“I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.”
John 12:49 (NLT)
Jesus makes something unmistakably clear as He teaches the crowds: trusting Him is trusting God Himself. When you see Jesus, you are seeing the One who sent Him. And the proof of that unity is not just who Jesus is, but how Jesus speaks. He does not speak from personal preference, impulse, or self-appointment. Every word flows from the Father.
That detail matters. Jesus didn’t say whatever sounded right in the moment. He didn’t shape His message around approval or convenience. He spoke what the Father told Him to say, in the way the Father told Him to say it. His authority was rooted in obedience. His words carried life because they originated in God.
Jesus models discipleship for us here. The same pattern applies to those who abide in Him. When we remain close to Jesus, He gives us His words. He promised that the Holy Spirit would teach us what to say when the moment requires it (Luke 12:12). Our role is not to manufacture wisdom, but to stay attentive.
When we let Jesus speak through us, people don’t just hear our opinions—they encounter His truth. They see His love, His timing, and His light. Let’s resist speaking by our own authority. Instead, let’s speak as those sent, trusting that His commands lead to eternal life and His words still bring light to those in the dark.