| Yesterday's Bible Study |
In today's verse Paul writes to Timothy, whom he is training in ministry. Paul suspects that he will soon be executed by Emperor Nero, and he reminds Timothy that God did not give him a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and strength. If Paul could state these words with confidence from his prison cell, we know that he experienced them to be true. Today, we are also beneficiaries of this promise.
What does it mean to have a spirit of fear, and why is it so important that we fight it off? Think about something that you are afraid of. What causes you the most worry and anxiety? Now, think about who God is. He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnibenevolent (all-loving). There is nothing you can fear that is not in the charge of the Lord, and we can trust His actions because we know that He is loving. Even if our fears do come true, we can rest knowing that the Lord's love endures. Knowing the character of God helps us reject a spirit of fear.
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To replace our fear, we have power, love, and a sound mind. We have power through prayer … we have access to God almighty through our words! The Lord is always fighting for us; we are never left alone. We also have love through Jesus; we have experienced the love of God personally through our own salvation. We need only to look at the cross to remember His faithfulness to us. Finally, we have a sound mind, which is another way of saying "self-control." We have the ability through Jesus to resist sin and to continue to follow the Lord, especially when it is difficult.
When power, love, and a sound mind reign in the place of fear, we will become more and more like Jesus. Instead of worrying about the future or being anxious, we will be able to rest in His name. The Lord wants more for us than to fight against our own emotions. He welcomes us into full life with Him. Paul knew this was true as he sat in prison, and we can be assured of it today.
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