Spiritual Preparation for Speaking

by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1

In your plans for a speaking engagement, you probably think about the topic, visuals, handouts, and what you’ll wear. What about your spiritual preparation? 

1. Spiritual Preparation at Home 

• First, expect spiritual attack.

The enemy of your soul will hammer you with one attack after another. He wants to convince you that you can’t speak on your topic and should quit before you embarrass yourself.

Before I spoke on forgiveness at a women’s conference, the internet service provider irritated me. Every time it rained my Hallmark Television Movie Channel wouldn’t work. I had to restrain my anger and work with the technician on the phone.  

• Second, make sure you’re right with God.

Clear your conscience of any sin that stands between you and God. Ask him to show you if any wrongdoing exists in your life. He’ll do it. 

Pray Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” (New American Standard Bible).

• Third, pass the test of integrity.

Ask yourself, “Does what happens at home behind closed doors match what I want my audience to see?” If it does, great. If it doesn’t, go back to Psalm 51:10. 

• Fourth, pray for the audience and others who will be there.

Pray that those who are supposed to be there, will attend. Pray they’ll be receptive to what God wants to teach them through you. 

Pray for the event planner, the media specialist, and the photographer. When I prayed before speaking for a local women’s event on finding your identity, I never thought to pray for the photographer. I wish I had because someone stole his expensive camera. 

I don’t blame myself for that theft. I simply wish I had prayed for him. God might have blessed him with an extra measure of trust in divine provision of a new camera.

2. Spiritual Preparation on the Way to Your Speaking Engagement

• First, plan to arrive an hour and a half early for your speaking engagement. 

Although I live in Virginia, I live an hour and a half from Chesapeake, Virginia where I was to give my testimony. I allowed an extra hour and a half, but a car accident at the bridge tunnel caused a standstill in traffic. 

With no choice but to go the long way around, I prayed God would multiply my time. I arrived with two minutes to put on my jacket, get my notes out of my carryon bag, and head to the stage.

• Second, while you travel to the event, if you can, listen to praise and worship music.

Place your focus on the One who is your peace. As I rode the train to the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference to present two early bird clinics on speaking, I listened to praise and worship music with ear buds. I felt peaceful and empowered. 

3. Spiritual Preparation at Your Event

• First, once you arrive, pray for the people who will sit on each chair or pew. 

If you have a large audience, you might enlist the help of two or three others. If it’s a general market event, do so alone silently.

• Second, if the event has a serving staff, pray for them. 

Ask God to arrange for them to listen to your presentation or to the parts of your message they need most. 

• Third, greet every person or at least go to each table or pew and greet those seated there with a smile. 

Let the Spirit in you communicate your eagerness to be with them. 

4. Spiritual Preparation after Your Speaking Engagement

• First, stand at the exit door and pray for those God wants you to encourage. 

At an event in New England where I spoke on domestic violence among Christians, one of the women in the audience came to me and thanked me for addressing an issue most would rather pretend didn’t exist among Christians. I prayed for her and offered her resources.

• Second, show an attitude of gratitude.

I make it a priority to thank the event planner and others who have made the occasion possible. Remember it is a privilege to speak for the general market and the faith-based market. 

To wrap up, the main points for Spiritual Preparation for Speaking are:

• Spiritual preparation at home
• Spiritual preparation on the way to your speaking engagement
• Spiritual preparation at your event
• Spiritual preparation after your speaking engagement

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4 Steps to preparing for a #speaking event from @YvonneOrtega1 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Yvonne Ortega speaks with honesty and humor as she shares her life and struggles through presentations that help women find comfort, peace, and purpose. Her background as a licensed professional counselor gives her a unique perspective into the heart of women. Her counseling experiences in jails, prisons, and outpatient services add depth and humor to her presentations, as do her years of teaching mostly high school and college Spanish. Her presentations are interactive and down-to- earth with application for the audience from God’s Word and his promises. 

Yvonne is also a speaking and writing coach and the owner of Moving from Broken to Beautiful®, LLC. She is the author of four books: Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer, Moving from Broken to Beautiful: 9 Life Lessons to Help You Move Forward, Moving from Broken to Beautiful® through Forgiveness, and Moving from Broken to Beautiful® through Grief. 

Yvonne is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA), the Christian Authors Network (CAN), the National Speakers Association (NSA), and Toastmasters International.