Pastor John D Jakes

We all do it.  We have an important meeting with an old friend or a time of encouragement with someone who is struggling, and what do we do?  We worry about what we will say.  When we are trying to witness to a lost co-worker or friend, what do we do?  We worry about what we should say. What did Jesus say about that?

“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” – Luke 12:11-12

It’s ironic to me that of all the things that Jesus says not to worry about, this is one that most Christians struggle with.  We want to know how to say the right thing.  Some of us worry about what to say so much that we don’t say anything.  Some of us have bought book after book on finding just the right thing to say.  Some of us are intentionally looking for the trendy or acceptable way to say what we want to say.

Did you notice what Jesus tells us to do?  He says – don’t be anxious about what to say.  In fact, He even tells us why.  He says that the Holy Spirit will teach us in that very hour what we will need to say.  Imagine that.  Instead of spending our moments being anxious or trying to use our minds to figure out the magic bullet that will lead someone to the truth of Jesus, we can trust that out of the well-spring of our relationship with Him that the Holy Spirit can and will show us what to say.

For me, this means that my study of the Bible and my reading of other’s thoughts about God shouldn’t be like cramming for a huge test.  I am not prepping so that I will have the exact right thing to say to that lost person or that hurting friend.  I am simply growing in Him.  I am soaking up Jesus.  For myself.  For Him.  Then, out of that pool of trust and love He will bring to mind what I need to say to that person to whom I want to minister.  How encouraging is that?!  It is a reminder for me that this relationship I have with Him is truly profoundly life changing.  Even what I should say is not about me doing it on my own.  He is with me.  He will use me.  I just need to rely on and trust Him.

Jesus will lead through His Holy Spirit when those I love are hurting.  He will give me words when they are lost.  He will even lead me when others are hostile to the gospel (which is the context of the passage today).  What hope! Let us trust in that.

Something to think about,

Pastor John