The content displayed below is for educational and archival purposes only.Unless stated otherwise, content is © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
You may be able to find the original on wol.jw.org
Video above © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
00:00:01 Please watch the following video 00:00:04 that contains heartfelt comments 00:00:06 from persecuted brothers 00:00:08 and sisters in Russia, 00:00:10 and see why we have no reason to fear persecution. 00:00:19 I was horrified when several masked officers 00:00:22 broke down two doors and burst into the home 00:00:25 where the meeting was being held. 00:00:27 Everything happened at once 00:00:29 —loud sounds, noise, 00:00:31 the order: “Everyone sit on the floor!” 00:00:40 I was overcome with fear when they put me 00:00:42 in handcuffs, placed me in the police van, 00:00:44 and took me to jail. 00:00:45 I was afraid 00:00:48 because I didn’t know how long 00:00:50 I would be there and what was awaiting me. 00:00:53 When I was being interrogated, 00:00:55 I was afraid that I might be unfaithful 00:00:57 to Jehovah and let my brothers down. 00:01:00 After being detained, I was mostly afraid 00:01:03 about what I would face in prison 00:01:05 —whom I would encounter, how to act, how others would treat me— 00:01:09 the unknown. 00:01:16 When one of the officers 00:01:18 began to describe how bad life is behind bars, 00:01:22 I imagined that behind the officer 00:01:23 stood an angel just like the one 00:01:25 who supported Daniel in the illustration. 00:01:27 This helped me to calm down 00:01:29 and not to panic or be afraid. 00:01:31 That’s how Jehovah supported me. 00:01:36 At the first court appearance, 00:01:38 when I was brought out, the brothers’ feelings 00:01:41 impelled them to show support somehow, and they began applauding. 00:01:45 How that encouraged me 00:01:47 that they were with me! 00:01:49 Fervent and sincere prayers to Jehovah 00:01:53 helped me to cope with these fears. 00:01:55 Isaiah 30:15 00:01:58 gave me much support. 00:02:00 I realized that tranquility 00:02:01 and trust in Jehovah 00:02:02 are now the most important things. 00:02:04 Understanding this 00:02:06 made things much easier for me. 00:02:09 We took the elevator down to the first floor, 00:02:12 the doors opened, 00:02:14 and there stood a large crowd 00:02:16 of our brothers and sisters 00:02:18 —and they all began clapping. 00:02:21 When I saw that, my emotions just welled up, 00:02:25 and I got a lump in my throat. 00:02:28 I felt as if I had wings; 00:02:30 I felt the “great cloud of witnesses.” 00:02:36 I prayed to Jehovah for calmness, courage, and wisdom 00:02:40 and that he help me not to bring reproach on his holy name. 00:02:43 Almost immediately, “the peace of God” came over me, 00:02:47 and I was calm. 00:02:49 The unpleasant sensations did not go away, 00:02:52 but I was no longer afraid. 00:02:57 While overcoming our fear, 00:02:59 my wife and I tried to go out 00:03:01 in service every day. 00:03:03 When you don’t concentrate on yourself 00:03:05 but focus on helping others, fear disappears. 00:03:10 Something that helped me to cope with my fears 00:03:13 is hope, 00:03:15 looking at the situation through Jehovah’s eyes, 00:03:19 seeing what will happen next 00:03:21 that this is not the end of the situation, 00:03:24 but only a difficult phase through which you can pass. 00:03:29 I was helped to cope with my fear 00:03:31 by the words of the song: 00:03:33 “Take one day at a time; 00:03:35 “leave tomorrow until tomorrow; 00:03:38 peace is what I find.” 00:03:40 I understood that it was important 00:03:42 to solve problems as they came up 00:03:44 and not to be troubled by what might never happen. 00:03:48 Fear is interesting; 00:03:51 that is, in principle, fear can be 00:03:54 inside a person, and if someone is afraid, 00:03:56 that is not shameful. 00:03:58 But the question is, 00:04:00 Can you overcome this fear? 00:04:02 Can you get the fear under your control? 00:04:05 Can you overcome this surge of negativity? 00:04:09 And when my heart persuaded me to get scared, 00:04:12 then I started to pray. 00:04:15 I prayed to Jehovah to give me courage 00:04:18 and not be afraid of anyone or anything. 00:04:21 I still say to myself, 00:04:23 ‘Feliks, do not fear anybody or anything except Jehovah!’ 00:04:31 Dear brothers and sisters, I really appreciate your support. 00:04:35 I’m very happy for all your letters, 00:04:38 for all your thoughts, for all your prayers. 00:04:40 I really appreciate it a lot. 00:04:43 I try to do my best, 00:04:45 and I try to serve Jehovah in the best way that I can. 00:04:48 I will do that forever!
00:00:01 Please watch the following video 00:00:04 that contains heartfelt comments 00:00:06 from persecuted brothers 00:00:08 and sisters in Russia, 00:00:10 and see why we have no reason to fear persecution. 00:00:19 I was horrified when several masked officers 00:00:22 broke down two doors and burst into the home 00:00:25 where the meeting was being held. 00:00:27 Everything happened at once 00:00:29 —loud sounds, noise, 00:00:31 the order: “Everyone sit on the floor!” 00:00:40 I was overcome with fear when they put me 00:00:42 in handcuffs, placed me in the police van, 00:00:44 and took me to jail. 00:00:45 I was afraid 00:00:48 because I didn’t know how long 00:00:50 I would be there and what was awaiting me. 00:00:53 When I was being interrogated, 00:00:55 I was afraid that I might be unfaithful 00:00:57 to Jehovah and let my brothers down. 00:01:00 After being detained, I was mostly afraid 00:01:03 about what I would face in prison 00:01:05 —whom I would encounter, how to act, how others would treat me— 00:01:09 the unknown. 00:01:16 When one of the officers 00:01:18 began to describe how bad life is behind bars, 00:01:22 I imagined that behind the officer 00:01:23 stood an angel just like the one 00:01:25 who supported Daniel in the illustration. 00:01:27 This helped me to calm down 00:01:29 and not to panic or be afraid. 00:01:31 That’s how Jehovah supported me. 00:01:36 At the first court appearance, 00:01:38 when I was brought out, the brothers’ feelings 00:01:41 impelled them to show support somehow, and they began applauding. 00:01:45 How that encouraged me 00:01:47 that they were with me! 00:01:49 Fervent and sincere prayers to Jehovah 00:01:53 helped me to cope with these fears. 00:01:55 Isaiah 30:15 00:01:58 gave me much support. 00:02:00 I realized that tranquility 00:02:01 and trust in Jehovah 00:02:02 are now the most important things. 00:02:04 Understanding this 00:02:06 made things much easier for me. 00:02:09 We took the elevator down to the first floor, 00:02:12 the doors opened, 00:02:14 and there stood a large crowd 00:02:16 of our brothers and sisters 00:02:18 —and they all began clapping. 00:02:21 When I saw that, my emotions just welled up, 00:02:25 and I got a lump in my throat. 00:02:28 I felt as if I had wings; 00:02:30 I felt the “great cloud of witnesses.” 00:02:36 I prayed to Jehovah for calmness, courage, and wisdom 00:02:40 and that he help me not to bring reproach on his holy name. 00:02:43 Almost immediately, “the peace of God” came over me, 00:02:47 and I was calm. 00:02:49 The unpleasant sensations did not go away, 00:02:52 but I was no longer afraid. 00:02:57 While overcoming our fear, 00:02:59 my wife and I tried to go out 00:03:01 in service every day. 00:03:03 When you don’t concentrate on yourself 00:03:05 but focus on helping others, fear disappears. 00:03:10 Something that helped me to cope with my fears 00:03:13 is hope, 00:03:15 looking at the situation through Jehovah’s eyes, 00:03:19 seeing what will happen next 00:03:21 that this is not the end of the situation, 00:03:24 but only a difficult phase through which you can pass. 00:03:29 I was helped to cope with my fear 00:03:31 by the words of the song: 00:03:33 “Take one day at a time; 00:03:35 “leave tomorrow until tomorrow; 00:03:38 peace is what I find.” 00:03:40 I understood that it was important 00:03:42 to solve problems as they came up 00:03:44 and not to be troubled by what might never happen. 00:03:48 Fear is interesting; 00:03:51 that is, in principle, fear can be 00:03:54 inside a person, and if someone is afraid, 00:03:56 that is not shameful. 00:03:58 But the question is, 00:04:00 Can you overcome this fear? 00:04:02 Can you get the fear under your control? 00:04:05 Can you overcome this surge of negativity? 00:04:09 And when my heart persuaded me to get scared, 00:04:12 then I started to pray. 00:04:15 I prayed to Jehovah to give me courage 00:04:18 and not be afraid of anyone or anything. 00:04:21 I still say to myself, 00:04:23 ‘Feliks, do not fear anybody or anything except Jehovah!’ 00:04:31 Dear brothers and sisters, I really appreciate your support. 00:04:35 I’m very happy for all your letters, 00:04:38 for all your thoughts, for all your prayers. 00:04:40 I really appreciate it a lot. 00:04:43 I try to do my best, 00:04:45 and I try to serve Jehovah in the best way that I can. 00:04:48 I will do that forever!
