Stir up the Gifts
Theme:
Text: 1 Timothy 1:1-8
1 ¶ 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, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 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. 8 Be not thou there-fore 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;
Introduction
Can’t you just feel the love and affection that Paul has for Timothy in these verses? Many times in his writings to Timothy, Paul refers to himself as his “spiritual father”. Paul met him on one of his missionary journey’s to Lystra. Timothy was already a solid Christian because of the faith of his mother and grandmother and despite of his Greek believing father.
Soon Paul and Timothy would travel together. Paul and Timothy became very close. Paul acted as an mentor to the ministry of Timothy. Timothy was young and timid and needed someone to lift him up and carry him.
As I have told you before Timothy reminds me of myself. I thank God for the many men who have become my mentors over the years. Men who I can lean on. Men who I can trust. Men who have experience who I can go to with advice. We all need someone like that.
Anyway after a while Timothy picks up his own ministry in Ephesus and Paul continues his missionary journeys, encouraging the churches. Paul wrote 1 Timothy to Timothy and Titus as a guide for the church.
2 Timothy was written from a Roman prison. Here Paul is writing his finally memories. Soon he would be beheaded. This is why you feel so much affection between these two leaders in the early church. You feel such a connection. Paul is desiring to once again see Timothy. It seems from the scripture that he made it just before he was beheaded.
Paul here is wanting to give some spiritual advice to a young minister. I don’t mean young by the age but I also mean young by the maturity in the ministry.
Stir up the Gifts
So now we come to verse 6.
1 Timothy 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. 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;
Paul is reminded Timothy of his calling. This calling was not placed in him or put in him by man but is a divine calling for Christ himself. This calling was affirms and gifts were transferred by the “laying on of hands”.
James tells us that it is connected with physical healing. In the book of Acts we see that often times in scripture that people were baptized in the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. Here and in 1 Timothy 4:14 we see that laying on of hands was used to impart a spiritual gift. 1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
This is something we don’t need to be afraid of. It also explains why many times when a person comes for prayer automatically people begin to lay hands on them.
Yet Paul’s main focus is to Timothy to “stir up the gift.” These words can mean two things, both are powerful. 1. “to keep blazing and to keep the flame of fire burning”. 2. “to rekindle and to restir the flame”. It is not that the flame has gone out but that it needs some stirring up. It needs some rekindling.
Oh if we could only grasp this truth in our lives. Seeing that it is so easy to let that fire in our lives die down. To let that gift just become smoldering ashes. But we are challenged by the word to “keep that fire blazing” and if it has come to only smoldering ashes to “rekindle the fire”.
I don’t believe you ever lose the potential of fire in our spirits. It is something there that nags at you and reminds you of the fire. But it is there. Some just need to stir it up while others need to rekindle that fire. But let me give you hope today it can be done. It is not dead. Oh how God wants to light your fire.
Which Gifts?
It could be any number of gifts listed in scripture. We know that the Bible speaks of 9 spiritual gifts found in 1 Cor 12:8-10 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
He could also be talking about the ministry gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12:28.
BE Underwood the author of the famous book called Spiritual Gifts breaks them down into two categories: ministry & manifestations.
Ministry Gifts Romans 12:6-8
a) equipping gifts
apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher
b) body ministry gifts
exhorter, teacher, helps (service), administration(governments), benevolence (mercy),
giving and hospitality, etc. (although all could be included in these seven)
Manifestation Gifts 1 Cor. 12:6-8, 28 (mixed)
word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues
The important part is not the gift or the person receiving the gift but the fact that it is used to God’s full potential.
I told the church a couple of weeks ago that a church goes lacking when it people are not obeying the spirit of God and using the gifts that God has given us to use.
Paul tells us in 1Cor 12:31 to “desire the best gifts”. In other words we are to desire that God’s gift for us be used to its fullest potential. Oh how important that is. He tells us again in I Cor 14:1 to “desire spiritual gifts.” Don’t let people convince you that the gifts that God has given us today are not for today’s church. They are still active.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
Why people lose that fire?
1. Sin. Sin can dampen the fire of the Holy Ghost as quick as it come. God will not dwell in a unclean temple. Where sin is God has to back away.
2. Compromise. Many people want God for eternal life yet they don’t want God to change their life. Oh God just don’t want to be a part of your life to send you to heaven. To me that is only half the joy. Yet the complete joy is a changed life, a changed attitude, and a changed outlook.
3. Worry.
4. Time.
5. Busyness.
How to regain that fire?
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Get back into the word
4. Praise and Worship
I used to be afraid that we would get too emotional in our services. In other words it would be all emotion and not all praise to the Lord. And I know it happens but I think that if we are not careful we miss when God wants to stir that gift in us. We sit back and judge everyone else, “Are they in the flesh?” Are they too emotional? And miss the blessing of God.
One person said that “Wildfire is better than no fire”. I think in my life I am leaning closer to that wild fire.
Conclusion
What I have come by to tell you today is that God is wanting to stir up that gift in your life. Just two weeks ago God showed us what would happen if we would allow him to move in our lives. If we would allow him to take control in our spirits. If we would allow him to release the gifts that he has given us. To stir that fire.
Listen to what he tells Timothy:
2Timothy 2:7 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,
Our main motivating factor for not stirring up the gifts. Either we are afraid of wild fire, or we are thinking what others think. Yet God says that you are not the only one missing a blessing when don’t operate the gifts of God. You are missing an opportunity to edify the church.
