Saints, this is a timely message on the life of the prophet Jeremiah that will help open our eyes to the way God uses the trials and heartbreaks of energy to break our stubborn will and produce Godly character that will prepare us to be leaders in the coming battle with the kingdom of darkness.

(Jeremiah 18:1–20) (1) "The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:" (2) “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.”

(Jeremiah 18:3–6) (3) "Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel." (4) "And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make."

Dear readers, notice that God instructed the prophet Jeremiah to go down to the potter's house and observe the work that the potter was accomplishing upon the wheel, and notice that the prophet was not instructed to engage in a conversation with the prophet but was instructed to observe.

Beloved, this potter made a beautiful clay vessel and set it aside; however, it needed to be bigger than the potter had in mind. Therefore, he destroyed it, and because it was still moist, he could place it back on the wheel and shape it to what he had in mind.

Beloved readers, can you imagine what went through the prophet's mind as he watched the potter place the reworked vessel back on the wheel and use his fingers to apply pressure to mold the boat to what he desired?

Beloved, may I ask you, dear ones, what enters our mind when we read about this in God's word while remembering that the Lord stated in (Isaiah 64:8) "the Lord is our father, we are the clay, and he is our potter, and we are the work of his hands?"

Saints, notice that after a short while, the potter decided to place the vessel into the fire so that it might be hardened and stay together, but what if we choose to bring this story into our day and age where pastors are resigning with many churches closing their doors from outward pressure as men and women become lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God?

Beloved Saints, what if we were to give the vessel just created a voice to illustrate our life without the trials that test us?

Beloved, can you imagine the potter approaching the beautiful vessel asking if it is ready to go into the fire so that it may become hardened and stay together, informing it that if it does not go into the fire, it will begin to fall apart?

Saints, what if the vessel begins to complain about how it was made and shouts to the potter that he did not consult with it about how it wanted to look? (Romans 9:20) "Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus?"

Beloved Saints, the potter has no choice but to place the stubborn vessel on a shelf and walk away because it is useless to him or others, especially in this prideful condition.

Beloved, after a few days, the potter returns to see if the vessel has changed its mind about going in the fire only to receive a sharp reply of no, as it again begins to complain about how it had been made. It has seen others going through the fire, representing the trials and disappointments in life.

Saints of God, one day, the potter comes to check on the vessel and discovers that it is falling apart, and all it has left is a broken shell with a trembling voice.

Beloved, realizing that time was of the essence, the potter asked the vessel if it had changed its mind about going through the fire, and without hesitation, the potter received a different reply.

Saints, during this testing time, the vessel realized that It was falling apart not only on the outside but on the inside, and it no longer cared how it looked or what church it was to pastor, for it was falling apart.

Beloved Saints, notice as the potter carefully moistens the clay to begin the process of putting the vessel back together and notice as he speaks kind words to the vessel, asking how it wants to be fashioned, and notice as the vessel in humbleness says that it no longer mattered what it looked like or what kind of ministry it is being fashioned for, stating that all it wanted was to exist and be in the body of Christ.

Saints, picture in your mind how the potter delicately places the vessel into the fire and listen as the ship feels the change taking place in its structure as it begins the hardening process, for it no longer feels the heat of the flames because something in the fire was giving it strength which is causing it to sing.

Saints of God, this is an actual truth that alerts the potter that the vessel is ready to come out of the fire because the finished product will begin to ring like a bell singing something like, "Oh, How I love Jesus, Oh, How I love Jesus, Oh, How I love Jesus because He first loved me!"

Dear Saints of God, picture in your mind and see the vessel that was stubborn and prideful, now being hardened like glass as it sings in the fire of persecutions, trials, and hurts which no longer have a hold on it for it is now maturing in its walk with the Lord and is not quick to give in and fall for the things it used to fall for realizing that the time is short.

Dear readers, the vessel is now a work of grace, a prized possession bought and purchased by the blood of the blessed lamb of God.

Beloved, I sense revival as the potter (Christ) takes it out, brushes it off, and places it on the white sacred tablecloth on his father's table.

Dear readers, notice as the Father removes the top covering from the vessel; watch as He retrieves a ship carrying the precious blood of his Son and pours it into the newly formed container on the table until the Glory of God permeates the room and now beloved as we see a glimpse of what the prophet Jeremiah saw when he visited the potter's house.

Dear Saints, may I ask you an important question which could affect your walk with God throughout all eternity and that question would be, "Are you ready to go through the fire?"

Beloved, day after day of inward pressure tends to wear us down, but thank God, his word declares that where sin abounds or has free reigns, the Grace of God did much more abound. (Romans 5:20)

Dear Saints of God, I feel led to emphasize again that if you feel like the pressure on the outside is trying to get on the inside, know that God has us engraved on the palm of his hand.

Beloved readers, isn't it comforting to know that Christ our Lord is in the fire with us to deliver us?

Dear Saints, it is by his Grace that we are not consumed, and it is because we are grounded in him, and beloved, when we realize this reality in its fullness, we do not feel the pressure of the trial , for we are too busy being centered on the peace that comes with his indwelling abiding love.