“Holy Spirit Give Me What To Say!”

“Holy Spirit Give Me What To Say!”(Mt.10:16-20).
Of late we have watched horrible nauseating videos of Christians being marched, pushed into mass graves, shot and killed point blank. Those doing the shooting discuss and laugh among themselves.
Violence and persecutions is part of the Christian life. Today we glory in the “Food gospel, Prosperity gospel, Comfortable and Luxurious Christianity as if God of good times is not the same God of bad times.”
There is no doubt Scriptures assures us of the good life, but it warns us to expect worst times as well.
When Jesus sent out the Twelve on mission he gave them some instructions and warnings which included: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
“But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Our focus is on not being worried about what to say and how to say it for you will be given what to say because it will be the Spirit of the Father speaking through you. We sometimes misapply this text to mean we should not reflect and gather our thoughts correctly so as to present them coherently because the Spirit of the Father will speak through us. The Lord asked that we should be as shrewd as snakes. To be shrewd is to have or show sharp powers of judgment. Faith seeks understanding and the Holy Spirit complements our reasoning faculties to get ourselves out of tight situations.
Logic alone gets us nowhere, except the Holy Spirit enlightens our understanding.
This means also that we should not tread without caution just because the Spirit will speak for us. We must keep in mind that as disciples of Christ we are sheep among wolves who are ready to devour us while we are still breathing. We must tread with caution. We must be as shrewd as snakes and be wise as doves. In the face of danger, run if you can, but when the inevitable happens, let the Spirit speak through you by using your sharp powers of judgment and wisdom. Remember that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. This means being wise should already be a gift of God because you revere him; obeying him by doing what he says and not doing what he says you shouldn’t!
As an aside: The Lord Jesus Christ was instructing the twelve as he sent them on their first mission. Judas was among them. There is an inferred meaning here that not all who go out will live to tell the story. Even so, the Lord Jesus Christ does not disciminate between those who are loyal to the gospel and those who become sell-outs and traitors.
Do the best you can to be in the right frame of mind so that in those extreme situations you will be given what to say so that “it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit make me shrewd and wise so you can speak through me. Amen! Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.