Blessings of Holiness
2 Timothy 1:3-12
2 Timothy 1:3-12
Introduction and prayer:
To understand and grasp what the apostle Paul is saying here, you have to understand the background of it’s writing.
The Apostle Paul is in prison. That is not unusual, many of Paul’s writings were done while he been locked up. But this is the last writings. He knows that he is not leaving this place alive.
The death row experience, he is writing his son in the gospel Timothy words of encouragement to be faithful.
I can picture Paul here, writing this letter and a big burly guard saying to him, whatever your writing, you better get it finished because soon we are going to take the long walk down the hall (kind of like the green mile) to your death.
Treated like a criminal, the only thing he did wrong was believe and serve Jesus Christ.
He is reminiscing his time with Timothy. reminding him of everything he needs to know because he will not be getting another chance.
2 Timothy 4:6-8
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who longed for his appearing.”
Encouraging Timothy
Looking back on his life
Fought the good fight.- hasn’t been easy, but I made it.
Finished the race.- Started, and with God’s help...will finish the race. Like the Nigerian runner who fell and injured himself and finished the race after everyone else. When asked why he didn’t just quit and try again another time. “My country did not send me here to start a race, they sent me here to finish the race.”
Kept the faith.- God’s grace, keeping me from false teachings, my faith is still in tact.
Notice that he is not reminiscing all the things that he owns or cool vacations that he took. He is reminiscing his relationships with people, and his relationship with God.
I have never sat with someone close to death that wanted to talk about processions, they always want to talk about relationships.
The Apostle tells Timothy that he comes from a long line of faith, and that by prayer and the laying on of his hands on Timothy that he believes it is in him too.
Paul tells him to fan into flame the gift of God, which is the Holy Spirit active and working in his life.
Key verse- v7
“For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self control”
“Religious people” can quote Scriptures. They know how to tell others how they should live.
“ Holy people” live the life of Christ. They want above all things to please God.
Paul told Timothy to fan the flame because he knew that if you don’t purposely keep the flame burning the flame will go out.
He understood that a lot of people feel like it is their ministry to throw water on other people’s fire. (In Jesus name)
We talked about this in Bible study - Jeremiah faced the same thing.
The burning desire to serve God must be more than the strain of the job we are doing or the fire will go out.
We cannot live the yo yo life.
He’s telling Timothy to fan the flame because being lukewarm is a dangerous place to be.
Let’s go back to the text.
For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline.
For God did not give us.. Who is us?
Each and everyone of us who claim the name of Jesus Christ as Lord.
1 John 4:4:
Greater is He that is in you , that he who is in the world.
Do you understand the power that comes from this truth.
The blessings of holiness is not about us. It is what the Lord can do with a willing vessel.
It is not about all the things you get rid of in your life. Quit this. Stopped that.
That is important and it needs to happen, but ut is not the main thing.
It is about what God does in and through your life.
There is only one way that you will not quit when the going gets tough.
When God controls more of your life than you do.
When you control it, pressures will cause you to want to quit. When He does, He gives us the strength that quitting is not an option.
We urgently need God to fan the flames in (1)our lives, (2)in our churches,(3) in our families.
When we cool off, there is nothing left bet dead ashes.
There are blessings for holy living.
There is the gift of life when God controls your life.
Remember the definition of Holiness:
It is a lifestyle.
It is God working in you and through you. Not perfect, unless perfect being that you accomplish what God intended for your life.
Here we go
I. Filled with power instead of bound by fear
You want to be dynamite or a caged scare animal.
The Bible refers to Satan as a roaring lion. Determined to bring down and discourage the people of God.
He tries to instill fear in them.
Fear to step out
Fear to share Jesus with others
Afraid of the future.
Dr. Diehl, our General Superintendent said fear was like a spider trying to spin a strand of fear around everything we try to do for God.
God’s Holy Spirit does not want us to live life that way. To be bound up and fearful. He wants to give us power to live Christlike.
Power to be holy in an unholy world. Power to live instead of being bound and dying.
I believe in prayer. I believe in being specific in prayer.
If that is you- right now ask God to break that web of fear that the enemy has tried to use and ask God for fresh power.
Pastor Jim Cymbala from New York’s Brooklyn Tabernacle says that “A decade of gadgets and gimmicks will never accomplish what God the Holy Spirit can do”
The Holy Spirit is greater today than all of our short comings and failures.
II. Filled with love instead of bound by bitterness
If power is the opposite of fear, than what is the opposite of love, it has to be hatred.
Were Nazarene’s Were Sanctified We would never have hate in our hearts.
Each one of us has been hurt by someone.
Each one of us had something happen to us that was out of our control or power.
doesn’t matter how holy you are, you will be and can be hurt.
If you don’t let that resentment go. It turns into bitterness. Bitterness turns into hatred.
Our holiness language says to “Put it on the altar”
Don’t picture the altar where you throw yourself like a piece of meat and God sends burning flames to consume your offering. Picture yourself coming to your Heavenly Father and realizing that He does everything with our best interest. He takes the pain and replaces it with His love.
III. Filled with self-control instead of bound by selfishness
Obvious, these are opposites. Self control is opposite selfishness.
Today in the economic turndown, it is even more easy for us to get selfish. The “mine “mentality.
If you are going to live the life God desires, you will have to be able to say yes to the right things and no to the wrong things.
Romans 8 tells us that”
“Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. It goes on to say-
“But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their mind set on what the Spirit desires”
Illustration (personal)
A while back, not many knew, but it was a real dry time for me. I struggled with the sermons, I struggled with attitudes of people I had to deal with. I often left the office to clear my head. At one point, it got so bad that I was at home at night and told Becky that I was going back up to the church. I didn’t know when I would be back home.
We all go through those dry times. You probably don’t want to hear that your pastor does too.
I went to the church that night and I had to get serious with God. No more Now I lay me down to sleep prayers, but desiring that God would change things.
For me as pastor, dryness was overwhelming. Messages weren’t coming, but Sunday was coming.
I had two things happen that may help you when you go through those times.
I got alone with God and got serious. I was tired of carrying it and I gave it to the Lord. In the quietness of Him and I - He gave me peace and assurance. I had been to the mountain. I was crying out to Him, My church, My messages. He said to me...That’s my church, their my messages. What a mountain top experience. What a release. I said thank you God, please forgive me. Then I said But you got some big problems, (I’ll take care of them)
Second, listen who God sends your way. (Make sure they are God’s message) 2 board members at different times and for different reasons shared their thoughts on some things that we were dealing with. Persuading and changing my approach.
Be careful, you want to be filled with self control and not bound by selfishness. Even if selfishness has good intentions.
Here is why I am saying this.
Maybe you’re here this morning and you have situations and problems that are overwhelming.
Pray right now and give it over to Jesus.
Closing:
I know Jesus.
I am a Sanctified believer,
But there are times when you feel anything but filled with holy power, God’s love, and self control.
There are times when the problems are too big and complex for you.
The blessing of holiness is not about you. The blessing is knowing that anxiety, pressure, even fear and hurts that have stolen your joy, peace, power, and sometimes love can be given back if you bring it to God on that mountain.
He rekindles the flame- even if this morning it had gone out, He is the spark needed.
Ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle that spark to make it a flame again.
Relinquish everything and everyone who has hurt you to Him this morning.
The Lord wants to give you three things- maybe more. He wants to give you power, love, and self control.
Altar Call:
