Jeremiah 1:17

But you (Jeremiah), gird up your loins (in preparation)! Get up and tell them all which I command you. Do not be distraught and break down at the sight of their (hostile) faces, or I will bewilder you before them and allow you to be overcome.

It takes faith to witness to people in Jeremiah’s day and ours. Not everyone wants to hear the truth of the gospel, and some will reject it. When we have courage and wisdom, we will be able to reach people for God. God is more than able to lead us to talk to people about Him. Be of good cheer; Jesus has been rejected more than we have. 

Psalm 34:4-5

I sought the Lord (on the authority of His word), and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces will never blush in shame or confusion. 

When we use our authority given to us by Jesus, we speak in faith. We speak to God by faith; then we can be assured that He hears us and will answer our prayers.  Before we pray for something, do we pause and consider whether we believe in what we are asking for? 

Psalm 33:18-19

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him (and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience), on those who hope (confidently) in His compassion and lovingkindness, to rescue their lives from death and keep them alive in famine. 

Our reverence for God is rewarded by His loving kindness and protection. God knows what we are going through and has compassion for us. We win battles when we praise the Lord and close the doors the devil tries to open. Our best defense is to love God in the good and bad times and remain faithful to Him.

Psalm 32:5-6

I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not hide my wickedness; I said “I will confess (all) my transgressions to the Lord”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You (for forgiveness) in a time when You (are near and) may be found; surely when the great waters (of trial and distressing times) overflow they will not reach (the spirit in) him.

God is unable to forgive what we will not acknowledge as sin. If we don’t confess by avoiding and making excuses for the sin, we will never be free of it.  When we keep ourselves close to Jesus and willing to repent when we err, Jesus can stay near to us. Jesus can make a way for us during trials if we keep ourselves unhindered by sin. 

Judges 3:9

But the Israelites cried out to the Lord (for help); the Lord raised up a man to rescue the people of Israel, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 

The people of Israel will cry out to the Lord, and He raises up help for them. They repented of their sins and, in seeing the error of their ways, changed. What in our lives do we need to change/repent from? Are we heading a direction that only the Lord can motivate us away from? Do we value the peace of God in our lives enough to hold tightly unto His word?

Judges 3:4 and 7

They were (allowed to remain) for the testing of Israel, to determine whether Israel would listen and obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers (ancestors) through Moses.  And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 

It comes down to faithfulness to Jesus Christ and His call, and to faithfulness to God. Are we willing to turn away from the love that saved us through the sacrifice on the cross to follow other gods? Have we settled in our minds how vital our salvation is for our eternity? And have we determined in our minds to remain faithful?

Judges 2:11-12

Then the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord and worshiped and served Baals, and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods from the gods of the people who were around them, and they bowed down to them, and offended and provoked the Lord to anger. 

A human being can make many justifications for sin, and a justification/excuse does not make the sin ok. We are to keep our eyes singularly focused on Jesus and the word. A mind renewed is stronger against sin than one allowed to wander wherever it wants to go. The word fills in and removes the doubt and excuses created by sin. 

Judges 2:2-3

And as for you, you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? So I also said, ‘I will not drive your enemies out before you; but they will be like thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’

When sin is tolerated, it will find a way to influence our lives. It becomes normalized and acceptable the longer it is tolerated. When we love people, we don’t support their sinful nature. Sin thrives when it is supported, not recognized as sin, and does not change. Jesus has put before us Godly behavior, and that is how we are to live our lives. 

Judges 1:27

But (the tribe of) Menasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megido and its villages; so the Canaanites remained in the land.

We have been given the authority to occupy our land, homes, and personal situation. God gave the Israelites the authority to occupy the land and remove the sinful influences from among them. Jesus came to do the same thing and gave us authority to rout evil influences, strongholds, oppression, and sickness in our lives. Stand on the word and speak to the mountain.

Isaiah 57:1-2

The righteous man perishes (at the hand of evil), and no one takes it to heart; faithful and devout men are taken away, while no one understands that the righteous person is taken away (to be spared) from disaster and evil. He enters into peace (through death) they rest in their beds, each one who walked uprightly.

God loves those who walk righteously before Him. He also rewards and protects those who keep His commandments.  God will spare those He loves from disaster and evil, so they can find peace with Him in heaven. Our lives here on earth are protected by God when we have right standing before Him.