² While our cause for rejoicing is great, we have to guard against becoming overly elated. A series of favorable reports could cause us to conclude that opposition to the good news is crumbling and that Jehovah’s people are gaining acceptance around the world. Such thinking can be deceptive. While we have won some satisfying victories and achieved a measure of success in lowering barriers to the good news in some lands, we must not forget that our fundamental relationship with the world remains unchanged. As followers of Jesus, we are “no part of the world.” As such, we are sure to be “objects of hatred by all the nations.” (John 15:19; Matt. 24:9) As long as this system of things remains, nothing is going to change the basic rule that “all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.”​—2 Tim. 3:12.

⁶ What Does the Future Hold? While Jehovah’s people may achieve a breakthrough from time to time to relieve the pressure in some part of the world, the overall situation remains the same. The Devil continues to be angry over his debasement in 1914. He knows his time is short. His rage is sure to intensify as the great tribulation draws near. He is totally committed to his war against the enthroned King, Christ Jesus, and he is determined to fight to the finish. He and his demons can vent their anger only on Jehovah’s people here on earth, who faithfully “observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.”​—Rev. 12:12, 17.

⁷ So as we look to the future, we need to be realistic in what to expect. There is no reason to think that the Devil will back down or give up. The hatred of us that he has instilled in this world can flare up at any time and in any place. In many lands our freedom to preach has been secured only after a long struggle. That freedom may be very fragile, maintained only by some current sympathetic ruler or unpopular law. Dramatic upheavals can occur overnight, bringing chaos and wanton abuses of human rights.

⁸ The present prosperity and freedom that we enjoy in some lands could end abruptly, subjecting our brothers to the same abuses they have suffered in the past. We dare not allow ourselves to be lulled into a spirit of apathy or indifference, thinking that our adversaries have been subdued. This world’s hatred may not always be fully manifested, but it remains intense. Everything in God’s Word shows that the world’s opposition will intensify rather than subside as the end approaches. So we have to be on guard, showing ourselves to be “cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16) We should realize that we will have “a hard fight” right to the end, and endurance is the key to our survival.​—Jude 3; Matt. 24:13.

⁹ In the part of the world where we live, the work may be prospering without any noticeable hindrance by opposers. This could make us skeptical about there being any cause for serious concern. Nevertheless, there is a need to be vigilant. Circumstances can change quickly. Without warning, opposers can exploit some issue and use it against us. Apostates are constantly searching for some cause for complaint. Irate clergymen who feel threatened by our work may publicly denounce us. Our plans to construct a Kingdom Hall in our community may spark a controversy that upsets the whole neighborhood. Inflammatory statements may appear in print, casting us in a bad light. Prominent local figures may purposely misrepresent us, causing our neighbors to be hostile when we call. Even loved ones in our own household may become resentful and persecute us. So there is a need to be on guard, realizing that the enmity of the world is very much alive, and it can surface at any time.

¹⁵ So we thank Jehovah every time we hear reports about our brothers being rescued from persecution or given freedom to preach in areas where they have been restricted in the past. We rejoice when changing circumstances open up new opportunities for thousands of sincere people to come in contact with the Kingdom message. We are truly grateful when Jehovah chooses to give us the victory in confrontations with hateful opposers. We know that he will bless and prosper our work in whatever way is necessary in order to exalt his house of true worship and give the “desirable” ones from all the nations an opportunity to enter.​—Hag. 2:7; Isa. 2:2-4.

¹⁶ At the same time, we are fully aware that our enemy, Satan, is very powerful, and he is going to oppose us vigorously right down to the end. His attacks may be open and flagrant, or they may be subtle and deceptive. Persecution may erupt suddenly in places where we have known only peace in the past. Wicked opposers may be vicious and unrelenting in efforts to oppress us unjustly. In due time it will become clear to all such ones that they are “fighters actually against God,” and he will annihilate them. (Acts 5:38, 39; 2 Thess. 1:6-9) In the meantime, regardless of what we must endure, we are determined to remain steadfast in loyally serving Jehovah and preaching the Kingdom message. We are the happiest people on the face of the earth, knowing that ‘on becoming approved we will receive the crown of life.’​—Jas. 1:12.