5 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Mark 13:11 (CSB): “So when they arrest you and hand you over, don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time, for it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
It has been my observation (which is backed up by a lot of polling data) that far too many Christians don’t spend nearly enough time each day with their Bible. They claim to be “people of the Word,” but they don’t spend time with that Word.
So, when such Christian laziness is the norm, verses like Mark 13:11 are heartily embraced. Why? Because it can be misunderstood to be a shortcut to spiritual benefits without the hard work of the spiritual disciplines. It’s like saying you can get fit without watching your food intake and without exercising. Who wouldn’t want that?!
To the spiritually lazy, Jesus says (Mark 13:11) they don’t need to study God’s Word. They just need to open their mouths and talk, and God’s Holy Spirit will speak through them.
That is a misunderstanding of Jesus’ promise and a horrible misapplication.
It has been said that a text without a context is only a pretext. In other words, if you don’t study the verses (and chapters and book) around a verse, your conclusion is probably not even close to what the original writer, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, intended.
Well, what was Jesus saying in Mark 13:11? If we look at the context, we observe that He was talking to Christians experiencing the traumas of the end times. He said they didn’t need to add to their stress by worrying about what they would say. Besides, they wouldn’t even know what questions they might be asked, so how could they prepare? So, Jesus said not to worry about their response; the Holy Spirit would speak through them.
But I believe Jesus included a very big assumption in these words. I believe He assumed that His true followers would reflect and meditate on His words. He believed they would spend time in God’s Word and get God’s Word into them. With their mind’s Scriptural arsenal full, the Holy Spirit could run to it, fling open the doors, and draw out the relevant, powerful verses and biblical principles at the right moments.
Don’t forget about Ephesians 6:17, in which we are told that the Holy Spirit has a weapon. It is what He uses in the life of a believer when He guides them through trials.
Ephesians 6:17 (CSB): “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.”
The Holy Spirit’s weapon of choice is “the word of God.” If we were reading that verse in the original language (Greek), we would observe that the word “word” isn’t the author’s typical choice. It’s not “logos” (Greek). Instead, it is “rhema” (Greek). The Greek word, “logos,” would refer to the written Word of God on the page (as well as a few other things). But, the Greek word, “rhema,” refers to the Word of God that has been internalized and is the relevant word for the moment.
So, the “sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God” doesn’t demand that Christians must hold a Bible in their hands every minute of the day. Instead, it calls the believer to spend much time in their written Bibles so that they can internalize it in their minds and hearts. The written word (logos) becomes the internalized word (rhema) that is easily accessed by the Holy Spirit.
So, do you want God’s Holy Spirit to speak through you when He chooses? Then get into your Bible! His sword is God’s Word that you have internalized in your mind and heart. If you aren’t filling your mind and heart with the content of your Bible, then you haven’t given the Holy Spirit His weapon of choice.
To conclude, imagine that you are standing before someone who despises you and your God. Imagine that they come up with questions about your faith that they demand you answer, and you aren’t allowed to have a Bible. Would you have internalized enough Scripture that God’s Holy Spirit would be able to speak through you?
1 Peter 3:14-15 (CSB): “But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear them or be intimidated, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to cause you to see how serious it is to neglect serious time and study of His Word.
- Ask God to help you resolve to become even more serious about the amount of time and intensity of study you will spend in His Word.
- Ask God’s Holy Spirit to help you surrender to Him so that He has ready access to you as He seeks to enable you to be a ready witness for Jesus throughout your day.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into God’s Word and how we answer in times of trial, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“What does it mean to always be ready to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15)?”
Sharing
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)
Matt’s Musings 