Jesus said, “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” John 12:49-50
She asked, “What do you say about that?”
Ever have that question or one like it asked of you from a hospital bed, the break room, a ballgame, or the back row, and you had no words. There you sat with a mouth full of teeth and nothing to say.
Whether it’s tough questions or easy chitchat, messengers God can use are the ones who speak what the Father tells them to say. Like the words of the old hymn, their prayer is “Lord, speak to me that I may speak” (Frances Ridley Havergal).
Jesus modeled this perfectly. He said, “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.” He only said what the Father told Him to say (John 12:49-50). That’s why He prayed so much!
If Jesus needed to go to the Father for every word, how much more do we? To speak His words, we must be in the Word. To have His Word fill our mouths, He must put them there through His Word and Spirit. This happens when we talk and listen to God!
If you’ve ever spent considerable time speaking to someone from a different part of the country, you may catch yourself taking on her accent or local dialect. Out of seemingly nowhere words like, “Y’all”, “Eh”, or “You Betcha” slip from your tongue. You begin to sound like the one speaking to you!
To sound like Jesus, we must spend time with Him. Jesus calls that kind of time together abiding. When we abide with Him, we’ll recognize His voice and learn what is true and what is not. That’s why Bible study and prayer are non-negotiables for His messengers!
Speaking His words is not a matter of being eloquent or articulate. God nixed those excuses with Moses. He then instructed Moses, you and me, to “Go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Exodus 4:12). Being teachable requires an open Bible, heart, and ears. Ask Him to speak to you so you can speak.
Send Me: What are you hearing God say to you today?
