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Playing Court Game
And be on your guard, for men will
hand you over to their courts, they will flog you in the synagogues, and
you will be brought before governors and kings, for my sake, to testify
before them and the heathen. But when you are arrested, do not worry
about what you are to say; when the time comes, the words you need will
be given you; for it is not you who will be speaking: it will be the
Spirit of your Father speaking in you. Matthew 10:17-20 New English
Bible
 Courts love to make
decisions. It is a game to them. Most of the players get paid big bucks to
participate. They make a living playing this form of civilized combat. They have
nothing to lose. But you, as their victim, have everything to lose, including
your soul.
To start the combat, they send out one of
their agents to pick a fight. You are captured, roughed up and possibly hauled
to jail. They make accusations and then demand that you appear before their
tribunal to give answer.
Most people facing this situation are
traumatized by all that might happen. They fall into the snare of fearing what
men will do to them (Proverbs 29:25). The temptation is strong to compromise. By
the time they are scheduled to appear in court, they are eager to either strike
a bargain with the other players, or build a defense to clear their name. And
that is exactly what the players in the court game want them to do.
When you are dragged into court, your purpose
is not to build a defense, but to testify of the Kingdom of Heaven. God will
open doors and instruct you on what words to say in court. You are not to be
anxious. In the meantime, here are some principles that will help you become as
wise as a serpent, while remaining as gentle as a dove:
1. The courts gain jurisdiction because of
your residency. If you have residency with the state, then the lawmakers make
your laws. But if you have residency in the Kingdom of Heaven, then the state
lawmakers do not make your laws. That is really the only issue that can be
raised. And these courts cannot hear it because they are merely creatures of the
legislature. They cannot decide upon something greater than themselves.
2. Never build a defense. If you do, you have
consented to the decision-making power of the court.
3. Our purpose as Christ's ambassadors is not
to win favorable court decisions. Our purpose is to reconcile the world to
Christ. We are not seeking a supreme court ruling that we have a right to travel
from place to place preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. That issue has already
been decided in Heaven (Psalms 119:89). There is nothing for the courts of the
world to decide.
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