Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Jesus is preparing his disciples for persecution. His instruction: don't prepare your defense. Trust that words will come.
That's counterintuitive. Usually we'd say: prepare well, know your case, have your arguments ready. But Jesus is inviting a different posture: trust the Holy Spirit. Be present. Don't script. That takes enormous faith. It also suggests that witnessing isn't primarily about convincing through rhetoric. It's about truthfulness and trust. I've noticed that my most impactful moments haven't been when I had the perfect words prepared. They've been when I was vulnerable and honest and let the Spirit work. The preparation blocks the presence.
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