SECRET #51 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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We are making our way through 75 secrets of following Jesus. Jesus is known as the mystery who was to be revealed. And, the more you examine Jesus and His teachings the more is revealed about life, meaning and fulfillment. Through these secrets we can understand more and more of what life is all about and how to live our lives more abundantly.

There are two levels of this secret I want to discuss. FIRST-There is an everyday, common understanding of what would Jesus do. This is learning how to walk, talk, love and think like Jesus. In the widespread WWJD? movement there was a certain awareness that was raised with this question-WWJD?-What Would Jesus Do?

What's interesting is that every time you ask that question, you already intuitively know the answer. To ask "What Would Jesus Do?" is to know what He would do. The question delivers the answer right away! Whenever you bring the light of Jesus into a situation, the way, the truth and the life all become clear.

There is a SECOND level of understanding what you should do or what you should say. This level is when you are put on the spot in a very difficult situation. How will you know what to say? This brings us to SECRET #51: The follower of Jesus doesn't worry what to say when put on the spot.

When Jesus first sent out His disciples, He gave them specific instructions on the approach He wanted them to take with a given village. He warned them that there will be times when they will be in a very difficult spot and might become worried what to say.

So, Jesus teaches a most interesting principle. He says, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." (Matthew 10:16-20)

Luke records similar instructions by Jesus: "When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:11-12)

He is saying that they need not worry about how or what they will say when they are faced with a difficult situation. This is a time when there is either not enough time to prepare or no way to know even how to prepare for such an encounter. What will happen? The Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

Over the past seven or eight years I have come to the point of practicing this principle. When Diana and I walk into a social dinner or charity event where we aren't sure what to expect, we always discuss before or on the way that we can count on the Spirit of Jesus giving us whatever we are there to do or what we are to say. We walk in with not only a certain confidence, but with a special anticipation of the opportunities that are going to present themselves as we encounter the people that evening.

There is another application of this principle that I've been practicing. After more than 40 years of disciplining myself to prepare messages to deliver to a variety of audiences, I have recently been changing my approach. I have been spending more and more time preparing my own heart and personal relationship with Jesus and His Spirit. When speaking to the needs of the moment, I am experiencing a greater resonance and empowerment with the people. It's as if the Spirit of Jesus is directing everything I say. It's not spooky; it's just more real. It's SECRET #51: The follower of Jesus doesn't worry what to say when put on the spot.