Scripture to Read: Luke 12:11–12
Jesus did not want His disciples worried about being summoned before the well-educated of their day. God had Luke record in Luke 12:11–12, “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Jesus’ disciples were men of trade and would not have been seen as educated. God had Luke record this in Acts 4:13, “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.” Jesus gave His disciples the promise that would have given them confidence that the Holy Spirit would give them the words they needed when they needed them. We can trust our Lord to do the same for us if we are ever persecuted and brought before a court of law. This does not excuse us from reading, studying, and memorizing the Word of God, but it is God’s promise for any persecuted follower of Christ when they are given the opportunity to testify of Jesus. God even had Paul ask the church in Ephesus to pray for him in Ephesians 6:19, “pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” Praying this for Christians daily is a must.
Challenge & Application
Why did Jesus give the disciples the promise of the Holy Spirit’s help when they faced persecution?
How have you seen the Holy Spirit use you and give you what you needed when you needed it?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!