Matthew 10:19-20 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Reading this, the recent images of Trump’s cabinet nominees in their Senate confirmation hearings came to mind. They weren’t as antagonistic as what Paul experienced in Antioch after he was arrested in Jerusalem, but the image seems very similar. This doesn’t mean we aren’t to prepare to speak, but it does mean we aren’t to be anxious about it, however antagonistic the setting. For example, the closest of the cases in the Senate hearings was Pete Hegseth. He had all of the information he needed at hand, and didn’t hesitate to respond respectfully and accurately to every question. Sermons aren’t generally a cross-examination situation, but we need to be very familiar with the material the Lord has indicated we are to cover, so that He will have no trouble pulling the right words out of us as we speak. The more we’re worried about it, that shows the more we’re focused on ourselves rather than on God, and the more likely we’ll just be speaking what’s in our head rather than what God has put in our heart. Speaking as God’s representative is a huge responsibility, but He’s up to it!

As someone with Teacher gifting, speaking in front of groups has never been that big an issue for me, for which I’m grateful. However, that doesn’t mean I’ve always been sensitive and yielded to the Holy Spirit on such occasions! I admire well-crafted sermons, but I have heard beautiful sermons that had no anointing, and I don’t want to deliver any such! At the same time, I don’t want to be lazy and unprepared. That is presuming on God, and it doesn’t please Him. I am to be thoroughly familiar with the Bible, so that I won’t hesitate when the Lord indicates I’m to include something that wasn’t in my original notes, and I am to consider my audience and let the Lord show me how to speak understandably to them. Again, I am to be a good steward of the resources God has provided to me, but know that it ultimately doesn’t depend on me, but on Him. Frankly, I enjoy sharing the riches of God’s truth, and will preach “in season and out of season,” as Paul told Timothy. (2 Timothy 4:2) I’m more likely to need brakes than encouragement! The danger there is in my saying things that sound good to me, instead of what the Lord wants me to speak at that time in that situation. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but the Lord is faithful, and I’ve known Him to use what I thought were my mistakes for blessing, and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for speaking clearly to me yesterday about what I’m to speak on Sunday, and for enabling me to prepare those notes already. I’m a little concerned about how long it will go, since we also have a Gideons testimony that day, but that’s Your business. Help me indeed take my eyes off of myself, and off of the clock, and be fully obedient to You so that Your Word through me may accomplish everything for which You send it, (Isaiah 55:11) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!