40 Days of Encouragement
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of Encouragement
Day 8 | FAN THAT FLAME WITH NO FEAR
40 Days of Encouragement
Day 8 | FAN THAT FLAME WITH NO FEAR
FAN THAT FLAME WITH NO FEAR
2 Timothy 1:6-7
“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT)
Every Believer in Christ has received a spiritual gift. They are varied and designed to be used in the church with other believers to provide – via the Holy Spirit – all the talents needed to make a local church work well.
In this last letter to the young pastor, Timothy, Paul was encouraging him (and us too) to USE the spiritual gift he had received from the Holy Spirit. And he gives the picture of fanning a flame in a firepit to make it bigger, hotter, and more effective.
Sometimes though, we are timid when it comes to ministering to others. We are not always sure of ourselves or don’t know what to say or do when we’re in a position to help a brother or sister in Christ. We want to help but are being discouraged (by who, I wonder?) from boldly using what we have received… to minister the spiritual gift we have received from the Holy Spirit. We want to be effective, of course but are often afraid that we’ll goof up or not be appreciated, practical, or even pleasing to the Lord.
Let me say this… the problem I think most Believers have is NOT being ineffective but rather, letting the enemy of our faith talk them out of exercising their gift to another Believer.
I can almost hear the enemy: “Play it safe.” “Don’t embarrass yourself.” “You weren’t invited to do (this or that).” “You’re not a pastor.” And on and on.
Let me say… don’t be afraid! That spirit of FEAR you are feeling is NOT from God, for He "has not given us the spirit of fear but power, love, and self-discipline."
Prayer: LORD, help me to remember this verse and repeat it when I feel afraid to minister my gift to others in the Christian family. Amen.
2 Timothy 1:6-7
“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT)
Every Believer in Christ has received a spiritual gift. They are varied and designed to be used in the church with other believers to provide – via the Holy Spirit – all the talents needed to make a local church work well.
In this last letter to the young pastor, Timothy, Paul was encouraging him (and us too) to USE the spiritual gift he had received from the Holy Spirit. And he gives the picture of fanning a flame in a firepit to make it bigger, hotter, and more effective.
Sometimes though, we are timid when it comes to ministering to others. We are not always sure of ourselves or don’t know what to say or do when we’re in a position to help a brother or sister in Christ. We want to help but are being discouraged (by who, I wonder?) from boldly using what we have received… to minister the spiritual gift we have received from the Holy Spirit. We want to be effective, of course but are often afraid that we’ll goof up or not be appreciated, practical, or even pleasing to the Lord.
Let me say this… the problem I think most Believers have is NOT being ineffective but rather, letting the enemy of our faith talk them out of exercising their gift to another Believer.
I can almost hear the enemy: “Play it safe.” “Don’t embarrass yourself.” “You weren’t invited to do (this or that).” “You’re not a pastor.” And on and on.
Let me say… don’t be afraid! That spirit of FEAR you are feeling is NOT from God, for He "has not given us the spirit of fear but power, love, and self-discipline."
Prayer: LORD, help me to remember this verse and repeat it when I feel afraid to minister my gift to others in the Christian family. Amen.
Recent
Categories
Archive
2025
January
40 DAYS OF NEW - 0340 DAYS OF NEW - 0440 DAYS OF NEW - 0540 DAYS OF NEW - 0640 DAYS OF NEW - 0740 DAYS OF NEW - 0840 DAYS OF NEW - 0940 DAYS OF NEW - 1040 DAYS OF NEW - 1140 DAYS OF NEW - 1240 DAYS OF NEW - 1340 DAYS OF NEW - 1440 DAYS OF NEW - 1540 DAYS OF NEW - 1640 DAYS OF NEW - 1740 DAYS OF NEW - 1840 DAYS OF NEW - 1940 DAYS OF NEW - 2040 DAYS OF NEW - 2140 DAYS OF NEW - 2240 DAYS OF NEW - 2340 DAYS OF NEW - 2440 DAYS OF NEW - 25
February
40 DAYS OF NEW - 2640 DAYS OF NEW - 2740 DAYS OF NEW - 2840 DAYS OF NEW - 2940 DAYS OF NEW - 3040 DAYS OF NEW - 3140 DAYS OF NEW - 3240 DAYS OF NEW - 3340 DAYS OF NEW - 3440 DAYS OF NEW - 3540 DAYS OF NEW - 3640 DAYS OF NEW - 3740 DAYS OF NEW - 3840 DAYS OF NEW - 3940 DAYS OF NEW - 4040 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0140 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0240 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0340 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0440 DAYS OF PROMISE - 05
March
40 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0640 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0740 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0840 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0940 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1040 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1140 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1240 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1340 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1440 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1540 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1640 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1740 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1840 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1940 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2040 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2140 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2240 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2340 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2440 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2540 DAYS OF PROMISE - 26
April
40 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2740 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2840 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2940 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3040 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3140 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3240 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3340 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3440 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3540 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3640 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3740 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3840 DAYS OF PROMISE - 3940 DAYS OF PROMISE - 4040 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0140 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0240 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0340 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0440 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0540 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0640 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0740 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 08
May
40 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 0940 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1040 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1140 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1240 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1340 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1440 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1540 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1640 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1740 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1840 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 1940 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 2040 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 2140 MORE DAYS OF JOY - 22