Fear Not!

2 Timothy 1:7

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power,of love,of self discipline."

This week we have been having revival at our church. I got a word tonight that I just have to share. What a great feeling it was tonight to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit speaking to me. The message tonight hit me right in between the eyes.

Brother Mike's message tonight was from 2 Timothy 1:7. He wanted to let us know that God does not want us living life in fear or a life of worry or a powerless life. God did not call us to be timid or shy about our faith. One of my favorite things Mike said tonight was this. "God desires obedience that is better than sacrifices." We have to be obedient and confident in Our God because He is our hope and our future (Jer. 29:11) and there is no room in that for fear.

Before the service tonight, the preacher's wife, Lisa, asked me if I would help out with a special service that we are having this month at the church. I told her "Yes" but even as we spoke my mind started to fear. I was thinking. Why did I say yes? Am I even capable? What if I fail? What if I don't have time? Before our conversation ended I was already stressing and worrying. WOW! God's word tells us to "take every thought captive to obedience to Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5) Who do you think those doubting thoughts were coming from? Certainly not My God! My God says "Fear Not" 365 times in the bible. A reminder for every day in the year. He did not put that fear inside of me and I rebuke the devil for making me fear using my gifts that God alone has given me for God's church.

2 Timothy 1:7 says that God gave us a spirit of power, and of love, and of self discipline. I automatically started thinking of what a spirit of the opposite would look like. A spirit of weakness, of hate, of recklessness. I had a spirit check to see which area(s) I failed on. I'm here to tell the truth, because that is the only way to freedom and I need help in all of them.

I definitely need help in all areas (power, love, and self discipline). I don't just need help I need GOD'S help. I need GOD's power and GOD's love and GOD's self-discipline. Have you ever tried to be obedient and completely failed? I can't even count the times I have utterly failed in my obedience to Christ. The very reason I have failed is really so simple. I was trying to do it on my own. I was relying on my own power. I, I, I, ...

It is written I can do nothing but in all things Christ gives me strength. (Phil. 4:13) If I want to succeed I have to rely on the Power of CHRIST not myself! Otherwise I will always fail. It is written apart from me you will do nothing. (John 15:5). Praise the Lord, I have heard Your word! I Fear Not because My God will carry me when I am weak. It is written not weapon formed against you shall prosper. (Isaiah 54:17) No matter what this evil world throws at me My God has already won the battle.

The Spirit of Love. At first thought I gave myself an A in this category. Until Mike described this love as "selfless love" and "a love that loves the unlovable". My grade went from and A to F quick. BUT the best news is I can totally get there, not in my OWN strength but in HIS strength. I can learn to love unselfishly. I can learn to love when it harder than my next breath. I can exercise this kind of love when Christ is my focus and not myself. I Fear Not because God will carry me when my flesh fails!

A life of Self Control or Self Discipline would consist of the following:
a sensible mind, a sound mind, a controlled mind, being slow to anger and slow to respond. A life of self control starts by putting gates and guards on our ears, our mouths, out eyes, our minds, and our hearts. To live a life of self control we must take every thought captive. We must saturate our minds with things of Christ more than things of the world.

I left tonight encouraged even though I have a long list of areas in my life where I fall short. I left tonight laying all of it before God and asking Him for His power to overcome my flesh. I left tonight not walking in fear but in power and in belief that the God that parted the seas and that made the mountains and put every hair on my daughter's head is supplying me will all the tools I need to be obedient.

Thank you Jesus!