2 Timothy 1:7-9
I regularly come back to this scripture. Growing up I was pretty timid and on many occaision it was my younger brother who stood up for me at school.
What is it that makes us timid, cowardly or fearful?
As I recall my younger days, it was largely failing to really know who I was! Much of the time due to people seeing my inadaquacy picking on me, calling me names that overshadow my real identity – like weak, skinny and this had a marked effect of causing me to retreat inwards rather than knowing my real identity as a person!
Is it not the same reason we shy away from proclaiming the gospel? We blush or give into fear because we don’t know the power of God given to us through the Holy Spirit?
Three things the Lord gives us whiich are set to change our thinking: (v7)
1. power & love; strength to live out the life you’re meant to be in Christ!
2. calm mind; what goes in your head dictates your behaviou! get balance from Holy Spirit and how he thinks of you!
3. self-control; when we have the other two, well our actions and how we live will flow naturally out of knowing who we are in Christ.
It is so easy to think wrongly about our selves, it is so easy to fall into this trap and I’m sure that many of us like me, have had to relearn who we are in Christ Jesus and the person we are meant to be throwing out the lies that the enemy throws at us!
The next bit is exciting: understanding the power of the message so we need not be ashamed because: (v8-9)
It is like if we think of ourselves wrongly and we then transfer that on to our understanding of the gospel!
It’s why Paul says in relation to the Gospel (v7) “God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid (or timid)” but instead helps us to live in the power that (v8) we don’t need to be ashamed to spread the news!
How do we know this power of God? Is it in the sitting, the waiting? No, end of v8, and then in v9, it is in suffering for telling others the good news, the amplified puts it, “take your share in the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel (exposes you) and do this in the strength and power of God!”
Today don’t hold back, know that you are a child of your Almighty Heavenly Father! As you step out He will give you the power to speak of the wonderful things he’s doing!
Dear Lord,
Help me today to live in your power by your Holy Spirit’s leading. Sorry Lord for those times I’ve given in to fear. Help me today to relearn by faith the hope you give me as I choose this day to live my life dedicated to you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Richies.blog 