TREASURES FROM GOD'S WORD, Week of June 29 to July 5, 2026, How to “Compete in a Race Against Horses.” Prepared Talk.

TREASURES FROM GOD'S WORD, June 29-July 5, 2026, How to “compete in a race against horses.” Prepared Speech.

How to “compete in a race against horses” (10 mins.)

Dear brothers and sisters, let's imagine for a moment that we are participating in a race. At first, we compete against other runners. Although the effort is great, we can keep up. But suddenly, someone tells us, "Now you will have to race against horses." How would we feel? We would surely think it's impossible. A horse can run at more than 40 kilometers per hour and is much more resilient than any person.

The Bible uses this striking illustration to teach us a very important lesson. Jehovah helped Jeremiah understand that the trials he was facing at that time would not be the most difficult. In the future, he would have to face even greater challenges. We too can learn much from this comparison.

Jehovah's Witnesses know that, like Jeremiah, we will face opposition (Jer 11:21; w04 11/1 16 par. 12).

Jeremiah was a faithful prophet who boldly proclaimed Jehovah’s message. However, his work was not easy. Many people opposed him, criticized him, and even tried to harm him.

LET'S READ JEREMIAH 11:21

“Therefore, this is what Jehovah says against the men of Anathoth who want to take your life and who say: ‘Do not prophesy in the name of Jehovah or you will die at our hands.’”

In this text we see that there were those who even threatened to take his life. Furthermore, Jeremiah 20:8 shows that he was mocked and scorned. Doesn't something similar happen today?

Jehovah's Witnesses also face opposition because of our preaching work. In many places we are criticized, misunderstood, or unjustly accused because of our determination to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom.

But when we face such situations, we don't think that something strange is happening to us. On the contrary, we understand that we are following the same path that Jehovah's faithful servants took in the past.

That is why the words of James 5:10, 11 are so encouraging. There we are invited to take as an example the prophets who spoke in Jehovah’s name and patiently endured suffering. Then it adds: “We consider those who have endured to be happy.”

So when we face opposition, let us remember that we are in good company. Jeremiah went through similar situations. Faithful prophets also experienced them. And, above all, Jesus himself was persecuted for remaining loyal to Jehovah. Far from discouraging us, this strengthens our determination to press on in Jehovah’s service.

Very difficult trials await us in the future, and facing them will be like “competing in a race against horses” (Jer 12:5; w11 3/15 32 par. 19).

Now, Jehovah did not speak those words to Jeremiah to discourage him. Rather, he wanted to prepare him for the future. The same is true for us. The trials we face today may seem difficult: financial problems, illness, family opposition, pressures at work or school, and personal struggles. Undoubtedly, each of us carries burdens that test our faith.

LET'S READ JEREMIAH 12:5

“If you tire yourself out running with foot soldiers, how will you compete in a race against horses? You may feel safe in a land of peace, but how will you fare among the dense thickets of the Jordan?”

This text helps us to see those trials from a different perspective. We could compare them to running alongside other men. They require effort, but Jehovah allows us to face them in order to strengthen us.

Why do we need this preparation? Because the Bible indicates that the great tribulation is coming, a period unprecedented in human history. Jesus said in Matthew 24:21 that it will be a tribulation as great as has never been. Compared to present challenges, the future trials will be like going from racing against men to racing against horses.

What will we need to endure them? We will need strong faith, absolute trust in Jehovah, and extraordinary endurance. Consider an athlete preparing for a very demanding competition. He doesn't wait until race day to train. He runs every day, strengthening his muscles and building stamina.

Similarly, our current trials are training us spiritually. Every time we remain faithful under pressure, every time we continue preaching despite opposition, and every time we trust in Jehovah during a difficulty, we are strengthening our spiritual endurance.

Therefore, this is not the time to slow down in our service to Jehovah. Rather, it is the time to strengthen our friendship with him through prayer, personal study, Bible reading, and regular attendance at meetings. If we learn to trust Jehovah completely now, we will be better prepared for the trials that lie ahead.

Cultivating love for our brothers now will help us to cope with difficulties during the great tribulation (Is 26:20; w23.07 6, 7 pars. 15, 16).

Besides strengthening our relationship with Jehovah, there is another essential preparation: learning to love our brothers deeply.

LET'S READ ISAIAH 26:20

“Go, my people, enter your inner rooms and close the doors behind you. Hide yourselves for a brief moment until the fury has passed.”

This text contains some very interesting prophetic words. It is possible that during the great tribulation Jehovah will give us specific instructions for our protection. The expression “inner rooms” could refer to the spiritual protection we receive within the organization and the congregations.

If that happens, it will be essential to remain united with our brothers and sisters. For that reason, it is not enough to simply tolerate one another. We need to cultivate a sincere and profound love. We must learn now to cooperate, forgive, help, and support our brothers and sisters.

Congregations are made up of very different people. We have different backgrounds, cultures, ages, and personalities. Sometimes, some of these differences can make us feel uncomfortable or even irritated.

The example of Vanessa, a sister from New Zealand, is very interesting. She admitted that she had difficulty getting along with certain siblings because she found some aspects of their personality hard to accept.

What did he do? Instead of distancing himself from them, he decided to spend more time with them. As he got to know them better, he began to discover the qualities that Jehovah saw in these people. In time, he learned to appreciate the diversity that exists among God’s people.

His experience teaches us a valuable lesson. To love our brothers and sisters, we must strive to see them as Jehovah sees them. We all have flaws. If we focus only on our flaws, it will be difficult to develop genuine affection. But when we look for the positive qualities in our brothers and sisters, our love grows.

This is especially important because during the great tribulation we will need each other's support more than ever. When the time comes to face extraordinary trials, that unity will be a source of strength and spiritual protection.

Illustration

In the image in our activity guide, we see two scenes. In one, we see a group of young Witnesses enjoying a game of cards with an older brother, and in the other, we see the same Witnesses, along with others, studying the Bible in a basement during the great tribulation. This shows us the importance of loving our brothers and sisters more than ever and being close to them.

Conclusion

Let's return to the question at Jeremiah 12:5: “How can you compete with horses?” The answer is clear: we cannot do it by our own strength. We need Jehovah's help and the spiritual preparation he is providing us today.

Like Jeremiah, we will continue to face opposition for our preaching. But we are not discouraged, because we know that we are following the example of Jehovah’s faithful servants. We also understand that our present trials are preparing us for greater challenges.

Every hardship we endure with faith strengthens our spiritual resilience for the future. Furthermore, we recognize the importance of cultivating a deep love for our brothers and sisters now, because Christian unity and compassion will be essential during the great tribulation.

Therefore, let us continue to strengthen our faith, keep pace in the Kingdom work, and strive to love our brothers and sisters as Jehovah loves them. If we do, when the time comes to “compete in a race against horses,” Jehovah will give us the strength we need to stand firm and emerge victorious.