Power, Love, and a Sound Mind

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Background: When Paul wrote the epistle or letter we know as 2 Timothy, his life had drastically changed. Abandoned by his friends, he writes what is known to be his last letter to Timothy. It was a more personal letter to encourage his young colleague, his “son” in the faith, who is facing challenges to remain fearless in the suffering and faithful in the ministry.

One of the top struggles for men and women is fear. It is not surprising that the most repeated command in the Bible is “fear not.” There are three types of fear mentioned in God’s Word: holy fear (Deuteronomy 6:13), healthy fear (Matthew 10:28 – There are some things that can be dangerous!), and hurtful fears. This last one is the kind referenced in our month’s memory verse. This fear comes from Satan and our own flesh. At its essence we will find fear is when we do not trust God to protect us.

Fear is the number one reason why we hesitate to share God’s love with others. Satan will use fear to keep you from acting on faith when God speaks to your heart to do something. The great deceiver will use fear to diminish your trust in Jesus Christ. When we give into the fears of the future, we are not trusting our God who is already there.

There are circumstances in this sin-sick, broken world that our humanness justifiably tells us we should be afraid of, BUT we are a child of the God. The One who created the universe, and in His omniscient power, He knows exactly what is going on and has complete control.

At the moment of salvation, God gave us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. One of the Holy Spirit’s ministries is to give us the power to live holy lives. This verse explains that in place of fear, the Spirit gives us:

Power – Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to not give in to temptation. In this case, the temptation of fear.

Love – The love of Christ in us will give us a love for our Savior, His gospel, and those around us. That perfect love will keep us from fearing man, Satan, death, and things to come. (1 John 4:18)

Sound mind – We choose to have a sound mind (self-control) by not giving in to our fleshly desires (even when it doesn’t look good!) but letting the Holy Spirit control us.

We all deal with fear, but we do not have to live in bondage to it. God wants us to cast our burdens on Him (Psalm 55:22), to run to Him (Psalm 34:4), and to take refuge in His secure arms (Psalm 91:4). Replace those fearful thoughts with the promises of God. Say these verses out loud if needed until the peace of God calms you. We have the ability to face each day with boldness because of our confidence in the Lord Jesus.

Dear Lord, please deliver me from any fears I may have in my life. Help me to allow the Holy Spirit to fill me with Your power and love and to control my whole life – my emotions, my reactions and responses, and my heart. Give me the courage to live boldly for You. Help me to see life from Your perspective.

Cross references: Romans 8:15; Galatians 5:22-23 

What is your favorite verse on not being afraid? What fearless character in the Bible is your favorite?