That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination]. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:6-7 AMP)
Paul was challenging Timothy to be bold, not fearful. Timothy was apparently intimidated by resistance to the Gospel and to his leadership in the church. The gift Paul refers to is the Holy Spirit, and He is not a fear-monger. The word for fear used here is deilia. It means cowardice, timidity, or a shameful lack of moral or mental strength. Timidity in the face of opposition does not come from God.
Life is full of challenges and distractions. It’s up to you to maintain the fire in your heart. In the new birth and the baptism with the Spirit, you received the same Spirit Timothy had. He is not afraid. He is working in you and through you on three levels:
- Power. This is the dunamis power you received when the Holy Spirit came upon you. It means ability. Jesus said it would give you power to be witnesses that He’s alive (Acts 1:8). It’s the same Spirit and power that came upon Jesus to do good and heal (Acts 10:38), and that came upon Paul to give a “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). You have the Spirit of ability to do whatever God asks you to do.
- Love. The Spirit is working in you to produce character fruit. Paul said, “the fruit of the Spirit is love” (Galatians 5:22). When you were born of the Spirit, He gave you a new nature that reflects the nature of your Father, who is love. You have a new heart that wants to be an “imitator of God as dear children” (Ephesians 5:1).
- A sound mind. Some translations render this as self-control or self-discipline. The original word is sōphronismos. It combines the ideas of salvation, health, and wholeness with the idea of inner perception. It means more than just your mind. It’s the Spirit-given capacity for mental discipline and sober judgment. Faced with difficulties, you can now respond based on a new reality: you are a citizen of a new Kingdom and a child of a new Father. You have a sure hope of a new eternity. You can see the world through blood-colored glasses. Put them on.
Pointers for fanning the flame:
- Change the recording in your heart from “Trouble in Mind” to “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning.” Something will be stuck on repeat inside you. Don’t let the world program your playlist. (Ephesians 5:19)
- Pray and sing with the Spirit. It will build you up, and you can do it as an act of your will. You can change the narrative on the inside of you at any time. (1 Corinthians 14:4, 14-15)
- See yourself in the Word. Read your Bible and ask God to show you who you are. Look for the verses that talk about “in Him,” “through Him,” or “in Christ.” The Spirit will use those words to transform you. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Romans 12:1-2)
- Go to church. You can’t do this alone. You were created for community. We need one another to encourage us and challenge us to greater love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24-25; Matthew 18:19-20)
Don’t sit and bemoan the chill. Fan the flame. You already have the power, the love, and the sound mind to do it.
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