Learning to Become a Mouthpiece of the Holy Spirit

A mouthpiece is a part of something that is pieced between or near your lips. Two common mouthpieces are found on a trumpet and telephone. Yet, in recent years, becoming a mouthpiece has a negative connotation, often in the context of politics. Rather than being a free and independent thinker, mouthpieces communicate the beliefs, values and worldviews of a specific group or party.

And Moses said to the Lord, O Lord, I am not eloquent or a man of words, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and have a heavy and awkward tongue. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or the deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you shall say. ¹³ And he said, Oh, my Lord, I pray You, send by the hand of [some other] whom You will [send], Exodus 4:10-13.

In the passage above, Moses is introduced to God’s will for his life. The Lord wants Moses to be the mouthpiece for Israel. Part of Moses’ responsibilities includes confronting Pharoah, king of Egypt on behalf of the elders of Israel. Apparently, Moses either has a fear of public speaking or was born with some sort of a speech impediment, resulting in stammering and stuttering when nervous.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit ^[g]we have our life in God, let us go forward ^[h]walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.] ²⁶ Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another, Galatians 5:24-26.

From a New Testament perspective, becoming a mouthpiece for God requires the ability to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. When the world attempts to overwhelm you, Galatians 5:16-18, God calls Christians to put on acts of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23. This isn’t easy, especially when God turns up the heat, 1 Peter 1:6-7. Therefore, as you take the good with the bad, James 1:2-4, don’t forget to be a mouthpiece for the Holy Spirit.

by Jay Mankus