Jeremiah 20 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Jeremiah 20.

Meditate on and memorize this phrase from verse 11.

But the LORD is with me like a dread champion.

Jeremiah needed a dread champion.  The sermon he delivered in the court of the LORD’s house (Jeremiah 19:14-15) resulted in him being beaten and put in the stocks by Pashhur, the priest and chief officer in the temple.  Upon Jeremiah’s release, he delivered another message; this one was personally for Pashhur.

Pashhur is not the name the LORD has called you,

but rather Magor-misssabib, (terror on every side).

 For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am going to make you a terror to yourself

 and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on,

 they will fall by the sword of their enemies.  So I will give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as exiles to Babylon and will slay them with the sword.  And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into captivity; and you will enter Babylon, and there you will die and there you will be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have falsely prophesied.”

—Jeremiah 20:3-4, 6

Jeremiah preached the truth of God’s Word and was persecuted for it.  He was a laughingstock; everyone mocked him.  Jeremiah was tired of the reproach and derision, and he thought about no longer preaching the Word of the LORD.  But that thought created a burning in his heart and bones.  He was wearier holding the Word of God inside himself than he was by the people who mistreated him.  He could not endure not speaking God’s truth (Jeremiah 20:7-9).

What about you?  Do you proclaim the truth of God’s Word despite what others say and do?  Does the Word of God burn inside you ready to be told?  Or are you like Pashhur who told people what they wanted to hear, resulting in deadly consequences?

In the face of opposition and persecution, Jeremiah prayed.  Pray his prayer from Jeremiah 20:11-13 over yourself and those for whom You stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, be with ________ and me like a dread champion;

 let our persecutors stumble and not prevail.

 Let them be utterly ashamed because they have failed

 with an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.

 O LORD of hosts, You test the righteous; You see the mind and the heart;

 let us see Your vengeance on them,  for to You, we set forth our cause. 

We sing to You, LORD; we praise You!

  Deliver our needy souls from the hand of evildoers.

For Your name’s sake, Jesus~”