30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 21 10-19 WATCH AND PRAY II 06 Luke 21 13-15 Given to the study of His word
📖 Luke 21:10-19
16May2021 - *Given to the study of His word* - _Luke 21:10-19_ - WATCH AND PRAY II (6) – Bible reading: _Acts 9:20-22_
We are living in a momentous time in human history when the Lord is calling the church to be one with Him in His pain and sorrow for a world that is hurting. Ours is the task to communicate the pain of God’s heart to an arrogant and God-denying world and call them to repent, return to God and be saved from the wrath to come.
We are also here to own the sin of the world on ourselves and repent before God on behalf of the world. God promises to forgive the sin of the people and heal the land.
We are aware that the church will be persecuted in these times. This will happen increasingly as the church becomes more and more energised and prophetical.
_Luke 21:13-15 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. (14) Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; (15) for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist._
Fear of what will happen to us must be eliminated from our hearts, by faith. The devil’s strategy at this time will be to frighten us but we must reject, refuse and resist the devil and eliminate fear in us.
We have understood what awaits us as the church of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we have no need to fear but we replace fear with joy because of the hope that we have in Christ.
_Philippians 1:28-29 and *not in any way terrified by your adversaries*, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. (29) For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,_
_I Thessalonians 3:3-4 that *no one should be shaken by these afflictions*; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. (4) For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know._
When the situation arises for us to be questioned for our faith in Jesus, we need not fear, for our Lord is with us or we are with Him.
We must picture ourselves as standing beside the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We usually say that He is with us, which is correct, but we must picture *we being with Him, standing beside Him*. He is the almighty God who goes ahead of us, into all of these frightening circumstances, and we are just there with Him.
The Holy Spirit will teach us what we must say to those who question or threaten us.
_Luke 12:11-12 “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. (12) For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."_
The Holy Spirit will bring the words of the Lord to our remembrance at that time of questioning.
_John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you._
The words of the Holy Spirit at that time will be words of wisdom and knowledge, which will impact the hearts and minds of our hearers. This time before those who persecute the church will be for us, a time of testimony.
_Luke 21:13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony._
The more we are soaked in the word, the Holy Spirit will take what has been embedded in our heart, bring it our remembrance and enable us to appropriately respond to our aggressors, when the time of persecution happens. It is therefore *important to give ourselves to the study of the word of God both personally as well as corporately*, now.
_Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,_
The wisdom that the Lord will give us, very specifically, at the time of persecution and questioning will be such that our opponents will not be able to counter.
_Luke 21:15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist._
_Act 9:20-22 Immediately he_ (Apostle Paul) _preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. (21) Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?" (22) But Saul increased all the more in strength, and *confounded the Jews* who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ._
Let us *be given to the study of the word of God* so that when persecution happens, the Holy Spirit will take what is hidden in our hearts, bring it to remembrance, respond to those who attack us and confound them.
*Thought to ponder*
```Hebrews 5:13-14 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. (14) But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.```