Sunday 3 June 2018

June 3: 2 Timothy 1:7

Key Verse: 2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Devotion:
God has not given us the spirit of timidity or cowardly fear. That is something we got from doing things wrong, from doing things against God’s rules. He did not put in us a spirit of fear because we were to rule over all the beasts of the earth. He did not put in us a spirit of rebellion; that came from someone who had already rebelled against God. He did not put in us the spirit of judgement, false teaching, nor many other parts of our lives. That sort of spirit has with it a trap, a snare.

He has instead given us the Holy Spirit as our power and might. A power which is above all and one which alone can fight the evil of the devil. It is that power which will guide us from those evil places and duties. It is that power which will guide us to do His will rather than Satan’s. It is that power which will give us the strength to resist the temptations. It is that power which will give us the strength to endure the hardships we may have to face because we dare to follow Christ.

He has given us the spirit of love. A love which transcends all others. A pure love. A gentle love. That love will bear fruit in ways we can only imagine. That love does not seek its own through pride or vanity but seeks to help others in every need. That love works towards the glory of God alone. When we are fired up with God’s love, it seems so easy to resist so much and work for God without ceasing.

And finally He has given us a sound mind. A mind which can distinguish between good and bad. A mind which can identify what is God’s will and what is not. An honest mind that works toward making us glorify God.

We are the ones who have invited all manner of things into our lives which continue to erode at the spirit God gave us in the beginning. We are the ones who work against God. We are the ones trapped in a world which needs people to stand up and proclaim God so they can find their true spirit again.

Points to Ponder:
Who do you look up to in life?

How much do you work with God’s Spirit?