There are people in this world that seem to command our attention. When they walk into a room or speak to us they have a way of connecting with people that makes those around them feel drawn in and desirous to communicate with them. In the military this is called command presence. The Army actually attempts to instill this into their commanders and leaders, but for the most part it is not something that can be learned. You either have it or you don't.
When Jesus was here on the earth He mingled with people as one who desired their good, but He also was able to speak with tremendous command presence. When Jesus spoke He was not like others who were able to stir up the crowd through sophistry and clever rhetoric. When Jesus spoke His words carried with them a weight that the people could sense down to their very core.
As people listened to Jesus they were captivated by His ability to use the simplest of illustrations to show the deepest of points. When Jesus spoke of the Scriptures people saw things that they had never seen before from any earthly teacher. Multitudes dropped what they were doing with their lives just to follow Jesus around and hear what He had to say about life and of course the Bible. It must have been a wonderful experience to listen to Jesus share from the word of God.
Jesus was able to command this type of audience even at the tender age of 12. The Bible tells of Jesus' first trip to Jerusalem with His earthly parents. Once He was in the temple among the most learned of His day He became the teacher and they the student. He asked questions that reached deeper into the heart of men than all the others gathered in the classrooms. The great rabbis were amazed at the depth of Jesus' questions and even more amazed at His ability to push beyond their questions. And Jesus' ability to speak with authority was because of His connection to the Father and because He was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Today, we live in a world that craves information and a deeper connection. People spend hours watching, reading, or listening to news, commentary, social stirrings, and engaging with social media. People long to be connected to something bigger than themselves. Many seek for belonging and far too many are looking in the wrong direction. People are looking for an authoritative voice to heed.
It is my sincere conviction that the only way we will ever feel truly connected and have true meaning in our lives is if we will be willing to listen to voice of Jesus even today. And right now He is in the heavenly sanctuary ministering on our behalf and He is willing to fill us with His Spirit that we too can speak and teach with godly authority. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and speak with His authority then we have something truly meaningful to share with the world around us.
When we stand on our authority then we stand on the shifting sands of this world, but when we stand on Jesus' authority then we stand on the firm foundation of our God and Savior. And when we speak on His behalf He will empower us to command attention just like He did. I have truly come to the place in my life that I realize that unless what I share with people is God-directed then I am just filling up space and making noise. It is my prayer that we will hunger and thirst for the Holy Spirit and that we can have that connection with Christ that will give us His authority to share His message with the world around us.
Dear Father God,
We are so thankful that You have all power and authority, and we are thankful that You are willing to fill us with the Spirit so that we too can speak with authority as we share with the world around us. Please place within us a desire to share what You have done so that others will be drawn to Jesus. May we be able to speak with heavenly authority so the world can know our Your deep love. We pray these things in Jesus' holy name, Amen!
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