Mk 13:9-11 - “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
It is one thing to fear when tragedy or difficulty happens suddenly and quite another when you know ahead of time that it is going to happen to you. The disciples were promised abuse, beating, and imprisonment. But, they were also promised something even greater, which is the Holy Spirit speaking through them to the glory of God. The one thing that they were commanded not to do was to be anxious beforehand, but to fear God only, and to trust in Him so that he would say what He needed to say through the disciples. It is amazing how we can interfere with God’s using us when we allow anxiety to interrupt us. Anxiety is essentially a lack of trust in God that He is big enough in the situations to do what he desires to do. All he needs is some people who will trust Him at his Word so that He can accomplish what He desires through our lives for His glory.
Ps 60:4 - But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.Selah
This verse seems to really be appropriate in light of Mark 13:9-11 because of it s approach against the enemy. The banner of fearing God is all we need against the enemy. God will fight the battle. Our battle is to remain in the fear of God, fully convinced that He is not only in full control, but will use the situation for His glory. When we start to worry, we must boldly unfurl that banner in the face of evil by coming back to this understanding that fearing God is our first defense and our only defense against the enemy. He will keep us in perfect peace, in His will and living for eternity in the temporary as long as we understand that greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world.
