Sermon Central
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Tug Of War
Contributed by Joe Rowland on Aug 30, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Some of us might feel like we are in a tug of war, not knowing what the outcome will be. Plant your feet, stand your ground and pull for the things of God like never before. You are on the winning side.
Tug Of War
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
I have entitled this today: “Tug of War”
The name Jeremiah means”Jehovah is high, Jehovah raises up or launches out.”
Jeremiah 1:4 says: Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
This is the first Prophecy given in this book, and it concerns itself with the call of Jeremiah.
According to verse 5, Before God formed Jeremiah in the belly, I knew you.
Before you were in the belly of your mother God knew you.
Before Jeremiah came out of the womb, the Lord sanctified him and ordained him to be a Prophet unto the nations.
God through foreknowledge knows everything that there is to know.
God not only knew what kind of man that Jeremiah would be, but He knows what kind of man or woman that you can be.
It was not that Jeremiah did not have a choice of what he could do, because he did.
But God, because of who He is knows everything about us and what we can become in Him.
He opens up the doors in our lives and all we have to do is walk through the doors where He is leading.
The words, “I sanctified you” refers to the call of Jeremiah that he has been set apart for this particular use.
The words, Ordained you a Prophet unto the nations, means appointed.
His message would not only have to do with Israel but those nations that had to do with Israel.
6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Almost immediately upon Gods commands, the flesh lacking faith withdraws, so did Moses and Jonah.
The call demanded absolute leading and absolute obedience.
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
This verse implies, and by the Lord at that, that Jeremiah will face great opposition, but he had the promise of the Lord to deliver him, but only if Jeremiah fully obeyed the Lord.
God will not and cannot bless disobedience.
Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
The phrase, I have put my words in thy mouth, explains inspiration.
The mouth was Jeremiah’s mouth, but the words were God’s words.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
Jeremiah was set over nations and over Kingdoms for God, He was His mouthpiece.
