Trusting the Spirit

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

TRUST THE SPIRIT

Matt 10:17-20

17 "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 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, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

NIV

This being on guard against men may make a reference to the preceding verse about being shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves. However, there is something to be said about being on guard against all men. This would not mean our fellow believers, but to be aware of the people in the world. We should be on guard against those that do not know Jesus in the sense that they are serving other gods or Satan. It is doubtful that we would be handed over to local councils and flogged in our churches. But it is quite possible that we could be persecuted on account of Jesus. Again, it would be doubtful that we would be arrested because we are Christians. But then again, the end of time has not come and it could be possible at some point in the future that we might be arrested because we are Christians. It has been said that we are no longer a Christian nation. But there is something to be said about relying on the spirit to speak the truth about God. Over the years we have seen many different forms or formulas or patterns for us to memorize so we have an exact word order that would be most effective in bringing someone to Jesus. Those little booklets that have the four spiritual laws is just one example of having a specific way to witness for Jesus. Jesus was telling his disciples that they should not be concerned about how to talk or what words they would use because the spirit would give them the right words at the right time for the right people in order for them to hear the truth. It is also interesting that some would say we have to quote the word of God when we are witnessing for Jesus. However, that would assume that unbelievers know the word of God and believe the word of God is true. It is also very easy to slip into a pattern or a routine as to how we go about witnessing for Jesus. We are comfortable with routine but then again, that would be us speaking and not necessarily the Spirit speaking. It would seem far better for us not to be so concerned about an exact way of saying something or being perfect in our testimony for Jesus, but rather to just allow the spirit to inspire us as to what to say at the right time for that right person. God knows the need or the void that is in that person's life, and the spirit would give us the exact words at that right time in order to touch that person's heart. We know God looks at the heart of men and that would include the heart of all unbelievers. He knows their heart and we can only look at their outside. It would make perfect sense then for us to trust the spirit far better than trusting our preconceived or predetermined method of witnessing. we remember being in a sales seminar where we were instructed to ask people questions about their family, occupation, recreation, and in their answers, they would tell us exactly how to share the gospel with them or give the message and that was an acronym for form. The Spirit doesn't need an acronym, the Spirit gives us all that we need when we need it in order to be effective in giving the message or the good news. Let us just trust the Spirit.