“They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:19).

As we have been learning in our weekly Tuesday Bible Study, Jeremiah was called as a prophet to the nation of Judah during its last years before the inhabitants were deported to Babylon. He was active for some 40 years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah in 627 BC, through a total of five kings, to the fall of Jerusalem in 587. He was called to tell his people that they would be punished for their sins. He told them they would be removed from their Promised Land and that they would need to accept this as the consequence of turning away from God. As this was an unpopular message, he was very unpopular and was threatened and attacked many times. For this reason, he was known as the “weeping prophet.”

Perhaps you feel this way, as if you are called to a thankless task. You show up, day in and day out, and minister to our guests, program participants, and staff. It seems like the problems are insurmountable, and no one is grateful. In fact, you may become the object of their frustration stemming from everything else in their lives because you are a convenient target. Like Jeremiah, God has a word for you:

“They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you.”

The good news for us, as it is for them, is that for all who believe, we will be rescued. In fact, Jeremiah gave the Jews this truthful and hopeful message from the Lord, as recorded in Jeremiah 29:10-14:

¹⁰ This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Friends, you have the same promise from God. Your time on this earth may feel like captivity. Have hope. God has better plans for you.

“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).

And the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in you. Take heart from these Scriptures and from this encouraging and inspiring song from Jeremy Camp.

Same Power, by Jeremy Camp

I can see
Waters raging at my feet
I can feel
The breath of those surrounding me
I can hear
The sound of nations rising up
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

I can walk
Down this dark and painful road
I can face
Every fear of the unknown
I can hear
All God’s children singing out
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us

We have hope
That His promises are true
In His strength
There is nothing we can’t do
Yes, we know
There are greater things in store
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us

Greater is He that is living in me
He’s conquered our enemy
No power of darkness
No weapon prevails
We stand here in victory

In Christ,

Judy