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:
- 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.
- Never build a defense. If you do, you have consented to the decision-making power of the court.
- 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.