This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with an emphasis on “Focusing on God’s Finished Work”. We have been looking at the call and life of Jeremiah. Today we will look at him one last time. My emphasis today will be on verse 12 or Jeremiah chapter 1.
In verses 5-10 the following happened:
The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose you to be a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah responded, “But, Lord God, I don’t know how to speak. I am only a boy.” The Lord then responded to him, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy. You must go everywhere I send you and say everything I tell you to say. Don’t be afraid of anyone. I am with you, and I will protect you.” Jeremiah said then says, “Then the Lord reached out with his hand and touched my mouth.” At this point the Lord said, “Jeremiah, I am putting my words in your mouth. Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms. You will pull up and tear down. You will destroy and overthrow. You will build up and plant.”
In Verse 12 the Lord said to Jeremiah, “I am watching over My word to perform it.” The New Living Translation reads, “I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God put the emphasis for every aspect of Jeremiah’s call on Himself.
a) God promised to tell Jeremiah where to go and what to say when he got there. God was going to use His own words — originated in heaven, released through Jeremiah’s mouth in the earth — to pull up and tear down governments. This was a risky assignment for Jeremiah, but the Lord promised to provide divine protection. In the end, Jeremiah was being sent out to say things he could not back-up, since he was the orator, but not the originator of the words. That’s okay, because God also promised to watch over every Word released to make sure it came to pass. This is the type of commitment God has to you and the plans He made for you before the world began.
b) When you die to self and start living your life on God’s agenda, then He will reveal His plans, He will release the provisions already stored up for the plans to come to pass, and He will sign up to ensure His plans are successful.
c) When you are living for God and only doing what He tells you to do (like Jesus did), then you can’t lose. Because at that point, you losing would mean God losing and there is no way God can lose.
2. God is actively watching over His plans to make sure they come to pass.
a) God told Jeremiah that He was actively watching over His Word (or His plans) to perform them. God has a plan for your life and He is committed to His plan. God has obligated HImself to ensure His plan comes to pass. But He has NOT obligated Himself to your plans. So if you make your life all about you, you will have to live it on your own, with your power/ability/strength, and you will struggle along the way. However, if you align your life with God’s plans, then you will have God Himself actively watching over you every day, to ensure His plans come to pass!
b) What do you think God does all day? He is actively watching over the earth, to ensure the plans He made in heaven come to pass. He is looking for His will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. So when you commit to living your life in accordance with God’s plans, all of heaven has your back!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. I choose to focus on You, Your power, Your strength, Your ability, and the plans You made for me before the world began. You made plans for me and You are actively watching over me and Your plans to ensure they come to pass. So instead of living my life on my own agenda, I choose Your will over my own. As I do, You and all of heaven has my back. I enter this day and every day to WIN. I succeed in all I put my hands to do, because it is You Father, living in me, giving me the words and performing the work. For me to fail You would have to fail, because my life is not my own. I am working and resting at the same time. I rest in Your finished work! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
