If you are a follower of Christ, the same Spirit who hovered over the waters of creation now dwells within your heart, guarding your fragile spirit and bringing the Truth to bear upon your mind. Dwelling within you now is the same Spirit who emboldened Peter and John—those uneducated and common men—to powerfully proclaim the gospel to the religious leaders who questioned them. These are the very same religious leaders who had scared Peter so badly that he denied Jesus three times. The difference, as Acts 4:8 tells us, is that Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit.”

If you ever struggle with feeling timid about sharing your faith, you’re not alone. Many Christians are overwhelmed by fear when they face the prospect of evangelizing a neighbor or co-worker. I often feel the same pang of fear.

Thankfully, though, we have a hope for overcoming this trepidation. We don’t have to muster up our own courage or make sure that all of our arguments for the gospel are watertight. Rather, God’s Word encourages us about facing spiritual adversity and fear.

“When they deliver you over…”

In Matthew 10, Jesus instructs his disciples about what their ministry will look like, and it’s not exactly an optimistic outlook. Jesus tells them that they can look forward to court appearances and physical punishment. He explains, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”

As Jesus describes what the future holds for his closest followers, he touches on a concern that he must observe in their hearts: What if we don’t know what to say or are too afraid to speak?

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