God Wants to Unleash Your Voice

The Lord silenced Zechariah after his moment of unbelief, but the plan wasn’t for him to stay quiet for long—only for a few months to teach him a faith lesson. God wanted to use Zechariah as the very first public herald of the gospel message, placing his voice even before those of the shepherds, the magi, the disciples, and the apostles. Zechariah became the first person in history to proclaim the message of redemption in a public arena. It happened when his faith matured and he was filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says, “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. . . . Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us’” (Luke 1:64, 67–69).

Oh, the marvel of it! God chose a man He had muted as the first person to publicly herald the gift of salvation! It happened as Zechariah believed and was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Likewise, God aims to unleash our voices today. He needs us to share His gospel with disoriented, lonely people, just as we once were. Often, we’re planting seeds by quoting verses, sharing insights, offering encouragement, inviting people to church, or assuring others of our prayers. As we plant these seeds, others might come behind us and water the Word; God will give the increase. Or sometimes, God will lead us to someone whose heart is ready to receive Christ in the here and now.

In any case, perhaps there is a helpful lesson here for you to receive: You’ve been silent long enough! God wants to set your tongue free. He’s ready for you to speak out for Him so you can praise Him, thank Him, honor Him, and share the news of what He has done.

Like Zechariah, our doubts can keep us silent, but when we’re filled with the Spirit, we can’t help but give voice to the gospel and its Hero—Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord, would you loose my tongue and unleash my voice in praise to You, in gratitude, and in proclaiming Your salvation to others today? Amen.