GOSPEL CORNER:DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM, FOR I AM WITH YOU AND WILL RESCUE YOU,” DECLARES THE LORD.JEREMIAH 1:8, NIV

25/04/24

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

Today’s Scripture
“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 1:8, NIV

NO FEAR
God told Jeremiah that He had set him apart before he was born, that He had called him to speak to nations, and that he would be a prophet who would impact the culture. Jeremiah was a teenager and felt unqualified, but God told him He would give him the words to speak. Wherever Jeremiah went, God’s hand of favor would be on him. After God spoke all these incredible promises to him, He finished by saying, “Don’t be afraid of the people.” God knew that people wouldn’t understand Jeremiah, that people were not going to like the words of warning he was going to speak to them, that friends might walk away. God was saying, “Don’t let the opinions of others hold you back. Don’t let what they think or say keep you from fulfilling your purpose.”

God is saying the same message to us: “Don’t fear the people. If they don’t approve you, that’s not going to stop your purpose.” What will stop you is if you let their opinion become more important than what God put in your heart.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father, thank You that You have given me everything I need to fulfill my purpose just as You did for Jeremiah. Thank You that I am enough because You made me just as I am, and I have Your approval. I declare that I will not be afraid if others don’t approve me or even oppose me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Beloved, the more you grow in your revelation and valuation of how Jesus’ finished work has placed you in Him—in the secret place where you are safe, protected, and secure—the more you’ll find your heart at rest instead of filled with worry and fears.

Something powerful happens in your heart and in your outward circumstances when you begin to value being in Christ, in the secret place of the Father’s care, protection, and love.

Let me give you an illustration of what it means to value something. Suppose I brought you an old, dusty violin with two missing strings and I said to you, “Isn’t this beautiful?” Your reaction would probably be, “That’s not beautiful; that’s old and worthless.”

But if I told you it’s an original Stradivarius that used to belong to a world-famous violinist, all of a sudden, your appreciation of this dusty, old violin would swell and you’d ask if you could hold it. What happened? Your appreciation of the violin changed when you understood its true value.

In the same way, I want to encourage you to value the preciousness of what it means to be in Christ—being in the secret place of inseparable closeness with Him, where we have His loving presence constantly with us, watching over us and protecting us.

I strongly encourage you to keep hearing anointed preaching that keeps revealing who you are and what you have in Christ. Keep hearing grace-based teachings on God’s promises to protect you, as well as praise reports of God’s grace and protection over His people.

Why? Because as you do, you’ll begin to value being in the secret place more and more. As you do, you’ll find your heart and mind more and more at rest in Him.

You’ll wake up every morning confident of His tender care, protection, and preservation. You’ll live life full of hope and zest instead of worry and fear, and see Him deliver and protect you from whatever the enemy may throw at you!