Ready to Be Equipped? The Final Assignment of Hebrews
- Thad DeBuhr
- 2 days ago
- 11 min read
Hebrews Chapter 13, verses 20 through 25.
The Main Message: God, our great Shepherd, brings peace and life through Jesus, and He promises to give us everything we need to do His will and become the people He wants us to make us. It's a prayer that asks God to do the transforming work in us.
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Reflect, Surrender, and Position yourself to be equipped by God
This is our final study in our journey through the Book of Hebrews. We've spent weeks exploring its profound message, and now we've reached the end. But the final verses aren't just a simple goodbye; they contain a powerful and personal benediction—a prayer that is both a blessing and a call to action.
This final study is different. It includes a very important and deeply personal assignment designed to help you not just read about faith but actively live it out.
It asks you to reflect on your own journey, surrender your plans to God's, and position yourself to be equipped by Him.
We encourage you to set aside dedicated time to go through this study and prayerfully complete the assignment. The most impactful part will be sharing your process with our community. We hope you'll feel challenged and inspired to share your testimony in the Your Jesus Journey Facebook Group, either through a written post or, even better, a personal video. Your courage and vulnerability can be a light for others who are walking a similar path. Let's lean on one another as we seek to be transformed by our great Shepherd.
Before moving on, pause and read through Hebrews chapter 13, verses 20 through 25 in a couple of different translations.
Choose two from this selection: NIV, NLT, ESV, NASB, NKJV
Setting the Scene
Hebrews 13:20-25 provides a powerful ending to this significant letter. The author, who remains a mystery to scholars, concludes with a blessing, a prayer, and a few personal notes. This section is not just a formal farewell but a deeply personal, pastoral word intended to encourage and strengthen the recipients.
The central part of the passage is a benediction, a formal prayer asking for God’s blessing. It appeals to the "God of peace," a title that connects God to the ultimate peace and reconciliation made possible through Jesus's sacrifice. Jesus is called the "great Shepherd of the sheep," a tender image that contrasts with the more formal descriptions of him as High Priest and King earlier in the letter. This title highlights his care and compassion for his people. The author emphasizes that Jesus established an "eternal covenant" with his blood, which is the foundation for all the blessings that follow.
The final verses are full of personal details. The author asks the readers to "bear with my word of exhortation," acknowledging the seriousness of his message. The mention of Timothy's release and a planned visit adds a relational dimension, showing the author’s genuine care for the community. The guide ends with a simple, yet profound, grace note: "Grace be with you all," underscoring the foundation of their faith.
The Prayer: Equipping and Producing
The core of this passage is the prayer in verse 21, where the author asks God to "equip you with everything good for doing his will" and to "produce in you what is pleasing to him." This dual-action prayer is for both external readiness and internal transformation.
Equipping for God's Will (BACK Then)
The original readers of Hebrews were facing significant challenges. The author was likely praying for God to equip them with:
Endurance: The spiritual strength to remain steadfast despite suffering and hardship.
Courage: The boldness to stand firm in their convictions, even in the face of mockery and exclusion from their community.
Love and Hospitality: A selfless, giving spirit to show kindness to one another and to strangers, a risky but vital practice in their culture.
Spiritual Maturity: The ability to grow past basic beliefs and deepen their understanding of Christ's teachings.
Producing What is Pleasing (BACK Then)
The author was also praying for God to work in their hearts to produce virtues that would be pleasing to him:
Faithfulness: A deep, unwavering trust in Christ, regardless of their circumstances.
Righteous Living: A life that reflects God's holiness, shown through moral purity and integrity.
Worship and Thanksgiving: A heart filled with gratitude and praise for their salvation.
A Different Kind of Prayer: Modern-Day Application
It's easy to fall into the habit of praying for our own plans, our own desires, or for God to simply fix our situations. But the prayer in Hebrews chapter 13 is a powerful invitation to a different kind of prayer—one of surrender and transformation. It’s a humble, "make-me" prayer, rather than a "help-me" prayer. It asks God to change our desires and to make us into the kind of people who can do His will and produce things that are truly pleasing to Him.
This is a beautiful and freeing truth. The pressure isn’t on us to be good enough or to change ourselves. The work of transformation belongs to God.
Jesus’s Invitation: "Come, Follow Me, and I Will Make You"
This idea is at the very heart of Jesus's ministry. In Matthew, chapter 4, verses 18 through 22, Jesus sees two fishermen, Peter and Andrew, and says, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." He didn't say, "Go get a seminary degree, create a strategic plan, and then come back." He simply invited them to follow. Their only job was to accept the invitation and be available. Jesus promised to do the work of making them into something new.
This same principle is what makes His "yoke easy and his burden light" (Matthew chapter 11, verses 28 through 30). A yoke is a harness that a person or animal wears to carry a heavy load. In this context, the heavy burden is the pressure to live a perfect life by our own power. But Jesus offers a different way—a partnership with Him. He carries the weight, and we simply follow His lead. This is the difference between a "don't be something" faith and a "let him transform you" faith. We don’t have to struggle to not sin or not be a certain way. Instead, we follow Jesus, and He transforms us from the inside out, producing a life that naturally reflects His character.
HERE'S YOUR Assignment:
Don't miss the step about sharing on the FB Group
The prayer in Hebrews chapter 13, verses 20 through 21 is a model of surrender, not self-effort. The author doesn't pray that the readers will try harder to be equipped, but that God will do the equipping and producing.
Your assignment is to engage in this same type of prayer and reflection.
Step 1: Reflect and Ask
Read through the lists below, which detail what God might want to equip you with and what He might want to produce in you. As you read each item, pause and quietly ask God, "Which of these do You want to equip me with right now to do Your will?" and "Which of these do You want to produce in me that would be pleasing to You?"
What God Might Want to Equip You With:
Spiritual Discernment: The ability to tell truth from falsehood in a world full of competing ideas.
Biblical Literacy: A deep understanding of God's Word to stand firm in your beliefs.
Courage to Love and Speak Truth: The bravery to have difficult conversations with humility and compassion.
Digital Integrity: The strength to be the same person online as you are in person.
A Heart for Justice and Mercy: A passion for helping those who are hurting and vulnerable in our communities.
What God Might Want to Produce in You:
Radical Generosity: A spirit that uses resources to bless others and advance God's kingdom.
Unconditional Love: A love for everyone, no matter their background or beliefs.
Genuine Humility: A humble spirit that recognizes all abilities and achievements as gifts from God.
Faithfulness in the Little Things: Consistency in your daily life, work, and commitments.
Step 2: Position Yourself
Now, take the one or two things that stood out to you during your prayer time. Acknowledge that you cannot "produce" or "equip" yourself with these things. Instead, consider what adjustments you can make to your life to position yourself to receive God's equipping and production. This is the act of being available and teachable, just like the disciples who simply left their nets and followed Jesus.
Use the prompts below to guide your reflection:
Mindset: What lies have you believed that you can do this on your own? What thought patterns do you need to surrender to God?
Priorities: What habits or activities currently fill your time and energy that might be hindering your receptivity to God? How can you rearrange your schedule to create space for quiet reflection or service?
Attitude: In what areas of your life are you holding on to pride, stubbornness, or control? How can you practice humility and a teachable spirit?
Resources: Where are you currently investing your money, time, or talents? How might you reallocate these resources to align with what God wants to produce in you?
Prayers: How can you change your prayer life from being a list of requests to a posture of surrender? What specific prayers can you start praying that ask God to do the work in you?
Community: Are there people in your life who can support you in this journey? How can you invite a trusted friend or Journey Group member to pray with you and hold you accountable to these adjustments?
Here is a role-play example to show you how this process might work for a specific item from each list.
Example 1: Equipping with Spiritual Discernment
Let's say you felt God wants to equip you with Spiritual Discernment. You realize you're often confused by conflicting news stories and social media opinions, and you struggle to know what is true. You feel like you're trying to figure it all out on your own.
Mindset Adjustment: You must first surrender the lie that you can understand the world's complexities with your own wisdom. Acknowledge that you need God's Spirit to help you see things from His perspective.
Priorities Adjustment: You decide to stop starting your day by scrolling through news apps and social media. Instead, you'll spend the first 15 minutes of your morning in prayer, asking God to help you see the day's events through His eyes. You might also decide to unfollow or mute certain accounts that you know consistently spread confusion.
Prayers Adjustment: Your prayer changes from "God, help me understand all this stuff" to a prayer of surrender: "God, I surrender my desire to have all the answers. Please equip me with Your Spirit of wisdom and discernment. Help me to know Your will and Your truth in this situation."
Example 2: Producing Genuine Humility
Now, imagine God has shown you He wants to produce Genuine Humility in you. You recognize you often seek praise at work and get frustrated when others don't notice your efforts. You realize pride is an issue.
Attitude Adjustment: The first step is to surrender your need for recognition and control. Acknowledge that your skills and successes are gifts from God, not achievements you earned on your own.
Habits Adjustment: Instead of taking credit for a team's success, you make a conscious effort to praise your colleagues. When you complete a difficult task, you can pause for a moment and offer a prayer of thanks to God, acknowledging His help. You might also start a daily gratitude journal to remind yourself of all the ways God has blessed you.
Prayers Adjustment: Your prayer shifts from "God, help me to be more humble" to a prayer of surrender: "God, please produce genuine humility in my heart. I surrender my desire for praise and my need to be in control. Show me how to serve others and give You all the glory."
This process is a continuous cycle of listening, surrendering, and making small adjustments. It's not about trying harder but about trusting God to do the work He has promised.
YOUR FINAL Call to Action from our time in Hebrews:
The prayer in Hebrews 13 is a powerful invitation to partner with God in your transformation. This isn't just an intellectual exercise; it's a personal journey of surrender and faith. Now that you've reflected on what God might want to equip you with or produce in you, the next step is to share your experience with others.
Your story of how God is working in your life is one of the most powerful testimonies you have. Hearing from others who are learning to make changes and trust God on a deeper level is an essential part of our Christian faith—and it's something we don't get nearly enough of.
We invite you to join the Your Jesus Journey Facebook Group (HERE) and share what's on your heart. Take a moment to write a post sharing what you sense God wants to equip you with or produce in you. Tell us about the adjustments you feel you need to make and how you are praying about it all. We also encourage you to include a picture of yourself with your testimony.
If you're feeling especially brave and want to take on a challenge, consider posting a personal video in the group. Sharing your process in a more vulnerable, direct format can be a huge encouragement to others. It allows your fellow journeyers to hear your voice and see your heart as you trust God to do His amazing work. Your honesty and willingness to be transparent can inspire others to take their own next steps.
We can't wait to hear from you and walk this journey together!
BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST THAT GOES DEEPER INTO THIS SECTION OF HEBREWS
See viewer comments and questions on screen at the end of the podcast.
MORE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN
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