Jeremiah, the prophet, had a difficult life. His family and friends were ready to rise up against him. They threatened to rise up against him if he continued telling about God.
I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me “The Man Who Lives in Terror.” They threaten, “If you say anything, we will report it.” Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip. “He will trap himself,” they say, “and then we will get our revenge on him.”
Jeremiah 20:10
But, there was something burning inside of Jeremiah, he simply could not keep quiet. He is what true ministry looks like. We are called, just as Jeremiah to speak the word of God when given the opportunity. We should not keep quiet, but speak boldly, just as Jeremiah did. Jeremiah knew that the Lord was with him.
But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior. Before him my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. The will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. There dishonor will never be forgotten.
Jeremiah 20:11
Jeremiah’s faith let him see the nearness of God. He was in despair because he lost his friends, but his faith kept his heart on God. Above all else, he knew that God was with Him.
What an example Jeremiah is for us. When we feel fear, we need only to remember that the Lord stands beside us like a great warrior.