2 Timothy 1:5-7
Introduction
Fear is something we all experience, so we must decide how we are going to handle it. As Timothy learned from his mentor Paul, the spirit of fear does not come from God, and anything that does not come from God, we should resist. It is helpful to remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but the refusal to give in to it. To be courageous, we need to face our fears so they will not limit us. In Scripture, God promises to deliver us from all our fears (Ps 34:4). This does not mean we will not have any fears, but we can make a decision to trust God because we know deliverance is available. It is often required for us to trust and tremble at the same time.
Instead of fear, God gave power to every believer when we trusted Christ as our Savior. Often, we do not realize what is already in us. God in us is greater than those who are in the world, so we should not be afraid of the world or the enemy. God also gave us love. Even when we were still sinners, He loved us (Rom 5:8). God’s perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Lastly, God gave us a sound mind. A person with a sound mind has discipline and self-control. A mind focused on God will be marked by peace (Isa 26:3). So, it matters what we think and talk about! If we are not talking about what is true and what we know from Scripture, we should not say it. Doing so can stir up fear in our hearts. We want to stir up the gift of God, not fear, in ourselves and others (2 Tim 1:6).
Getting Started
- What are some of the top fears people have today?
- What happens when someone has the courage to stand up to a bully? Have you ever done that?
Let’s Get Personal
- Think about a time when you allowed fear to limit you. What kept you from trusting God in that situation?
- What are you thinking about and meditating on most of the time? How is that affecting you?
- Do you have peace in your life and mind? If not, why not?
Take the Next Step
- What steps do you need to take to resist fear and trust God? Choose one of the Scripture verses from today’s message and memorize it this week to remind you of the truth about fear.
- How do you need to change what you think about and talk about so you can have the peace of God (Philippians 4:6-7)? Begin to seek peace through continual prayer this week.
- Want to dig deeper? Take a look at the following passages: Psalm 23:4; 27:3; 34:4; Proverbs 23:7; 29:25; Isaiah 26:3; 41:10; Matthew 6:33; Luke 24:49; John 14:27; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:8; Philippians 4:6-7; James 1:8, 17; 4:7; 2 Peter 1:2-3; 1 John 4:8, 18-19
Renew Your Mind
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
