DAILY TEXT, Saturday, November 22, 2025. If Jehovah had not helped me, I would have died in a short time (Psalm 94:17).

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Saturday, November 22, 2025

If Jehovah had not helped me, I would have died in a short time (Psalm 94:17).

Jehovah can help us not to give up. Sometimes this can be very difficult, especially if we have been struggling with the same weakness for a long time. And perhaps our weaknesses seem worse to us than those of the apostle Peter. But Jehovah can give us the strength to keep going (Ps. 94:18, 19). Consider the example of a brother who, before learning the truth, lived a homosexual life for many years. Although he completely abandoned his immoral conduct, he sometimes had wrong desires. What helped him not to give up in his struggle? “Jehovah strengthens us,” he explains. He adds: “With the help of Jehovah’s spirit, I have learned that it is possible to keep going on the path of truth.” Finally, he says: “Jehovah has allowed me to serve him, and despite my imperfections, he continues to strengthen me.”

How can we imitate Peter's example? (Acts 4:13, 29, 31).

As we saw, Peter gave in to fear of man more than once. But he asked Jehovah for help and was able to act courageously (read Acts 4:13, 29, 31). We too can overcome our fears. Consider what happened to Horst, a young Witness who lived in Nazi Germany. On several occasions, he gave in to pressure at school and said the salute "Heil Hitler." Instead of reprimanding him, his parents prayed with him and asked Jehovah to give him courage. Thanks to his parents' help and his reliance on Jehovah, Horst eventually gained the strength to stand firm. Later, he acknowledged: "Jehovah never abandoned me."

How can pastors lovingly encourage those who are discouraged?

Jehovah and Jesus will never give up on us. When Peter denied knowing Christ, he faced a crucial decision in his life. Would he give up? Or would he continue to be a disciple of Christ? Jesus had pleaded with Jehovah for Peter so that his faith would not fail. Then he told Peter that he had prayed for him and was sure that later he would be able to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:31, 32). How encouraging Peter must have been to remember these words of Jesus! We too will have to make crucial decisions in our lives. At such times, Jehovah may use shepherds who lovingly give us the encouragement we need to remain faithful (Eph. 4:8, 11). Paul, who has served as an elder for many years, strives to comfort others. When he sees a brother about to give up, he encourages him to remember how Jehovah brought him to the truth. He also assures him that Jehovah will never give him up because he loves him and is loyal. This elderly man has seen how many discouraged brothers have overcome their difficulties with Jehovah's help.

How do the experiences of Peter and Horst show that Matthew 6:33 is always fulfilled?

We have seen that Jehovah provided for the material needs of Peter and the other apostles. He will do the same for us if we put the ministry first in our lives (Matt. 6:33). After World War II, Horst, whom we discussed earlier, considered pioneering. But he was very poor and was not sure that he could support himself financially while serving Jehovah full-time. What did he decide to do? He put Jehovah to the test and spent the entire week of the circuit overseer’s visit preaching. At the end of the week, he was astonished when the overseer handed him an envelope containing an anonymous donation. With that money, he could pioneer for several months. Horst viewed this gift as confirmation that Jehovah would care for him. And from then on, he put the Kingdom work first (Mal. 3:10).

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