Let’s be honest, all of us experience a certain level of anxiety when it comes to witnessing for Christ, yet this responsibility is given to every believer. The apostle Peter urges us “to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Three important truths stand out in this verse which should encourage our witness. These truths involve…

1. Where You Are

First, realize where you are is no accident. The time and place in which you live was ordained by God to serve His purpose. In Peter’s day, believers understood that suffering for the gospel was a constant possibility. It was their courage in the face of opposition that turned the Roman Empire on its head.

Likewise, God has placed us in this time and our specific locations to serve as His witnesses. Even though we do not face the threat of physical harm or death that Christians faced in Peter’s day, a level of opposition will stalk us until the end of the age. The Lord calls us to be salt and light amid a secular generation. In a very real sense, this is our time to shine. You are where you are “for such a time as this” (see Esther 4:14).

2. What You Know

Second, Peter’s exhortation assumes that Christians possess intellectual grounds for their faith. Unfortunately, one of the main reasons people hesitate to share their faith is their lack of Bible knowledge. They feel inadequate to confront the rise of secular reasoning in today’s culture.

Therefore, it is vital for us to learn how to answer the most prominent objections to Christianity. The gospel can easily be defended in the public arena, and no believer need be intimidated by humanistic arguments. This is not to imply that you have to be a skilled apologist, but every believer should have a solid grasp of the essentials of the faith and be able to articulate to others why they believe the gospel is true.

The gospel can easily be defended in the public arena, and no believer need be intimidated by humanistic arguments.

3. Who You Love

On a much deeper level, being prepared to defend the gospel also involves the condition of our hearts. It’s from our hearts that our attitudes and behaviors flow. The outer life is inseparable from the inner life. In Peter’s context, the suffering experienced by Christians served to display the hope that was in their hearts. He’s describing circumstances where believers are spontaneously asked about their faith.

The most critical element of being prepared to defend the gospel is loving Jesus and being surrendered to His Lordship. This supreme reverence and love for Him will determine how we respond to adversity. Facing the trials of life with hope will not go unnoticed by those in our spheres of life. Such hardships open the door of opportunity for witness.

So, given your own context, where you live and work and play, and what you know and understand about the gospel, and the spiritual condition of your heart, are you prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks a reason for the hope you display in the midst of trials?