The Bible provides in the character of the young prophet Jeremiah a splendid example of how God-empowered testimony, given with a desire to help one's fellowmen, protects the testifier and contributes to his spiritual growth. God told Jeremiah to prophesy to his people, but he resisted. He was frightened. Nevertheless the demand persisted to witness to God's presence and reality.
At this point Jeremiah learned how palpably God was with him, inspiring and directing that most important aspect of the prophet's life: the evidencing of saving spiritual truths. We read: "The Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth."ler. 1:9.They were God's words, not Jeremiah's. That settled the responsibility for the message.
Jeremiah then discerned the practical results of God's ever-presence and omnipotence. He became aware that as he understandingly testified of God to his people, his own ability to demonstrate the reality of God's power and existence would be unshackled. He would be beyond the reach of material or mental assault; his integrity could not be penetrated and overthrown by evil. In the words of the Lord's promise: "I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land .... And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee." Vv. 18, 19 .
