[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/lord-make-me-a-fortified-city-an-iron-pillar-and-a-bronze-wall\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/lord-make-me-a-fortified-city-an-iron-pillar-and-a-bronze-wall\/","headline":"Lord, Make Me a Fortified City, an Iron Pillar, and a Bronze Wall","name":"Lord, Make Me a Fortified City, an Iron Pillar, and a Bronze Wall","description":"What do you do when the people to whom you've come to minister reject you? What do you do when both the message and the messenger are rejected? Read on!","datePublished":"2022-05-04","dateModified":"2024-09-19","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/author\/pastero\/#Person","name":"Martin Kiogora","url":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/author\/pastero\/","identifier":1,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/pr-martin-kiogora-1-jpg-150x150.webp","url":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/pr-martin-kiogora-1-jpg-150x150.webp","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Person","name":"The Deep Things of God","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cropped-the-deep-things-of-god-logo-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cropped-the-deep-things-of-god-logo-1.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/landscape-fortress-final-jpg-webp.avif","url":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/landscape-fortress-final-jpg-webp.avif","height":425,"width":640},"url":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/lord-make-me-a-fortified-city-an-iron-pillar-and-a-bronze-wall\/","about":["Daily Devotionals"],"wordCount":1383,"articleBody":"Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land\u2014against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.\u00a0Jeremiah 1:18, NIV\u00a0Pastoral transfers, also known as \u201cworker talent distribution,\u201d do not always excite me as a pastor.\u00a0The reason ministerial transfers don\u2019t excite me is not because they disorient me and my family. No, they don\u2019t. Prior to joining the ministry, I had psychologically prepared myself for such eventualities.\u00a0I believe the transfers are necessary for the well-being of the church and the pastor. Transfers enable the church to benefit from the diverse skills of various ministers.\u00a0The reason I am not always excited about transfers is simple: I am afraid of the unknown.I\u2019ve been in ministry long enough to realize that no pastoral district or parish is alike. Each pastoral district is distinct in its own way.\u00a0There are some friendly parishes where members embrace you with open arms, eager to work with you to ensure the Church\u2019s success.Other parishes, on the other hand, will show hostile tendencies toward a new minister even on his first day of duty, based on their previous experiences.The welcoming parishes are every minister\u2019s dream and delight, while the hostile ones are every minister\u2019s nightmare and dread.\u00a0Every minister dreads hostile parishes because such hostilities signal the start of a difficult ministry.What do you do when the people to whom you\u2019ve come to minister reject you? What do you do when both the message and the messenger are rejected?I believe I have found an answer to this question in the call and ministry of Jeremiah.\u00a0Your Calling Can Bring You SufferingGod called and appointed Jeremiah as \u201ca prophet to the nations\u201d before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5).\u00a0Jeremiah \u201cwas a prophet to the nations,\u201d implying his ministry extended beyond the borders of the promised land.Jeremiah\u2019s calling, however, brought him untold suffering. He was rejected, imprisoned, and his life threatened (Jeremiah 37:11-14; 43:1-3; 18:18,23; 11:21).\u00a0His ministry was met with resistance and opposition from the ranks of the nation\u2019s leadership and the people. He was rejected on the first day of his prophetic ministry.God warned Jeremiah that he would be contending \u201cagainst the kings of Judah, their officials, their priests, and the people of the land\u201d (Jeremiah 1:18).\u00a0Jeremiah was informed that the leadership would \u201cfight against'' him as well (Jeremiah 1:19). He was called, \"A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!\" (Jeremiah 15:10). The stakes were high for Jeremiah; he was up against the entire world.God's word was fulfilled exactly as he had said it would be. Jeremiah\u2019s message was rejected by the people, and he was beaten and imprisoned as a result. (Jeremiah 20:1-3).Jeremiah\u2019s ministry was a failure by human standards. His decades of preaching were largely ineffective.\u00a0Despite Jeremiah\u2019s pleadings and appeals, the people did not turn to God and repent of their sins.\u00a0Many of God\u2019s people were eventually taken into Babylonian captivity.Jeremiah never gave up on God and his people, despite his apparent failure and hostility in ministry.\u00a0How did Jeremiah stay on course when everything seemed to be working against him?\u00a0What was the source of his vitality?The Secret of Jeremiah\u2019s PowerIn Jeremiah 1:18-19 we read:\"Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land\u2014against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,\u201d declares the Lord.\"\u00a0 (Jeremiah 1:18-19, NIV)These verses reveal that Jeremiah\u2019s strength came from God, who had \u201cmade\u201d him and promised to \u201cbe with\u201d him and \u201crescue\u201d him.\u00a0Let us now consider the message and implications of these verses.Today I have made you\u2026to stand against the whole landIn Jeremiah 1:18, the Lord declares, \u201cToday I have made you,\u201d implying that Jeremiah\u2019s work was already cut out for him.\u00a0God had already determined Jeremiah\u2019s task and mission.\u00a0Jeremiah\u2019s ministry was sanctioned by God, as evidenced by the phrase \u201cI have made you.\u201d\u00a0God had chosen Jeremiah despite the fact that his future ministry was fraught with difficulties. It was the Lord\u2019s doing to \u201cmake\u201d Jeremiah \u201cstand against the whole land.\u201d\u00a0The work of ministry is always the Lord\u2019s doing.\u00a0It is God who calls, qualifies, and mandates us to serve in ministry.A fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall\u2026Jeremiah had initially expressed his unwillingness to accept the prophetic call, claiming that he was too young and inexperienced (Jeremiah 1:6-9).\u00a0God was well aware that Jeremiah was hesitant to undertake the task at hand because he felt insignificant. He then \u201cmakes\u201d Jeremiah a \u201cfortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall\u201d to give him confidence.What does a \u201cfortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall\u201d represent?\u00a0The three figures of \u201cfortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall\u201d represent strength, stability, and permanency.How do the figures of fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze war relate to Jeremiah\u2019s life?The Lord is saying in Jeremiah 1:18 that He had made Jeremiah impregnable and unassailable, like a fortified city.\u00a0God had made Jeremiah unmovable and unshakable, like an iron pillar.\u00a0He made Jeremiah as impenetrable as a bronze wall.Do these figures of strength, stability, and permanence imply that Jeremiah\u2019s life was without trials, tribulations, or even trouble?No, this does not imply that Jeremiah\u2019s life was without problems. Indeed, as you read Jeremiah\u2019s book, you will notice that he was subjected to a number of atrocities during his ministry.God did not remove obstacles from Jeremiah\u2019s life; rather, He instilled in Jeremiah\u2019s heart the strength and stability to withstand all adversity in ministry.\u00a0God made Jeremiah\u2019s heart and faith unbreakable, immovable, and impregnable to the enemy\u2019s attacks.They\u2026 will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you.In addition to instilling in Jeremiah a resilience to adversity, God promises him that he will not be overcome by his foes.\u00a0\u00a0Even if the enemies\u2019 schemes appear to succeed, God will not allow them to overthrow or override His plan.\u00a0God promises Jeremiah that He will accompany him and that He will \u201crescue\u201d him.Jeremiah\u2019s courage, strength, and endurance came from God. God was the driving force behind Jeremiah\u2019s tenacity and perseverance in the face of adversity.The key to success in ministry and other areas of life is allowing God to \u201cmake\u201d us and allowing His presence to accompany us.So, what do you do when the people to whom you\u2019ve come to minister reject you?\u00a0What do you do when both the message and the messenger are rejected?You don\u2019t give up on God or His people. You pray to God for the courage, strength, and fortitude to face adversity.God is willing to \u201cmake\u201d you a fortified city, a bronze wall, and an iron pillar.\u00a0God is willing to help you defeat the schemes of the devil and rescue and redeem you back to Himself.The presence of God in your life will give you the courage to proclaim God\u2019s word even when your life and comfort are threatened.Prayer:Lord,\u00a0make me a fortified city,\u00a0an iron pillar,\u00a0and a bronze wall.\u00a0Help me overcome evil because\u00a0you are with me and will rescue me.\u00a0Amen.You may have noticed that I don't run ads on this blog. This is because I aim to provide my readers with an ad-free and clutter-free experience. If you find my work inspiring, please consider supporting my ministry through our Ko-fi page or by pressing the button below. Your donations help maintain this website and enable me to create new spiritually enriching articles.kofiwidget2.init('Buy Me Coffee', '#3c6be5', 'G2G0ISJ2K');kofiwidget2.draw();You may want to read:Commit Your Works to the Lord\u2014Meaning of Proverbs 16:1-3Be Strong and Do Not Give Up \u2013 Meaning of 2 Chronicles 15:710 Ways to Strengthen and Increase Your Faith in God"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Lord, Make Me a Fortified City, an Iron Pillar, and a Bronze Wall","item":"https:\/\/www.thedeepthingsofgod.com\/lord-make-me-a-fortified-city-an-iron-pillar-and-a-bronze-wall\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]