Feed Your Faith, Not Your Fear

FEED YOUR FAITH, NOT YOUR FEAR

2 Timothy 1:1-7

2 Timothy 1:1 (NKJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

INTRO. When I was about 5, I had a nightmare one night and dreamed that a robot was chasing me around our house. We had hardwood floors and I was only wearing socks. So, naturally I was slipping and sliding trying to get away from the robot who was trying to catch me. It was scary!

Fast forward two years, I had another nightmare. This one seemed so very real to me. Now remember, I had grown up in church. I had heard the Bible stories. I knew that Jesus loved me and died on the cross for me and rose from the dead for me. However, I had never appropriated what I had heard and had never repented of my sin nor trusted Jesus Christ to be my Savior.

But on that night, I dreamed that I was going to hell. The flames of hell were hot and the agony of those in hell was great. I woke up in tears and called for my dad. I told him that I needed to be saved. There at my bedside, only 7 years of age, I repented of my sin and asked the Lord Jesus to save me. I have never had a nightmare about hell since and I’m grateful for that.

However, I have had other moments of fear in my life. Perhaps you have too. Have any of you been afraid that your company for whom you work would close? Or perhaps that you would lose your job? Have you ever been afraid that you wouldn’t have anything to eat? Have you ever been afraid of going to the dentist or the doctor? Have you ever been afraid of what the X-ray or the CT scan or the MRI might reveal?

The global unrest we’re experiencing, the coronavirus pandemic, the shakiness of our once robust economy certainly causes us to be concerned. But we don’t have to feed our fear, let’s feed our faith. David said,

Psalm 56:3 (NKJV) Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Paul writes this letter to his son in the faith, Timothy. It was a difficult time for ministry in the life of Timothy, AND for the Apostle Paul. Timothy was having trouble in the church at Ephesus where he served, and Paul was in prison. So, the letters of 1 and 2 Timothy are God’s words of encouragement when we face fearful times.

So, when we face times of fear. You may not be afraid now because you have 100 rolls of toilet paper and a case of Ramen noodles. But when we DO FACE FEAR, we must learn how to FEED OUR FAITH and NOT our fears. How can we feed our faith and not our fears? You feed your faith:

1. THROUGH THE WILL OF GOD v.1a

2 Timothy 1:1 (NKJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

Everything Paul did since his conversion was because of following the will of God for his life. Nothing happens to us but what God knows about it in advance. Mark Lowry said, “Did it ever occur to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?” He knows about it before it ever happens AND He allows it for our good and His glory.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

2. THROUGH THE WAY OF THE SON v. 1b

2 Timothy 1:1 (NKJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

The way of Jesus is life! That’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He offers life, by His grace (undeserved forgiveness and justification) & mercy (deliverance from sin and the death we deserve) and gives us peace!