Text:
Jeremiah 1:17-19
 17.  Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
 18.  For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
 19.  And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

Jeremiah was a prophet, which was appointed prior to him taking his first breath. 
Jeremiah 1:4-5
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.

God was provoking Jeremiah to do his work.  Christians too need to be reminded that at birth (John 3:3-5) we take on a role in the Church. 

Introduction:
Christians have an obligation to preach the Gospel to the entire world (Matthew 28:18-20, and Mark 16:15-16).  Sometimes in doing so they fail to preach all that God has commanded them.  Sometimes they fear the response.  Sometimes Christians fail to realize that the world is against them.  What we need to remind ourselves is that the Lord is with us, and we should fear not!

I. Speak Unto Them…
We Need to Speak Unto them to teach what they are ignorant of
KJV Jeremiah 5:2-5
 2.  And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely.
 3.  O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
 4.  Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God.
5. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

Speak to those that do not know the “way of the Lord”
KJV Proverbs 10:27-29
 27.  The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
 28.  The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Speak as the word of God
KJV 1 Peter 4:11
11.  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

To have the beginning of knowledge fear must occur
KJV Proverbs 1:2-7
 2.  To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
 3.  To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
 4.  To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
 5.  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
 6.  To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
 7.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Love of God Must be there
KJV John 14:15
15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

II. Diminish Not a Word

Jeremiah was told not to diminish from God’s word
KJV Jeremiah 26:2
2. Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

Declaring the Whole Counsel of God
KJV Acts 20:26-27
 26.  Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Not to add nor take from God’s word
KJV Deuteronomy 4:2
2.  Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

III. We Are Protected / And Should Not Fear

If we seek, fear not, God will provide
KJV Luke 12:31-32
 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

We need to use what God has given us
KJV Ephesians 6:10-17
 10.  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
 11.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
 12.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
 13.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
 14.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
 15.  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
 16.  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

We will face persecution
KJV 2 Timothy 3:12
12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

But, the reward is safety and rest
KJV Revelation 21:3-7
3.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
 4.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
 5.  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
 6.  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
6. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

The reward is not temporary
KJV Romans 6:16-22
 16.  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
 17.  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
 18.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
 19.  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
 20.  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
 21.  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Conclusion:
If we stand up for Christ, he will for us (Matthew 10:32-33).  We must be ready to do our part if we want the eternal reward!
 
 

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