17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.
18 Today I have made you a fortified city, 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.
19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.

When God calls you, He has already made all the preparations necessary for you to succeed. Failing is never an option when you obey God’s call for your life.

Do you feel worthy of God’s call?
If you don’t feel worthy of God’s call on your life, you are not alone. Jeremiah was not exactly the ideal candidate to become a prophet to the nations. He did not seem to be a great candidate for success either.

Let’s face it, if you were to interviewing candidates for the position of a prophet to the nations, would you choose someone who by his own admission could not speak? (See Jeremiah 1:6 “… I do not know to speak for I am only a child”) I am sure you wouldn’t choose someone as unsure of themselves as Jeremiah was.

In fact, I am sure you would see him as weak, perhaps even unstable and certainly not ready for the position that was open in your organization. No, according to man’s criteria, Jeremiah was not the ideal choice.

But God saw beyond the outward appearances (of course). He saw beyond the fears and doubts that Jeremiah was expressing and choose the man He knew he could trust.

If you sense God calling you to be and do something you think is too hard for you, remember this:

• God knows you better than you know yourself.
• If God called you, then you KNOW you can be ALL He is calling you to be and you KNOW you can do all He is calling you to do.

God equipped Jeremiah:
God gave Jeremiah:

• The words to speak,
• Careful instructions as to what he should do and how he should react,
• A guarantee of success.

Special instructions:
God gave Jeremiah specific instructions:

• Stand up and say to them whatever I command you.
• Do not be terrified by them or I will terrify you before them. This is a very sobering command accompanied by a consequence of disobedience. Do not be afraid of them.

Fear and Faith
Fear is actually misguided faith. Fear believes the worst can happen. Fear is faith in evil. Losers walk in fear.

When you walk in faith you believe for the best outcome. You know that God is good and so only good (or what is good for you) can happen. God is looking for men and women of faith, to obey Him and follow Him. Winners walk in faith.

If your faith is focused on evil, then evil can happen. If your faith is solidly placed in the good things that can happen to you, God will see to it that you are protected from evil, and only that which can do you good will happen in your life.

Evil may fight against you, but it will not prevail. This is the promise that God gave to Jeremiah, and is the same promise He has for YOU.

All He asks is that you trust and obey!

This is No #4 of the Series “Why Did God Call Jeremiah?”