Question:
What
is the spirit
of power that
2 Timothy 1:7
speaks about
and how is it
played out in
our lives?
Answer:
There
are instances
when believers
keep their mouths
shut and avoid
trouble, when
they ought to
be opening their
mouths and getting
into trouble.
Paul wrote to
Timothy, “Kindle
afresh the gift
of God which
is in you, for
God has not
given us the
spirit of fear
but of power,
love and a sound
mind. Therefore
do not be ashamed
of the testimony
of our Lord,”
(2Tim 1:6‑8).
In
the same letter,
Paul coached
Tim to fulfill
his ministry
and do the work
of an evangelist.
(See 2Tim 4:5.)
Paul sliced
through the
core of what
was holding
Timothy back
as a Christian
by basically
saying, “Hey
man, you didn’t
get that fear
from God.”
True
believers have
already been
given the power
to face fears
and proceed
regardless of
how we feel.
God and you
make a majority,
but we often
miss His power
working through
us until we
take steps of
faith. By stepping
out in faith,
you may discover
some brick walls
in life are
only made of
tissue.
The
word for power
is dunamis,
which is the
same word from
which we derive
our English
word dynamite.
Jesus used this
term when He
told the apostles,
“You will receive
power when the
Holy Spirit
has come upon
you, and you
shall be My
witnesses in
Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria, Black
Canyon City,
Ariz. and wherever
the Calvary
Corner is read.”
(See Acts 1:8.)
Well, it kind
of says all
that. The point
is that Jesus
did not leave
us powerless
or alone to
inform the entire
world of God’s
love and rescue
plan. Sometimes
we are going
to make waves
by opening our
mouth, but today
we are His hands,
feet and mouth
on this earth.
Better
to tell people
that Jesus said,
“I am the way,
truth and life.
No one comes
to the Father
but through
Me,” (John 14:6).
So what if people
get offended.
Aren’t you a
bit tired of
beating around
the bush with
the message?
I am. What’s
the big secret?
And who cares
if somebody
gets all bent
out of shape?
The next fellow
may say “yes”
to Jesus. Businessman
or bum; the
crux of the
message doesn’t
change from
one person to
the next. There
isn’t a softer
Gospel for one
or the other,
and God gave
the power to
His people to
speak up. Exercise
that power,
and make it
stronger.
Don’t
misunderstand
me to be saying
we should cram
the Bible down
everyone’s throat,
but I have nothing
to hide. It’s
okay for people
to find out
I love Jesus
when they meet
me. May your
love of God
be greater than
your fear of
man.
1Peter
3:1
