And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. (Luke 12:11-12)
This week, the week leading up to Christmas, we just happen to be in this section of Scripture where Jesus is talking about not fearing man, to not deny Him, and to not be anxious in defending yourself in persecution – all with the encouragement to fear God, acknowledge Him, and that the Holy Spirit will teach you what to say in the moment of need.
When, Not If
Notice that Jesus said WHEN they bring you, not if. It may be a merry and bright season and a life, at least here in America, filled with comforts, but I can guarantee that persecution is coming and we must be ready. I love that Jesus didn’t just bear the news that we’ll be persecuted, but He also included encouragement and commands for His followers. In this case it was to not worry about what to say, but that the Holy Spirit would teach us what to say in that specific moment.
I think sometimes it can slip our minds that as followers of Jesus, redeemed by His blood and sealed with the Holy Spirit, that we have God dwelling within us. Yes, Jesus came as a baby and dwelt among us, but following His work of salvation on the cross, that dwelling is now within. We are not orphans left alone, we have full access to talk to God at any day and any time. Persecution already affects our brothers and sisters in churches all over the world. But when persecution inevitably affects us here in America, we have that open line of communication with the very God who created and saved us, and who will bring us to perfect completion in Him in the end. Honestly, it may seem like this is a rather odd section that we’re digging into right before Christmas, in reality it actually lines up perfectly with Christmas.
The Christmas Connection
During Christmas we celebrate that Jesus came to us, our Savior born in a lowly stable, but to what end did He come? The whole purpose of Him coming as a baby was to ultimately face persecution for being God in the flesh and speaking and doing the works of the Father and then dying upon a cross to redeem us. Here in this section, Jesus is not telling us anything that He Himself did not face and if we are following Him closely, then we too can expect persecution.
When we take the last several weeks of devotions, we really have a great guide that encourages us that by abiding and exercising faith, resolving to never deny Jesus no matter the cost, we don’t have to be anxious or fearful, we can proudly acknowledge our Savior and speak whatever the Holy Spirit teaches us to say in that very hour. In this Christmas season, I hope as you celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus that you remember His ultimate sacrifice and are encouraged in the help He provides us in our walk of following Him.