Encouragement

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
2 Timothy 1:7-8

Notes

The world we live in causes us to live a life of timidity. Fear of sharing our faith, governmental decisions, laws, enforcers of the laws, jobs, family relations and many other things that face us individually.

In 2 Timothy 1:7 the apostle Paul is encouraging Timothy and expressing what he sees in him. First, we must realize that Paul is writing this from a prison cell in Rome. This is his last letter before his death. Paul counted Timothy as his son, his spiritual son. Paul has served God with a pure conscience much like the ones who had gone before him (vs 4). With that ‘pure conscience,’ Paul also prays for Timothy without ceasing and desires to see him.

Now this is not like nowadays when we say, I’d love to see you! No! This is an overwhelming desire to want to see Timothy, in person. Paul knew that Timothy had a genuine faith that was handed down to him from his mother and grandmother. But he also knew that Timothy was going to experience much discouragement and hardship in sharing his faith. Knowing that and knowing his life was at its end, Paul was ready to lay hands on him. To stir up a renewal (vs 6) so that the work in Timothy could be complete.

This is where Paul gives Timothy some counsel and encouragement. In verse 7, Paul tells Timothy that God did not give them a spirit of timidity. God does not give a spirit of being cowards. He gave them a spirit of power, a spirit of mightiness. He has given them the power to love and the power of self-control.

The power to love is to share God’s promises, His peace, His mercy, and the Gospel without fear. When we share and it is not received well, we feel rejected. Be encouraged it is not you who is being rejected it is the life of Christ. Christ himself is being rejected. He is center stage in all that surrounds us. He surrounds us with all His amazing creation and opportunities to share Christ. I call these divine opportunities. The more we put ourselves out there to share Christ the easier it becomes.

Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
Psalm 96:3

Paul Washer once said, “This is the power of God to salvation. And it is the gospel of Jesus Christ”. He also gives us the power of self-control. You may think this is about controlling our behaviors, our tongue and even what we think. That’s part of it. Baruch Korman defines the power of self-control as, ‘Behaving in the light of the truths of scripture’. Meaning we are to submit to the truths of God. To accomplish this, we must know what Scripture says about Christ and how it pertains to us. We are so fortunate in this day that we have the bible. Timothy was fortunate that he had a mother and grandmother who had such a genuine faith that they taught him. Timothy’s faith was handed down from a faithful woman in his life.

Do you have children? Do you share the truths of God with them?

How will you use the power of love and the power of self-control that God has given you not to be timid but to proclaim the Kingdom of God?

You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Deuteronomy 6:7