What to say

"Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, 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

Jesus made it very clear to the disciples that the norm for His followers was going to be to face opposition. That had to be a scary thought. The day would come when they would have to stand in Jewish or secular courts and defend themselves for what they believed.

How would they handle that? They weren’t Jesus. They were theologians. They didn’t know the Law in order to defend themselves. What were they going to say when that happened? What were they going to do?

Jesus told them not to worry about it. ‘The Holy Spirit will show you want to say.’

The future ministry of the Holy Spirit was still unknown to them. We know much more about it now that we have the completed Bible. We now know that He opens our eyes to spiritual truth. He guides us into all truth. He comforts and convicts. And here we see that when the time comes He will give us the words to say.

We may never have to face magistrates and authorities, though we very well might. But we all are going to be called on at some time or another to answer for what we believe. Even that thought can be a bit scary. ‘What am I going to do? I don’t know what to say!’

I think we can rest with confidence that the Holy Spirit who told the disciples what to say can do the same for us. Now He indwells us and fills us as we yield to Him. We can rest assured that He is not going to leave us speechless. All we have to do is rely on Him to show us what to say and then trust Him as we speak.