God’s Spirit Will Help You
1 Love for Jehovah, his Son, and our fellowmen should motivate us to share regularly in field service. Nevertheless, some brothers find that it is not always easy to proclaim the “good news.” They may be nervous about approaching strangers and concerned that they cannot express themselves as well as others can. At times they may feel discouraged. Have you felt that way?
2 This is not something unusual. Note what the apostle Paul said to the Corinthians: “I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling.” (1 Cor. 2:3) Why? The apostle was concerned as to how he might make known the truth under circumstances very different from what he was used to as a Jew instructed by the learned Pharisee, Gamaliel. But he did not allow this to hold him back from declaring the “good news.” And Paul was successful, not because of his personal ability to persuade, but because of the fine help provided through God’s spirit. We, too, with the help of God’s spirit can succeed in giving a witness and in helping honest-hearted ones to become praisers of Jehovah God.
3 Remember, the Most High has not chosen the wise and intellectual ones to represent him. For the most part, these have been too proud to respond favorably to the “good news.” The situation today is still as described at 1 Corinthians 1:26, 27: “Not many wise in a fleshly way were called, not many powerful, not many of noble birth; but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put the wise men to shame.” In using the ones whom the worldly wise look down upon as foolish, Jehovah God puts such wise ones to shame. He makes it clear that he does not need them to accomplish his work. Is it not encouraging to know that despite any limitations we may have, the Almighty wants to use us and will help us to accomplish his work?
4 Should we not, therefore, want to cooperate with our heavenly Father so that he can use us to the greatest extent possible? Most certainly! But what can we do? We need to put ourselves in a position that will make it possible for God’s spirit to operate fully in our case. Since the spirit is holy, we need to maintain a holy, pure or clean standing before our heavenly Father. Furthermore, God’s spirit does not grant us miraculous knowledge today, but it functions as a remembrancer and teacher. (John 14:26) So if we will fill our minds with God’s Word, his spirit will recall points from the Scriptures and enable us to apply them correctly. Hence, when discussing the truth with others, we need not be fearful that we will misrepresent the “good news.” As long as we are doing our part and look to Jehovah for aid, his spirit will not fail us.—Compare Matthew 10:18-20.
5 God’s spirit will also help us when there is unfavorable response in the territory. As we go about our work prayerfully, the spirit may recall Scriptural thoughts to our minds as to what God’s servants faced in times past and what strengthened them to continue. When we note how unhappy the unresponsive ones are, we come to appreciate even more what a blessing the truth is. God’s spirit will make clear to us just how grand a privilege it is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
6 Yes, with the help of the holy spirit, we can be successful if we let nothing stop us from obeying Jesus Christ’s command to preach and make disciples.—Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20.