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Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 239

"I am in derision daily"

Text: Jeremiah 20:7

PRAYER OF JEREMIAH I

Jeremiah struggled emotionally on more than one occasion. His ministry was very hard and though he was made strong, he was severely affected by his foes! He turned to God in candid prayer!

“O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded;
You are stronger than I, and have prevailed.
I am in derision daily;
Everyone mocks me.
For when I spoke, I cried out;
I shouted, ‘Violence and plunder!’
Because the word of the LORD was made to me
A reproach and a derision daily.
Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.’
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.”
Jeremiah 20:7-9

1. “O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have
prevailed. I am in derision daily; everyone mocks me”

a) Jeremiah was making reference to his calling to be a prophet.
i) He felt “induced”.
ii) He was “persuaded” by God.
iii) God was far stronger and thus prevailed over the reluctance of Jeremiah.
b) In actual life and ministry:
i) Jeremiah was derided by his enemies every day.
ii) Everyone mocked him for preaching the prophecies given to him by God.

2. “For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, ‘Violence and plunder!’ Because the word of the LORD was made to me a reproach and a derision daily”

a) Jeremiah preached strongly.
b) The word “shouted” suggests that he spoke with great vigour.
c) His messages warned people of “Violence and plunder” from the Babylonians.
d) This was the word given by the LORD.
e) But it was also the basis for which people reproached and derided him daily.

3. “Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.’
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back, and I could not”

a) Jeremiah felt that he should not preach anymore.
b) He must not make mention of the Lord’s name, for that drew a lot of flak.
c) But he could not keep quiet either!
i) The word of God was like a burning fire in his heart.
ii) It was in his very bones.
iii) He grew weary trying to hold back the word of God.
iv) He could not hold back on what God had sent him to preach!