2 Timothy 1:6-7 NKJV 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.
2 Timothy 1:7 is a verse often used out of context to preach a lot of different things regarding fear. I’ve twisted the context countless times myself. Though there are some other applications we can make from this Scripture at its root it is and encouragement from Paul to Timothy to be bold and confident in the ministry (doma) gift and calling that is in him and in exercising and using the various (charisma) gifts within him for the benefit of the Kingdom and to fulfill his calling as the Pastor in Ephesus and as a minister to the Body of Christ.
I’m so grateful for Paul’s letters to Timothy and especially Second Timothy, as I’ve received so much encouragement from this letter through the years. I’m also grateful for my pastor, Virgil Stokes, the Paul in my life who encouraged me in the gift, purpose, and calling in me when I doubted or couldn’t see it because I had let it settle under a heavy weight of the opinions of others, intimidation by those that are or sound more knowledgeable about things, and the other pressures of life and leadership. Like Paul, Pastor Virgil, would encourage me to remind myself of the call and of the moment I knew God called me into the ministry.
You may or may not be called into pulpit or the 5-fold ministry, but you are called a place of ministry. Every Believer is called into ministry and service in the Kingdom of God. We also can all have times where we lack the confidence or are timid and afraid of doing what we’ve been called to do. Sometimes it is a commitment factor and we fear the personal or time cost of the ministry. Either way, it is in remembering WHO has called us, WHO we serve and the moment WHEN He spoke to our heart about serving Him that will stir back up the passion and fervor to complete the task.
No matter what is before you to do; whether it is to clean the church, usher, work with youth, help with outreaches, or preach, you have the gifting to get the job done. The empowerment and the gifting came with the call. Fear Not!
Fearless Fridays 