1 Peter 3:13-18

What did Jesus say before His ascension? That the Spirit would come and the believers would become His witnesses - because of the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a call to all believers - we are called to be witnesses, not by our strength but by the strength of the Holy Spirit.

How do we continue to be faithful witnesses through so much suffering and disappointment?

Not focussing on time

The disciples were concerned about timings - when will things finally be better? When will we have things the way we want? That is not for us to know or worry about. We should change our focus on time to be a focus on witnessing now. That is Jesus' focus.

Ignore the past, do not listen to the negativity of today, do not focus on timings. All these things will make us anxious and turn us away from witnessing.

Keep on doing good

Peter's first response is to continue to do the good work of Jesus. Peter says we are blessed when we do good despite suffering. This echoes the words of Jesus in the beatitudes. This blessing here does not necessarily mean an easy life, but one that is filled with joy at the prospect of our reward in heaven.

Be courageous

The power of the Holy Spirit can allow us to have great courage in the face of trouble. We can face it boldly with His power within us. Fear of God means we do not need to fear what's around us. Pray for the Holy Spirit to embolden us.

Be prepared to share

There is a lot of hopelessness around us. Share your hope with those who you know that are hopeless. Be ready to explain how you remain joyful and hopeful even in the hardest of times. We should not be boastful or sharp when we do this. We should be gentle and humble. Here the Holy Spirit can help us again.

Have a clear conscience

Our conscience is what we have within us that God uses to either convict or affirm our behaviour. Confess your sins to Him and repent and then your conscience will be clear - we will have no fear and be affirmed of our actions and encouraged.

4 ways we can respond:

Committed heart Courageous Spirit Capable mind Clean conscience

Pray and continue to walk in the faith of Jesus