ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASSAGES

2 TIMOTHY 1:6-7 NKJ 
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

Paul is writing to Timothy from prison. What does it say about this man that he could write such encouragement from such a discouraging place. But Paul was a man who understood what the Lord had done for him and in him. And he understood that on a deep level.   

One of the truths Paul knew well was the immense blessing of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. As he is writing to Timothy, who happened to be facing difficult circumstances, he reminded Timothy of this great gift.   

Stir up the gift. Paul does not instruct Timothy as to how to do this, but we can be assured that it starts with acknowledgment. Acknowledge the gift of God that is in you. Paul must have laid hands on Timothy to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. So, acknowledging this gift of God is a great place to start.   

Because God did not give us a spirit of fear. Those are great words and a great truth. God is not the one making us afraid or timid. His gift to us, the Holy Spirit, is not afraid or transmitting fear to us. He is a Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.   

Not human power or human love. God's power, God's miracle-working ability, and God's love. Because we have His Spirit, we are not left on our own exposed and vulnerable. We have the Spirit who infuses strength, love, and a sound mind. The Holy Spirit is not goofy or flaky. He thinks right. About everything. And if we will listen to Him and follow His promptings, He will impart sound thinking to us about the questions we face.   

It's easy to see why this is such a favorite passage. It's such a powerful truth.   

APPLICATION: 

We can stir up the gift within us by thanking God for the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.   

And we can thank God that we are not weak, selfish, and dull. We have God's Spirit in us, imparting His power, His love, and His sound disciplined thinking into our lives. This is all good. 

For a young man facing a big job, Paul did not send Timothy best wishes, hoping he would make it. He reminded Timothy of the wonderful gift that was living in him.   

PRAYER: 

Father, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. I have His power, love, and sound thinking in me now!