time again fulfilling prophecy. This is tangible proof, something the people could see and experience. Jeremiah was placed uniquely to speak to the nation of Judah.
[Display Verse 11]
Jeremiah felt like God tricked him, didn’t like what he was doing, didn’t want to do it, but in the midst of it — God is going to scare the pants off his enemies. Jeremiah is that God is the dreaded warrior, and that the Lord is with him! God is standing by his side! The word “dreaded” is not negative. It can be translated to mean “mighty,” “great,” or “powerful.” This is huge for Jeremiah! Jeremiah is in an hour of crisis, and he could return to the promises of God that we talked about earlier from Chapter one. Another promise God makes is:
20 And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
declares the Lord.
“I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze … they shall not prevail … I am with you!” WOW!! This is incredible! This is part of the much needed encouragement. This can be the pep-in-his-step that he could have been needing. Jeremiah uses the words “O Lord of hosts.”
[Display Verse 12]
These words brings forward the meaning of peace, calmness, composure and contentment. The Lord of Hosts provided security to Jeremiah. God, The Lord of Hosts gave Jeremiah everything he needed to accomplish the task laid before him. The Lord said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” This means Jeremiah was hardwired in the womb for this task. All that was required of Jeremiah was to dress for work and go. Jeremiah pull-up the boot straps, and together — let’s do some amazing work! And finally, in verse 13, Jeremiah praises and sings to the Lord!
When Paul, Timothy and Silas traveled “through the region of Phrygia and Galatia,” they did not know what awaited them on the other side. Like Jeremiah, Paul had a “burning fire” for the Lord. The Bible says Paul concluded “that God had called us to preach the gospel to them! (Acts 16:10) AMEN! The gospel of Jesus Christ was traveling west. The good news of salvation was going west! People were hearing that blood of Jesus Christ washes away all sin for those to believe! A result of Paul’s desire to bring the gospel, people heard the good news, and we can read about a profession of faith that took place in Acts Chapter 16! Paul found strength in God, and that means we can rest in the same strength that is available to us through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Application
Application
Over in Exodus, we see Moses singing to the Lord, and part of his song says:
2 “The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
[Repeat Exodus 15:2]
Jesus Christ is our strength when we’ve lost our confidence!
Jesus Christ is our strength when we feel like we’re under attack!
Jesus Christ is our strength when the call we have won’t leave!
Jesus Christ is our peace, our calmness, our composure and our contentment!
Jesus Christ is our warrior Messiah!
This all comes by Jesus Christ! Do you need strength today? I’d like to invite you up in prayer. Perhaps your celebrating the fact that — Who Am I In Christ, I am a child of God, who has a song of praise in my heart — God you are my strength! How is your heart responding?
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer