The Christian who dedicates their life to service in the cause of God should expect opposition. Yet God never abandons them, no matter how it might appear. The Spirit of God remains, and this explains how saints like the apostles here can be joyful even when going through trials. To strengthen us, we have a promise of God that our final victory is assured. We are still to fight, and some will suffer and die in the battles of this life, but the outcome of the war has already been established by God. Our great hope, our resurrection, spurs us on to serve with this victory mindset.