Timothy And The “Spirit Of Fear”

2Tim.1:7] For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
[8] Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

The Apostle Paul writes unto Timothy in the second epistle to “be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.” The question is; what was Timothy’s ‘ailment’ all about, and didn’t Paul say earlier that he had “no man likeminded” when writing unto the Philippians. And why does Paul give exhortation unto Timothy to “be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord?” Timothy was lacking a very vital component to godliness, and even though he wad preaching to the Lost, and establishing Churches, he himself  lacked the capstone component to godliness which is selfless love taught to him by the Lord Jesus Christ, and Paul as well. And the Apostle Paul knew first hand about this ailment, the Lord gave unto Paul exhortation when He said unto Paul in Acts 18:

Acts18:9] Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

[10] For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

Moreover, the ailment of being “ashamed,” and “afraid,” is common for the faithful Saints who desire to be a living sacrifice. And when the faithful Saints begin to ‘desire’ to “live godly,” they too will  have the “spirit of fear,” this is the common response from our “outward man,” and the “old man,” knowing that this world will not only reject what we are saying, and think that we have ‘lost our minds,’ but that there will be a ‘separation’ even by those whom we love. But we must understand and fully appreciate that they are not rejecting us, they are rejecting our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, and when we have the “spirit of fear within us; we too are rejecting Him, and are “offended” because of Him, whether we know it or not.

Matt11:6] And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Matt.26:31] Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

[32] But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

[33] Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

[34] Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

[35] Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Furthermore, the Apostles also had this ailment,  they too lacked the selfless love component to godliness, they knew ‘what’ the Lord meant about what following Him would require of them, but they didn’t know the ‘how’ yet. They knew that persecution unto death was part of the ministry as we see in verse 35, but because of the “spirit of fear,” they were “offended because of” our Lord.  And we too will experience this phase of Satan’s attack unto “all that will live godly.” But Satan himself is not physically going after the Saints today, but it is the way, will, and life of this world that he ‘charted’ to “shipwreck” the faith of the “faithful.” And we know that this world operates upon his “power of the air,” and we know that they do not love, nor do they know our Lord Jesus Christ as we do.

2Tim.1:11] Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

[12] For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

[13] Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, Paul and our Lord gave unto them the key component to godliness, and that is “love,” but not as this world loves, or our love for the Lord because He died for us, but “much more;” and that is according to His Love, which is selfless! And notice what Paul says in 2Tim.1:7, that God has “not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” And notice that Paul says that we are “given” us “power,” and “love,” and a “sound mind.” This isn’t just “poured into us” by God, but we have ‘the blueprint’ so to speak, we are “given” within the Word of God the ‘how’ we too can operate upon His selfless love, His Power, and possess the Spiritual sound mind according to His will.

2Tim.1:13] Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

[14] That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

[15] This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

[16] The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

And so, notice what Paul says in verses 13 and 14, he wants Timothy to “hold fast the form of sound words,” but do this in “faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” That is His Love, not what Timothy thought was love, this is why Paul gives Onesiphorus as an ensample of ‘how’ a godly son operated upon the selfless love of Christ, but Paul knew that Timothy ‘knew’ the doctrine, Paul taught it unto him, he saw first hand, but Timothy was afraid, and did not desire to be a living sacrifice, and partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. We too are going to be rejected by this world, and this will come unto by even them whom we love dearly, but this is where the doctrine of a “living sacrifice” becomes a ‘living reality,’ but we too must “stir up the gift of God,” and see the “power” of the gospel, ‘knowing’ that this is our opportunity to operate upon His selfless love, His Power in “the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.” And we must understand and fully appreciate that this world will view all that “will live godly” as “fools,” and as ‘out of place,’ but whether they will hear, and believe, or separate themselves from us, we are told by our Father’s Word that we too must ‘draw the line in the sand’ so to speak when He says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

[18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

Finally, the question is; ‘who’ do we serve, this world, or the One who saved us, and given us His Word, and Power, and His Love, or do we continue to serve this world, and continue to carry its spirit of what is “acceptable” unto it, and the people who walk according to its will. And we too will have the spirit of fear, but it will eventually be “put off” by those who desire to live godly, and knowing ‘how’ is key to understand. And it is found in the Word of God, and in the faithful Saints, and by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father. This is what Paul teaches to Timothy and us in verses 10-11 below, we are to understand what selfless love ‘looks like.’ Paul says, ‘you see my life, teach it to others,’ and notice Paul says that Timothy has “fully known,” Timothy too knew the ‘what’ of the gospel according to godliness, but he hadn’t yet learned the ‘how,’ which is ‘losing his life,’ as a living sacrifice. Timothy had not learned to not have so much “care for” his flesh, his heart’s desire, this world’s thinking, and what they love, but he himself would learn what selfless is all about, and no longer operate upon the spirit of fear for Christ’s sake.

2Tim.1:6] Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

[7] For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2Tim.3:10] But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

[11] Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

[12] Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Rod Jones