“Do not be a terror to me; You are my place of safety when trouble comes.” (Jeremiah 17:17)
Jeremiah prayed for deliverance from his enemies, the people of Judah of which he had prophesied against. Verses 1-6 the Lord condemns the people of Judah. Jeremiah prays that he will not be abandoned when they come against him. His message was not received well by the people. They railed against the Lord. “The people say to me, "Where are those threats the LORD made against us? Let Him carry them out now!" (Jeremiah 17:15)
Jeremiah’s hope was in the Lord. His safety was in the Lord when trouble came. The news he brought to the people was not good news. In contrast, Jesus brought Good News. “"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has chosen Me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed.” (Luke 4:18) But although Jesus brought Good News, it was rejected, like Jeremiah’s message.
Here in this lesson, we see three things. Jeremiah’s message of bad news against the people is rejected. Jesus’ message of good news for the people is rejected. Jeremiah placed his safety in the Lord. Where do we place our safety when trouble comes? In this world, we will encounter trouble. Jesus told us. “I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to Me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!" (John 16:33)
The followers of Jesus encountered trouble from the Jewish religious leaders for believing in Jesus. The Roman officials persecuted them. And finally, Nero, the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor persecuted them. They suffered incarceration, floggings, stonings, personal attacks and eventually were made to fight for their lives in spectacles in the Roman Colosseum.
Many think that becoming a child of God is the end of trouble. But it’s not, because we remain in this sinful world ruled by the devil. “We know that we belong to God even though the whole world is under the rule of the Evil One.” (1John 5:19) The promise that we have is that we will be victorious in every affliction. But we need to be careful about this because some of the affliction that comes against us is a result of our own making. And even then, our Merciful Lord will help us from the consequences of our disobedience. “But thanks be to God! For in union with Christ we are always led by God as prisoners in Christ's victory procession. God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance.” (2Corinthians 2:14) What a beautiful picture that paints. When we get the victory, Jesus parades us and shows us off.
So, how do we get the victory over our afflictions? It’s human nature to want to resolve our own problems. But as a child of God, Jesus takes these afflictions against us personally. We need to get out of the Lord’s way and let Him fight the battle. We need to rest in the fact that the only thing we must do is first ask. “Be careful about nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) Then we must worship and adore Him because He is able and willing to give us the victory. Jesus WON the victory already at Calvary. But the enemy is insistent in lying until we accept and believe the lie, speak the lie and act on the lie. When we give it to Jesus, we are saying, that it’s a lie of the devil because Jesus already won the battle at Calvary and let Jesus take up the matter with the devil. “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1Corinthians 15:57) We just praise and worship the Lord for the victory. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12) Then we must worship and adore Him because He is able and willing to give us the victory. Jesus WON the victory already at Calvary. But the enemy is insistent in lying until we accept and believe the lie, speak the lie and act on the lie. When we give it to Jesus, we are saying, that it’s a lie of the devil because Jesus already won the battle at Calvary and let Jesus take up the matter with the devil. “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1Corinthians 15:57) We just praise and worship the Lord for the victory. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12) Then we must worship and adore Him because He is able and willing to give us the victory. Jesus WON the victory already at Calvary. But the enemy is insistent in lying until we accept and believe the lie, speak the lie and act on the lie. When we give it to Jesus, we are saying, that it’s a lie of the devil because Jesus already won the battle at Calvary and let Jesus take up the matter with the devil. “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1Corinthians 15:57) We just praise and worship the Lord for the victory. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12) Then we must worship and adore Him because He is able and willing to give us the victory. Jesus WON the victory already at Calvary. But the enemy is insistent in lying until we accept and believe the lie, speak the lie and act on the lie. When we give it to Jesus, we are saying, that it’s a lie of the devil because Jesus already won the battle at Calvary and let Jesus take up the matter with the devil. “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1Corinthians 15:57) We just praise and worship the Lord for the victory. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12) Then we must worship and adore Him because He is able and willing to give us the victory. Jesus WON the victory already at Calvary. But the enemy is insistent in lying until we accept and believe the lie, speak the lie and act on the lie. When we give it to Jesus, we are saying, that it’s a lie of the devil because Jesus already won the battle at Calvary and let Jesus take up the matter with the devil. “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1Corinthians 15:57) We just praise and worship the Lord for the victory. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12) Then we must worship and adore Him because He is able and willing to give us the victory. Jesus WON the victory already at Calvary. But the enemy is insistent in lying until we accept and believe the lie, speak the lie and act on the lie. When we give it to Jesus, we are saying, that it’s a lie of the devil because Jesus already won the battle at Calvary and let Jesus take up the matter with the devil. “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1Corinthians 15:57) We just praise and worship the Lord for the victory. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12)
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