How do you develop strong faith?
Wondering how to develop strong faith? Faith in the face of attacks, turmoil, …life? In this latest message of our Faith Check series “Strong Faith” – we’ll look at Jeremiah’s strong faith and how it got there.
Jeremiah 1:17-19
17 “Get up and prepare for action.
Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say.
Do not be afraid of them,
or I will make you look foolish in front of them.
18 For see, today I have made you strong
like a fortified city that cannot be captured,
like an iron pillar or a bronze wall.
You will stand against the whole land—
the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.
19 They will fight you, but they will fail.
For I am with you, and I will take care of you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Jeremiahs responsibility was to prepare and proclaim…. that’s our responsibility also.
That is how we gain a strong faith.
Get up – prepare for action
Some translations say gird your loins – meaning tuck your robe into your belt cause you are about to run. The more we develop our faith the more we need to be ready to listen and act on the Word of the Lord.
Tell them everything I tell you to say. – say what the Holy Spirit speaks to you about.
Tell everything the Lord says. Don’t add to it. Don’t take away.
Do not be afraid of them – or God will make you look foolish
Jeremiah 1:18-19
18 For see, today I have made you strong
like a fortified city that cannot be captured,
like an iron pillar or a bronze wall.
You will stand against the whole land—
the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.
19 They will fight you, but they will fail.
For I am with you, and I will take care of you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Jeremiahs responsibility was preparation and proclamation.
Gods responsibility is preservation…
Doing life together in the comments:
How does Jesus preserve you?
Today I have made you strong….. foundation in Jesus. Strength comes from God making us strong….. and when does he make us strong?
Today!!!! He makes us strong.
When a city was fortified the enemy couldn’t overtake it. It was a waiting game. Either the enemy went somewhere else or the people in the city starved and let the enemy in…. Too many believers get surrounded by the enemy and allow themselves to starve and eventually cave….
Your nourishment comes from the Lord strengthening you daily. Preserving you with His word.
Eternally: He preserves your soul.
In turmoil: He preserves your mind, heart, life.
He preserves us through the enemy, through life situations…. because He is with us.
Your faith is strong because Jesus preserves you through preparing and proclaiming His Word.
There is this imagery in Jeremiah 20:11-13 of what it looks like when Jesus preserves us through our preparation and proclamation of His word.
11 But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior.
Before him my persecutors will stumble.
They cannot defeat me.
They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated.
Their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
you test those who are righteous,
and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.
Let me see your vengeance against them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
13 Sing to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
For though I was poor and needy,
he rescued me from my oppressors.
YOUR NEXT STEP: Make sure your faith is strong: Prepare and proclaim His word.
Get a verse this week for your life to meditate on and start proclaiming it.
Double down on next steps – I want you to start preparing this verse in your spirit and begin proclaiming it…
Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Our next season and sermon series is “Change Your City.” The sermon series will be hyper-focused on everything happening in and around Capernaum in the Bible. And Matthew 5:14-16 happens just outside of Capernaum.
Would you begin proclaiming the word of God over our next season with me?