Jamie Lever shares her Testimony

Sermon Summary

Jamie Lever shares how God led her from a shy childhood and a planned corporate path to a calling in comedy. After starting in 2012, she quickly booked TV (Comedy Circus), films (incl. Bhoot Police), and live shows. In 2019 her inquiries dried up, then COVID hit—no stage, no income. Choosing faith over fear, she treated Scripture as her “reality” (especially “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” Phil. 4:13) and began creating home-made comedy videos. Audiences and media noticed; her following grew from ~100K to 1M+, brand work poured in, and new projects (including a 100-episode Flipkart show) opened. She attributes the turnaround to God’s provision (Jehovah Jireh) and emphasizes boasting only in knowing Him. Even when a minor injury tried to hinder her, she pressed on to give God glory, closing with worship.

Key themes & takeaways

Calling & obedience: She pursued comedy despite expectations, trusting God’s leading.
Faith in scarcity: In crisis, she acted on the Word rather than fear; faith produced creative action.
God’s provision: Testifies that God supplied abundantly in unexpected ways.
Humility & witness: Success became a platform to honor Jesus, not herself.
Perseverance: Obstacles (career dip, pandemic, injury) didn’t stop her from glorifying God.
Scripture anchors: Philippians 4:13; God as Jehovah Jireh; echoes of Psalm 23.

Sermon Transcript

Yes, as you know by my name, Lever and Pastors introduced me, Mr. John Lever’s daughter. (0:07) I’ve been doing comedy for the last 12 years now and (0:12) done over (0:15) about 300 shows (0:17) worldwide and (0:19) it’s really fun what I do, but what I really love to do is (0:23) praise God and worship God and that’s something that I’ve been doing for the past 15 years. (0:30) Thank you.

(0:35) So you can imagine that I’ve been doing comedy for the past 12 years. I’ve been on very very different stages, (0:41) different platforms, different auditoriums, (0:43) but this this platform is the one that I love the most, is where the name of Jesus is glorified. (0:54) And I feel really proud of the fact that I know (0:57) Jesus and that I love him and that he is in my heart and that he’s my Lord and my person, my Lord and (1:03) Savior, you know, and I feel really happy to be amongst God’s people this morning.

(1:09) I want to tell you something about my journey (1:12) and just encourage you a little bit through whatever I’ve been through. (1:17) So growing up, I was a very very shy kid and (1:22) you know, usually in our industry, I’m going to mix it up with Hindi and English a little bit if you don’t mind. (1:28) So normally what happens is the son is the one who takes over, you know, the legacy, the one who the one who takes forward (1:35) the, you know, the works of the father, the father, whatever he’s done, (1:39) just how Jesus did, you know.

(1:42) But similarly, (1:44) my dad is a (1:46) well-known comedian. Obviously, (1:48) everybody loves him and everybody thought that my brother Jesse, who’s the younger one, would be the one who would become the next comic, (1:56) who would be the big thing in the family. But turns out (2:01) something happened within me and (2:04) you know, my parents thought, okay, this is a this girl.

She should just, you know, get a job, (2:09) you know, find herself a secure job. You know how parents think, (2:12) she will get married, she will get a job, you know, let her be secure. (2:17) That’s the kind of mentality people have and it’s it’s fine.

They wanted me to be in a safe environment, have a simple (2:25) life, not too much struggle. Similarly, my parents thought, okay, you know, I went to London to study (2:30) marketing communications and they thought, okay, I already had post-study work visa. They thought, okay, I’ll work there.

(2:36) I’ll find myself a job, stay there, get married there and that’s what my life is going to be and it’s going to be nice. (2:43) But (2:44) when my parents came to my graduation in London, I said, (2:49) after my studies and everything, I said, daddy, I want to do comedy and he said, what about all the money I put in? Hello? (2:58) You know, all the lacks of money I put in for your education and your stay here, (3:01) you’ve been staying here for two years, three years. What happens to all of that? And then, (3:06) you know, I said, no, I know, I feel it in my bones that I have to do comedy and that is (3:11) what I really want to do and (3:13) he said, okay, (3:14) he said, if that’s what you have to do and if that’s what God has asked you to do and (3:19) I can see the conviction and the fire that you have and he said, okay, go for it.

I came down to Mumbai and (3:25) in 2012 and (3:28) that’s when I decided to do comedy. (3:30) My dad did not help me at all. When I came down, I was sitting down at the dinner table having, (3:35) you know, food with them and I thought, okay, now my dad is gonna, you know, (3:38) how you think that parents will make some calls and, you know, (3:42) things will happen.

Similarly, I thought, okay, he’s going to make some calls, find some jobs for me. (3:47) So, I’m thinking, eating my food and I’m going, so my dad goes, so what do you have, have you thought of anything? (3:52) And I thought, hmm, I thought you’re gonna help me here. (3:57) But he just left me, you know, to figure it out on my own and then I started auditioning.

(4:03) I started going to places, making calls, asking people, can I perform? (4:07) I started performing at small comedy clubs and that’s how my journey started. (4:11) So, 2012, I, (4:14) when I started, I, (4:16) this really big comedy show on Sony TV, everybody knows Sony TV, there was a very big show called Comedy Circus. (4:22) You’ve heard of it, you’ve seen it? Yeah.

(4:24) So, Comedy Circus had auditions and they asked me to audition and I said, you know, I’ll take it, I’ll do it. (4:29) I auditioned and (4:31) it was a miracle because the minute I auditioned, I went back home after my audition. (4:35) They called me and said, we’re booking you for the entire year.

(4:38) So, that’s how I got my first job. I got my first job on TV, started doing TV. (4:44) I got jobs after jobs, jobs after job.

(4:48) The very famous directors, Abbas Mastan, they offered me my very first movie in 2012, (4:54) Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon and they were very impressed by me. So, I got my first movie there. (5:00) All of these things, all of these things were happening and I thought I’ve made it, you know, (5:04) like this is just gonna take off like this and things are just gonna get better and I started making my own money and (5:10) I was really enjoying myself.

So, 2012, I’m starting to do all these things. (5:15) I started doing more TV shows and (5:18) more live shows and my dad asked me to join him on his tour. (5:21) I started touring with him.

So, we were traveling all over and I was performing with him. (5:26) I’m doing all these things and I’m thinking, yeah, this is it. You know, how we think as humans, we think, yeah, yeah, (5:32) this is how it’s gonna go.

It’s gonna take off like this and it’s gonna pick up. (5:37) But in 2019, pre-COVID, suddenly my enquiries dropped. (5:44) My jobs, you know, I’ve dropped completely.

No calls, (5:50) no special work and I’m thinking, I’m only living on my savings right now. (5:55) So, I wasn’t making enough money and, you know, after a certain age, you’re independent. (6:00) So, you can’t ask your parents for money.

Even though I’m in a comfortable place, (6:03) I can ask my parents and I stay with them. But I thought, no, I can’t. (6:08) It’s just, you know, I can’t.

My ego is too big. I can’t ask them for money. (6:12) You know, I’m supposed to be taking care of myself and I’m just going in minus, minus, minus, minus.

(6:19) 2019, I was doing maybe one job in three months and we make good money in TV. (6:24) So, if you had one job, you could survive for three, four months. So, I’m thinking, okay, this is alright.

(6:29) But how long can I carry on like this? And 2019, I reached a point where my bank balance was so small. (6:37) It was really, really small. And I thought, you know, God, what am I going to do? (6:43) And just immediately after that, COVID hit.

That is the time where all actors, you know how it was. (6:51) We were sitting home and most of us, we were working from home. Some of us lost their jobs.

(6:57) Most actors lost jobs and we didn’t have anywhere to go. Where would we go and perform? (7:01) Where would we go and film? Where would we go on stage? There were no auditoriums. (7:05) My dad did not have shows.

I didn’t have shows. And I’m thinking, how am I going to get through this? (7:12) And something within me, mind you, I’m also like going to church and believing in God and reading the gospel (7:20) and doing all of that and praying and all that. But you have doubt.

(7:24) It’s only human to have doubt, to think, to just want to plan and to think what’s going to happen next. (7:31) It’s just human. So I’m thinking about all these things.

But something within me, just the Holy Spirit was telling me, (7:39) it’s going to be OK and I’ve got you. And I just thought, OK, what am I going to do? (7:46) You know, I’m bored. I’ve got no jobs.

I’ve got no money here. (7:52) And then I started making small videos, which I started putting on my social media. (7:59) Exactly when COVID happened.

So I’m going around the house making these comedy videos. (8:04) I’m changing costumes. Sometimes I’m in a saree, sometimes I’m wearing pants with a coat on and, (8:08) you know, like a saree with a coat on and like makeup and sindoor and, you know, becoming all these characters.

(8:14) One day I was Farah Khan, the other day I’m Usha Uthup, the other day I’m, you know, Sonam Kapoor. (8:18) And I’m roaming around the entire house making these comedy videos. (8:21) And my dad’s like, you know, he would catch me in the middle of this and go, (8:24) Son, are you OK? You have COVID.

Are you fine? Let me check your temperature. Are you OK? (8:27) You’re behaving funny. So all of this is happening, but I’m consistently making videos.

(8:33) And slowly at that time, let me tell you, I had only 100K followers on my Instagram. (8:40) Because I’m thinking at this point, these are 100K people, like one lakh people who follow me for some reason. (8:46) They find me funny.

They want me, they’re depending on me for their entertainment. (8:49) So I thought, OK, let me just entertain them and entertain myself, keep myself busy. (8:54) And I started making these videos and newspapers pick up my videos.

(9:02) Newspapers pick up, news channels pick up my story. (9:05) Suddenly I’m on the news, suddenly newspaper articles are coming out, (9:08) BT, Bombay Times, Midday, all these newspapers in Mumbai that are popular, (9:13) have articles about me saying, hey, Jamie Lever is entertaining us during COVID. (9:18) Thanks to her, we are, you know, laughing through this entire phase.

(9:21) And I’m thinking, how is this happening? (9:23) Not putting too much thought into it, not really thinking so much. (9:26) I continue doing my work and slowly, slowly, slowly, my followers started growing from 100K to now. (9:34) In two years, we crossed one million.

(9:41) And I’m really not bragging about my hard work, (9:44) but I’m just really surprised at this point what God was doing in my life. (9:48) I’m just surprised to see. (9:50) And I’m feeling no pain whatsoever while doing all this hard work.

(9:54) No pain because I’m sitting in the comfort of my home. (9:58) I don’t have to go out. No mehnat.

(10:01) You know, I’m sitting, I’m doing my own thing in my own sweet time making videos. (10:06) No pain. And I’m just getting these followers.

(10:08) Suddenly, I started getting calls from big brands saying, (10:13) hey, Jamie, do you have like half an hour? (10:16) Can you sell this product for us on your social media? (10:19) We’ll give you so much, so much, so much, so much money. (10:21) And I’m like, what, really? (10:23) Literally within 15 minutes, 30 minutes, I’m making lakhs of money just sitting home, (10:29) making videos for brands. (10:30) So money started flowing in.

(10:32) And during COVID, things took off in such a crazy way for me (10:36) that I started getting movie offers. (10:39) I did my big film with Saif Ali Khan called Bhoot Police, which is on Hotstar. (10:43) I did another project and another project from that and another project from that.

(10:47) I got my own show on Flipkart. (10:49) You know Flipkart? So it has an app. (10:52) They said we want to do the Jamie Lever Q&A show.

(10:54) I did 100 episodes with them. (10:57) And money is coming. Opportunities are coming.

(11:00) And I’m just shocked that how God changed my life from thinking in 2019 (11:06) that my career has come to an end to now, (11:09) then being busy, busy, busy, busy as ever, (11:12) working every day and work is just coming in. (11:16) And we’re all just surprised. (11:18) And I was thinking, how did this happen? (11:22) I realized that in 2019, when COVID happened (11:26) and I was at peace, sitting home, thinking God’s got me, (11:30) that was the first time when I took the Word and made it my reality.

(11:38) When the Word said, I can do all things on earth through Christ who strengthens me. (11:46) I took that Word. We’ve read it so many times in the Bible.

(11:49) I would open it, read it. (11:51) But I took the Word and made it my reality. (11:54) And I thought, I can do all things.

(11:57) Nobody’s going to stop me. (11:59) Nothing’s going to stop me because Christ is the one who strengthens me. (12:02) And I’m going to take this strength and put it out in the world (12:06) and put my work out.

(12:08) So I just thought of myself as I’m unstoppable. (12:12) You know, I can. (12:13) That’s my reality.

(12:14) Yeah, you can clap. (12:16) Please. (12:18) I’m really pumped this morning.

(12:21) I want you to be encouraged. (12:23) Yeah. (12:25) And there are so many other things that the Word said where it became my reality.

(12:31) And also that God is Jehovah Jireh. (12:34) He’s my provider. (12:36) From having nothing to then believing, you know what? (12:40) God is actually my provider.

(12:41) He’s going to provide, you know, financially, whatever my problem is. (12:45) God’s going to take care of it. (12:46) I don’t have to worry about it.

(12:47) And God provided and how. (12:49) You know, in Hindi we say, (12:50) Chhapar Bhadke. (12:51) It was just like that.

(12:52) You know, heaven’s open and money is coming in. (12:55) And I did not have to think about it. (12:57) That became my reality.

(12:59) That Jehovah Jireh is my provider. (13:01) I shall not want. (13:03) You know, he’s going to take me to the waters.

(13:06) You know, he’s going to fulfill my soul. (13:08) He’s going to fulfill all the needs that I have. (13:11) He’s going to take care of it.

(13:13) So yeah, God changed my life. (13:15) And now I am busier than ever. (13:19) I thought I’m going to earn big bucks at that time, (13:22) but I’m making so much more than I could imagine now.

(13:26) And it’s it’s just that, you know, you know how the word says, if you know, (13:31) if you want to brag about one thing, don’t brag about this and that (13:33) and all these achievements, (13:34) but brag about the fact that you know God, that he knows you. (13:38) And I really brag about the fact that through all this, (13:42) I know that Jesus is behind me. (13:44) He’s behind my family.

(13:46) And he is the one who’s actually running the show. (13:49) It’s not me. (13:50) And honestly, yesterday, before yesterday, before yesterday (13:53) was our show on Valentine’s Day.

(13:55) And I just this is my ministry that wherever I go, (13:59) I make sure that I go to a church. (14:01) And if I wasn’t here today, I would be back home in my church leading worship. (14:05) So that’s something that I do.

(14:06) It’s it’s just routine for me. (14:08) So I thought, since I’m here on Sunday, I have to come here (14:11) and give God the glory for what he did. (14:13) Even on the 14th, we had a house full show at Kala Academy (14:17) and my first time in Goa.

(14:19) And to have an audience and splits was, you know, even for me, unimaginable, (14:24) even though I have done stand up for 10, 12, 12 years now. (14:27) But still, I’m surprised every time. (14:29) So I thought I have to give God the glory.

(14:31) But what happened is yesterday I was packing my bags to get ready to go. (14:37) And this really heavy, portable charger, (14:42) you know, those really long, heavy ones, it fell on my foot. (14:46) And I had a little cut.

(14:48) Most saw it yesterday. (14:50) And I was OK in the morning. (14:52) I was OK, just walking and massage it a little bit.

(14:55) Went about my day. (14:56) We had some interviews to do. I did all that.

(14:59) And in the night, I thought, OK, I’ll manage. (15:01) But by night, my foot was like a balloon, swole up completely. (15:07) And I was like, this is what the enemy is trying to do.

(15:09) He’s trying to stop me from glorifying him. (15:11) But I will not stop because I can do all things. (15:16) You know, so I’m I just want to give God the glory, (15:20) you know, because he is great and he’s really, (15:25) you know, brought me to this position where, you know, (15:27) all of you are listening to me today.

(15:30) And I just want to sing two lines if that is OK. (15:33) You know, can I sing in Hindi? (15:38) And I just hope you can worship with me. (16:45) Thank you.

Thank you, Jesus.