How should we respond when we feel God is calling us to speak out? The Lion Roars—So Must We “The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken—who will not prophesy?” (Amos 3:8) God’s voice is compared to a lion’s roar—commanding, unmistakable, impossible to ignore. When He speaks, silence is not an option. Recognizing the Roar: Discernment of God’s Prompting • Compare what you sense with Scripture; God never contradicts His written Word. • Seek confirmation through mature believers (Proverbs 11:14). • Notice the holy urgency that refuses to be quenched—“His message is in my heart like a fire… I am weary of holding it in” (Jeremiah 20:9). Responding in Obedience, Not Reluctance • Delay is disobedience. Like the prophets, we answer without bargaining. • Paul’s confession fits every believer: “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). • Peter and John model resolve: “We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Speaking with Truth and Grace • “Speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) guards us from harshness. • Season words “with salt” (Colossians 4:6) so they preserve and purify rather than poison. • Truth without love wounds; love without truth withers. God calls for both. Counting the Cost, Trusting the Protector • Expect resistance; Amos himself faced it. • Fear is met with promise: “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8). • Jesus assures: “It will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father” (Matthew 10:19-20). • The righteous “are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1) because the Lion of Judah stands behind them. Practical Steps for Courageous Speech 1. Meet with God daily in His Word—fuel for the fire. 2. Pray for clarity, courage, and compassion. 3. Write down the message; clarity on paper breeds clarity in speech. 4. Start where you are: family, friends, workplace, church. 5. Speak, then leave the results with God—He alone changes hearts. |
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