LET GOD'S WORD STRENGTHEN YOU

 Throughout the ages the message from God has strengthened his servants when they had a difficult task to complete. Take, for example. the prophet Jeremiah. He was hesitant when Jehovah gave him an assignment to preach. Jeremiah said: "I do not know how to speak, for I am just a boy." (Jeremiah 1:6) How did he overcome his lack of confidence? He drew strength from God's Word. He said: "It became like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was tired of holding it in." (Jeremiah 20:8, 9) Although Jeremiah had a difficult territory, the message he was assigned to proclaim gave him the strength he needed to do the work. 

Christians draw strength from the message of God's Word. When writing to the congregation in Colossae, the apostle Paul said that taking in knowledge motivate his brothers "to walk worthily of Jehovah" as they continued "bearing fruit in every good work." (Read Colossians 1:9, 10) That good work includes preaching of the good news. So when we read God's Word and meditate on it, our faith in Jehovah is strengthened and the importance of sharing the Kingdom message becomes clear.

To get the most out of God's Word, we should try to avoid rushing through our reading, studying, and meditation. Take your time. If you come across a Scripture that you have trouble understanding, do not skip over it. Instead, use the Watchtower Publication Index or the Research Guide for Jehovah's Witnesses to find an explanation about the verse. If you take you time when studying, you will strengthen your confidence in the truthfulness of God's Word. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) The more convinced you are, the more you will enjoy sharing what you have learned with others.

Next time: PREPARE WELL FOR THE MINISTRY

From the jw.org publications