How The Holy Spirit Can Lead You as He Led Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1:4-1:19 (NIV, NIRV, TNIV, KJV)
How The Holy Spirit Can Lead You as He Led Jeremiah
Quote: He who has God and many other things has no more than he who has God alone.
C.S. Lewis
Illustration:Evangelist Paul Rader had many a talk with a banker in New York. The banker would reply that he was too busy for religion. Time passed and the banker, seriously overworked, was sent to a sanatorium for complete rest. One day God spoke to Paul Rader; the message was clear: "Go and speak to ..." Rader obeyed, catching a train and going with all speed to the sumptuous sanatorium.
Arriving at the facility, Rader saw the banker standing in the doorway. "Oh, Rader," said the banker, "I am so glad to see you." "I received your telegram," said Rader. "That’s impossible," said the banker. "I wrote a telegram begging you to come, but I tore it up. I didn’t sent it." "That may be," said Rader, "but your message came by way of Heaven."
Paul Rader found his friend under deep conviction of sin and he pointed him to Christ as a perfect Saviour. That man accepted Christ and his heart was filled with joy. "Rader," he said, "did you ever see the sky so blue or the grass so green?" Rader replied, "Sometimes we sing" ’Heaven above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green; Something lives in every hue Christ-less eyes have never seen.’" Suddenly the banker leaned against Paul Rader and fell into his arms, dead.
Morning Glory, July 13, 1993.
1. The Holy Spirit can lead you to realize exactly what God has appointed you to be, do and accomplish. The Bible says, "The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jer. 1:4,5)
Ask the Lord to help you gain a clearer understanding of exactly what the Lord has appointed you to be, do and accomplish for His great purposes. Trust the Lord for the sensitivity to listen to His quiet urging.
2. The Holy Spirit can help you, as He did Jeremiah, to overcome any of your shyness, low self-esteem or hesitancies to obey God. Jeremiah said, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child. But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to say whatever I command you." (Jeremiah 1:6,7)
Ask the Lord for a greater confidence in God’s ability to help you perform everything He asks you to do with the enabling power of the Spirit.
3. The Holy Spirit will embolden you as He did Jeremiah. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you." (Jer. 1:8)
Trust the Lord to give you a lionhearted approach to everything the Spirit directs you to tackle.
4. The Holy Spirit will give you the articulative ability to speak God’s message with a supernatural power that gives proof of your special anointing. Jeremiah wrote, "The Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Now, I have put my words in your mouth." (Jer. 1:9)
Ask the Lord to give you special articulative, communicational, and persuasive abilities to powerfully deliver truth to all people.
5. The Holy Spirit will endow you with special authority from Jesus Christ’s commission to make disciples of all nations. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." (Jer. 1:10)
Ask the Lord to fill you with the full realization of the many skills, abilities and tools you have at your disposal for the accomplishing of Christ’s great commission of Matthew 28:18-20.
6. The Holy Spirit will help you stand the tests of time, people and trouble in the same way He gave backbone to Jeremiah. The Lord said, "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you.." (Jer. 1:17a)
Trust the Lord that He will fill you, not with the spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, love and discipline to accomplish His will! (2 Tim. 1:7)
7. The Holy Spirit will warn you or chasten you, as He did Jeremiah, not to shrink at the great ministries you are called to tackle. The Lord said, "Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them." (Jer. 1:17b)
Ask the Lord to create a healthy respect for God’s ability to chasten you if you are not obeying God’s directives.
8. The Holy Spirit will give you a new and improved identity facilitating your ability to get all of God’s will for your life completed. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "Today, I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land." (Jer. 1:18)
Ask the Lord to help you to gain greater security in your identity in Christ so that you are fully facilitated to get ALL of God’s will done.
9. The Holy Spirit will raise you to a higher level of proficiency in your ability to speak to powerful people without fear. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "I have made you an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land - against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land." (Jer. 1:18b)
Ask the Lord to let you grow in your ability to speak effectively to BIG people without being intimidated.
10. The Holy Spirit will prepare you for any eventuality, as He did for Jeremiah. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "They will fight against you." (Jer. 1:19)
Ask the Lord to help you be prepared emotionally, mentally, socially, educationally, financially, morally, physically and spiritually for the big attacks that are coming to your relationships and ministries.
11. The Holy Spirit promises you victory in the midst of the most overwhelming difficulties, as He did with Jeremiah. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "They will fight against you but will not overcome you." (Jer. 1:19b) Ask the Lord to give you continuous reassurances of victory over all kinds of adversity.
12. The Holy Spirit pledges His undying loyalty to you as He did with Jeremiah. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "They will not overcome you for I am with you." (Jer. 1:19b)
Trust the Lord for the constant assurances of His undertaking on your behalf when you are emotionally, mentally or physically discouraged.
13. The Holy Spirit commits the full force of God’s power to rescue you from harm as He did to Jeremiah. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "For I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord." (Jer. 1:19b)
Trust the Lord to deliver, liberate and free you from any thing that might tempt you to feel like giving up.
Conclusion: When you have nothing left but God, then you become aware that God is enough.
Maude Royden.
