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
The Inspiration:
This was Paul, the mentor, speaking to Timothy, the young protege. Paul would know what he was talking about, as he could recall his own experience of conversion and salvation. God's love and mercy reached out to Paul, took hold of him, and turned him completely around, so he could then be an effective tool in the hands of God to impact the world around him. For all who are saved now, the assignment has not changed: God is still looking for people He can take hold of, equip for assignment and then send out for impact. All that I need for the life of impact will be provided by the One who calls and sends out. Intellect, diction, elocution, education, earnings and influence are all good, but the one thing or person that makes them flow properly is the Spirit of God.
The Contention:
It is the Spirit of God that is the inspiration behind whatever good I see today. The verse above speaks to what God does and gives to all He sends out. The emphasis here is on what God gives and what He has not given; He has given us the spirit of power, love and a sound mind. He does not give the fear that cripples, but when a man receives grace to serve after having a personal encounter with God, the right kind of fear will be birthed in that man. Fear is not all bad; there is a good fear which a healthy knowledge of God will help sustain. God will never send out a man He has not prepared properly. God will always play His part by making adequate preparations for the platform He wants me to occupy, but there is a part for me to play, which is the surrender and total acceptance of God's will for me.
The Conclusion:
It is this surrender and acceptance that reflect the right response. God gives, and He has indeed given me all that I need for life and Godliness, but what have I now accepted? I may make any kind of claim, but by the fruit of my life, the truth about my response will be made clear. It is a fact that I need to sort out, in the light of what God's Word says. The Spirit of God is able, and wants to produce in me attributes and characters that reflect the nature of God, but He will not force Himself on anyone. This is a choice I must make freely, as I have the whole of eternity to live with the consequences of my choice. The impact of God's Spirit will be seen both internally and externally: power, love and a sound mind cannot but change the world for good. What have I received? God's time of favour is here.
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