Do You Share These 4 Traits with Other Holy-Spirit-Led Speakers and Writers?

by Linda Goldfarb @LindaGoldfarb
Whether you are a veteran speaker or just beginning this incredible journey of vocal proportions, rest assured everything you say becomes supernaturally charged when the Holy Spirit is engaged.
I can't count the number of times I charged to the stage with the full intent of delivering a message that touched hearts, only to discover I had isolated myself from the Holy Spirit. This isolation left me in front of eager audiences equipped with no more than a story that fell flat. As Christian writers, we are all about stories. As Christian speakers, a Spirit-less story can turn potential readers away before they've ever touched our books.
Lessons learned in God's word have proven that I can do nothing without Him. My prayer, as you consider the following truth, is that you will be encouraged to embrace and walk on stage with He who is in you more than you ever have in the past.
4 Traits of Holy-Spirit-Engaged Speakers
Spirit-led Speakers are Joyful
A joyful speaker is not free from misfortune. A joyful speaker thrives, despite adversity.
The disciples were encouraged by Jesus to enter towns prepared to share His good news and, if doors were opened to them, to stay and be glad. He also charged them to shake off the dust from their feet when met with opposition or rejection.
Consider the final takeaway as you read Acts 13:52 from the New Living Translation. 
So they (the believers) shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (Inserted by author)
Can you imagine getting up in front of an audience and them booing you in full force? It's happening around our country today.
yet, we stand firm in the word knowing, "And all the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." What? Yes! They were joyful. Because the Holy Spirit filled them. 
We, too, must seek the Holy Spirit before stepping in front of anyone to share our message. 
Seek His will. Ask His blessing. Remain joyful.
Spirit-led Speakers are Transparent
When we speak, people listen. When the Spirit speaks through us, people change.
According to Scripture, we are to livewith wisdomopen to opportunitiesin consideration of God’s willunencumbered by distractionsfilled with the Holy Spiritwith music in our heartsgiving God thanks for everything
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT).
Father reminds me often, as a speaker, that transparency transforms. 
Filled by the Holy Spirit, He frees us to speak from our hearts. Attitudes may change if we allow outside influences, fears, and doubts to bog us down. An attitude change puts our message at risk. Therefore, our audience is at risk unless we give every aspect of our talk over to the Spirit.
Scripture encourages us to be filled by the Holy Spirit by singing in community with other believers. I love how Russell and Kristi bring us to the throne of God in worship before we go about the business of the BRMCWC each year. 
Spirit-led Speakers are Truthful
Words, written or spoken, have power. Spirit-filled words are supernaturally powered.
We are set apart as truth-talkers to look falsehoods in the face and declare them what they are –deceit, fraud, and the enemy of all that is good.
As Christian speakers, we must always filter our wisdom through Scripture. If we give an opinion, say so, “In my opinion … ." If we declare a truth, we must back it up with Scripture. And remember, if we give a verse, let us be sure the chapter supports it. Truth, taken out of context, can come back to strike us on the heel. 
Paul, zealous for God and sensitive to his calling, received discernment from the Holy Spirit. The Spirit revealed the sorcerer's deceit. Paul spoke, what he received, not out of his knowledge, but the truth from God.
Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? Acts 13:9:10 NLT
We have the Holy Scriptures and our connection to the Holy Spirit to provide us with discernment. Let us be ever sensitive to His leading.
Spirit-led Speakers are Bold
Speaking with boldness is not berating, demeaning, or destructive. Boldness is confident gentleness.
Annas, Caiaphas, and the elders of religious law threatened the lives of Peter and John if they continued to spread the Good News of Christ. Peter, John, and the other believers prayed for courage.
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31 NLT).
Imagine again the courage it took to say, "No matter what, we will stand." 
Supernatural courage is what it took, and the Holy Spirit provided it in boatloads.
We, too, will experience supernaturally charged boldness as we breathe in the Holy Spirit through His word, His guidance, and our community of fellow believers.
Before leaving your chair at an event, close your eyes, invite the Holy Spirit to fill you with overflowing, and watch His joy fill the place with you as His vessel.
Until next time, remember when you speak what you write with Spirit-led confidence, God will open doors no man can close. Praise Him --Linda
TWEETABLEDo You Share These 4 Traits with Other Holy-Spirit-Led Speakers and Writers? Insight from @LindaGoldfarb on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Besides hosting the award-winning, YOUR BEST WRITING LIFE PODCAST, Linda Goldfarb is a multi-published award-winning author, audiobook narrator, international speaker, board-certified Christian life coach, and the co-owner, co-founder of the LINKED® Personality System, and co-author of the LINKED® Quick Guide to Personality series.
Linda and her hubby, Sam are empty nesters leading full lives. With four adult children and grand-baby #15 on the way—life is a new adventure every day. She loves sipping frothed coffee with friends, traveling the countryside with Sam, and sharing transparent truth to help others take their next best step—personally and professionally.
Connect with Linda Website - HTTPS://WWW.LINDAGOLDFARB.COMFacebook - HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LINDA.GOLDFARBPinterest - HTTPS://WWW.PINTEREST.COM/GOLDNTEXAS/LinkedIn - HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/LINDAGOLDFARBInstagram - HTTPS://WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/TEXASGOLDFARB/Twitter - HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/LINDAGOLDFARBYouTube - HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/C/LINDAGOLDFARBLIFECOACH
Featured Image: Photo by Product School on Unsplash