They Shall Not Prevail

But they shall not prevail

Lyonel LaGrone II / 

 Opening/Background

Jeremiah 1:19 “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.””

Pray

•     Story of Dads passing

•     “God will never put more on you than you can bear”

•     Beautiful words...not comforting

•     MSU.. Grad teaching asssistant/Racism

•     DC...

•     Got job, moved, direct reports, racism

•     Girlfriend..game dont cry

Summize

•     Trauma

•     Grief

•     Racial Trauma

•     Resentment

Trauma defined

•     Trauma is a deeply distressed or disturbing experience that overwhelms a person’s coping mechanisms and causes significant emotional, psychological, and sometimes physical harm

Trauma examples

•     Ambiguity and confusion in relation to faith

•     Life becomes unsafe, long term effects

•     Intense and overwhelming

Trauma results

•     Has a profound impact on our capacity to trust God, others and ourselves

•     Overwhelms the human processes making it difficult to cope

•     When you think you’ve moved past it, a song, a smell a sight can trigger a reaction

•     Beautiful words are not enough

•     The pain is “unsayable” and “unspeakable”

Jeremiah

•     Jeremiah knew something about trauma

•     Called by God to be a prophet to the nations at the age of 12

•     Imagine being thrust into grown folks business as a child

•     The backlash that comes from not just having the nerve to speak on it, but also to be correcting them

•     He was born into a priestly lineage

•     But he withstood (corrected) the establishment..the learned, the educated, his elders

•     He was acused of:

•     Treason

•     Sedition

•     He was deserted

•     Plotted against

•     Whipped

•     Imprisoned

•     He was experiencing TRAUMA!

•     Jermiah’s outcrys to God and prayers are recorded in the text and commonly referred to as “Jeremiah’s confessions”

•     He cried, “Why do the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? (12:1)

•     He cried, “Shall evil be repaid for good? (18:20)

•     He creid, “Let me see your vengeance on them!” (11:20)

Jeremiah

•     Speaking against prevailing evil of the day

•     Relation to racial trauma today (similarities and results)

•     Loss of Job

•     Alienation

•     Ostracization

•     We are human, we have an inate desire to be loved

•     The enemy uses what we fear to keep us in line

What we see here, what can we learn from Jeremiah (admit that it is not a very encouraging story)

1. The Hardness of the People's Hearts

•     Concern: Jeremiah grieved over the people’s refusal to repent despite God’s discipline (Jeremiah 5:3).

•     God's Response: God reassured Jeremiah that He would bring judgment on the unrepentant but also restoration for a remnant.

•     Jeremiah 5:18: "Yet even in those days," declares the Lord, "I will not destroy you completely."

•     Jeremiah 31:33: God promised a new covenant, writing His law on their hearts: "I will be their God, and they will be my people."

2. The False Prophets and Leaders

•     Concern: Jeremiah lamented the lies of false prophets who misled the people (Jeremiah 6:13-14, Jeremiah 23:14).

•     God's Response: God declared His judgment on false prophets and reassured Jeremiah that their deceit would not prevail.

•     Jeremiah 23:16-17: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes."

•     Jeremiah 23:30-32: God condemned the false prophets, saying, "I am against those who prophesy false dreams."

3. The Betrayal by His Own Family

•     Concern: Jeremiah felt the sting of betrayal from his own family (Jeremiah 12:6).

•     God's Response: God acknowledged the betrayal but reassured Jeremiah of His justice:

•     Jeremiah 12:14-17: God promised to punish those who harmed Jeremiah and to offer restoration to those who turned back to Him.

4. The Persecution and Rejection He Faced

•     Concern: Jeremiah faced physical abuse and threats for proclaiming God’s message (Jeremiah 20:2, Jeremiah 26:8-9).

•     God's Response: God repeatedly assured Jeremiah of His protection:

•     Jeremiah 1:8: "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you."

•     Jeremiah 15:20-21: "I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze. They will fight against you but will not overcome you."

God was with Him, reassuring him the whole time.… yet Jeremiah stayed stuck in the pain of the trauma

How many of us can relate...

Physics

•     In the Natural Sciences, there is a field called “Physics”

Physics

•     Physics the branch of science concerned with the study of matter, energy, and the fundamental forces of nature, as well as how they interact with each other. It seeks to understand the laws and principles governing the universe, from the smallest particles (like quarks and electrons) to the largest structures

•     Many types of Physics but I want to focus on two:

•     Newtonian v. Quantum Physics

•     Newtonian Physics

•     Explains the world in cause and effect..

•     Explains the world as orderly and measurable

•     Gravity (what goes up must come down)

•     If I push this object it moves in a predictable direction

•     Quantum Physics

•     Unpredictable

•     Embraces mystery

Like physics, our trauma and healing can operate in two realms:

•     The predictable (Newtonian)

•     And the mysterious faith driven (Quantum)

Most of us see our trauma as Newtonian...linear, predictable, and unavoidable

•     Now that this has happened this is the result, this is my life

•     We want and expect healing to come through predicable steps… if I do X, then Y will happen

But just like God kept inviting Jeremiah into the Quantum reality of healing...Jesus has also invited us in the the Quantum reality..

•     Mark 9:23 “And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.””

Philippians 4:6–7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

How do I enter into the Quantum healing realm?

Trust in God’s Peace

•     God’s peace is supernatural—it surpasses human logic. When you trust Him with your worries, His peace becomes a protective shield for your heart (emotions) and mind (thoughts).

•     Practical Steps:

•     When anxiety arises, remind yourself of God’s promises of peace.

•     Meditate on scriptures that affirm God’s faithfulness (e.g., Isaiah 26:3, John 14:27).

•     Let go of the need to "figure everything out" and trust God’s plan.

•     This is how you:

•     Live with Kidney failure under the constant pressure of racism and people wonder why your always so happy

•     This is how you loose a job and have peace and the utmost confidence that God will provide

•     You lean not! To your own understanding! But in all your ways acknowledge him! And HE will direct your path!

•     But they will not prevail!

Yes, God heals through Newtonian methods...therapy, counseling, routines

But God also heals through the unexpected, through the miraculous!

You will drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out!

God will do, what he said he will do, you just hold on and Trust him and the process!

•     You see the narrative of the Christian Faith is one of trauma and grace - Jesus’ life began in Trauma

•     Give story

•     Don’t you worry about the silent times...God is still working!

•     Think about the Followers of Jesus on Saturday.

•     Jesus Crucified

•     They felt defeated

•     The next day was silent

•     But on the 3rd day....HE ROSE!

•     Jesus Rising

•     Notice that when Jesus rose from the dead he still bore the scars

•     Yes the wounds hang around

•     They are now a part of your story

•     But Paul reminds us

•     Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

•     New life does not erase the wounds of the old

•     The wounds are your testimony

•     The wounds are your witness

•     The Holy spirit is still with us before, during and after the trauma

•     They will fight against you but they shall not prevail..… the truth will remain

They enemy is doing their job

We must do ours

Our job is to abide in Jesus Christ

So how do we walk out this quantum faith practically?

a.  Pray for healing, ask God how to use this trauma for his Glory, imagine a new life that can intergrate the old life

b.  Come to terms with what you have learned about the world, life, yourself and others

c.   Put the right people, in the right seats on your bus

d.  Create a church community where people can share stories and hold each other up

Conclusion

•     Life's battles—trauma, grief, rejection, and injustice—may leave scars, but those scars are your testimony, proof that God’s grace is sufficient and His promises endure.

•     Healing isn’t always linear; it’s often a mysterious blend of practical steps and divine miracles, where faith bridges the gap between what we see and what we hope for.

•     Like Jeremiah, we may cry out in pain, but God reminds us that He is with us, guarding our hearts and minds with a peace that surpasses all understanding.

•     Jesus rose from the dead still bearing His scars—not as a sign of defeat, but as evidence of victory, and so are your scars a witness to God’s power to redeem.

•     Trust Him, trust the process, and walk boldly, knowing that no weapon formed against you will prevail. God will do what He said He will do.