Unfeigned Faith-Fan the Flame.
2 Timothy 1:3-7KJV
Paul wrote 2 Timothy from prison while awaiting his execution. He only had a short time left before his death, so he penned this profoundly personal letter full of intense affection and concern for his beloved companion and protégé.
Paul knew that Timothy faced an enormous responsibility in leading the church, and he wanted to encourage Timothy to stand firm in safeguarding the gospel and spreading the message of salvation in Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy is kind of a Last-Will-In-Testament: Paul final words- All scripture is God breathed. -Preach the word. -My departure is at hand.
2 Timothy 1:3-7KJV 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.
I want us to explore these first few verses from, 2 Timothy farther, and see what we glean.
Again, 2 Timothy 1:3TPT You know that I’ve been called to serve the God of my fathers with a clean conscience. Night and day I pray constantly for you, building a memorial for you with my prayers.
Notice, Paul’s heart for his protégé...Night and day I pray for you, with a clear conscience.
Again, 2 Timothy 1:3TPT You know that I’ve been called to serve the God of my fathers with a clean conscience. Night and day I pray constantly for you, building a memorial for you with my prayers.
Notice, Paul’s heart for his protégé...Night and day I pray for you, with a clear conscience.
The first thing to glean is Paul and Timothy’s spiritual connection. -I pray night and day for you... Number 1. Prayer was mutual.
The Passion Translation, 2 Timothy 1:3...I’m building a memorial for you with my prayers.
A memorial prayer, is a prayer that includes everything in it, that would state/declare how special this person is/was to you. It would name that persons faith, love and integrity. How genuine he or she is, plus it might include a persons interest such as, sports, wood-working, or maybe building-up people. (You can go online and download a memorial prayer usually written, in poetic form.
Again, 1. Paul is praying for Timothy.
2. Paul writes about his great desire to see Timothy. -To fellowship!
The early church was birthed from fellowship. A fellowship requires gathering, worshiping, eating, and building each other up.
2 Timothy 1:4TPT I know that you have wept for me, your spiritual father, and your tears are dear to me. I can’t wait to see you again! I’m filled with joy.
Timothy, our feelings are mutual, “Thank you for praying for me with tears, you are so dear to me.”
Paul displays his emotions as he writes Timothy, Verse 4b...I can’t wait to see you again! I’m filled with joy.
2 Timothy 1:5TPT as I think of your strong faith that was passed down through your family line. It began with your grandmother Lois, who passed it on to your dear mother, Eunice. And it’s clear that you too are following in the footsteps of their godly example.
3. Your faith in God will leave a legacy.
Just like Lois, and Timothy’s grandmother, and his dear mother, Eunice.
-Timothy’s faith will leave a legacy.
Rick Warren writes in “The Purpose Driven Life,” I have been at the bedside of many people in their final moments, when they stand on the edge of eternity, and I have never heard anyone say, “Bring me my diplomas! I want to look at them one more time. Show me my awards, my medals, that gold watch I was given.” When life on earth is ending, people don’t surround themselves with objects. What we want around us is people – people we love and have relationships with. In our final moments we all realize that relationships are what life is all about. Wisdom is learning that truth sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until you’re on you’re deathbed to figure out that nothing matters more.” – p. 126
Again, the KJ, Unfeigned, genuine; sincere.
So you say you want to leave a legacy:
To possess unfeigned faith, genuine; sincere faith passed down from generations. Following the foot prints of the godly before you. In return, you will leave a legacy.
Listen to the scripture reference I choose for unfeigned faith.
Luke 9:1-3TPT “Jesus summoned together his twelve apostles and imparted to them authority over every demon and the power to heal every disease. Then he commissioned them to proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal the sick to demonstrate that the kingdom had arrived. As he sent them out, he gave them these instructions: “Take nothing extra on your journey. Just go as you are. Don’t carry a staff, a backpack, food, money, not even a change of clothes.”
Jesus was commissioning His 12 disciples to pack-lite. Work hard, leave nothing on the table, give your best, love loud, and always believe. -And that my friend is what Paul wrote to Timothy in, 2 Timothy 1:5. -P.H
Say, “unfeigned faith.” Hebrews 11, unfeigned- faith!
Prime example- Hebrews 11:1-3TPT Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. 2This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for. 3Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
So far what have I mentioned in these three points.
a). Paul’s Love for Timothy.
b). Timothy’s prayers for Paul.
c). Genuine faith. And how does faith operate? By grace.
Thus, A people of Love, Prayer and Grace!
2 Timothy 1:6TPT I’m writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you.
4. Paul commands Timothy, Stir up God’s gift.
“As a believer you need to know that there is anointing, authority and spiritual power in your hands.” P.H
Again, from the initial text, 2 Timothy 1:6KJV 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.
The Greek word translated “stir up” denotes the kindling of a fire, as by bellows.
Anyone who has ever tended a campfire knows that stirring up the glowing embers of a dying fire can cause those embers to flame up again and burn more brightly.
Timothy was to see to it that his spiritual gift did not grow cold through disuse; he was to “stir it up” and keep the fire going.
1 Timothy 4:14ESV Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
Listen, Never neglect the gift you have.
1 Timothy 4:14TPT Don’t minimize the powerful gift that operates in your life, for it was imparted to you by the laying on of hands of the elders and was activated through the prophecy they spoke over you.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11NKJV Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Say, “Stir up the gift of God!”
When Jesus told His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem, He was actually stating, “Tarry in your gifts, Tarry in joy, Tarry in your fruit, Tarry in fellowship! This thought came to me, “These 120 followers of Jesus Tarried/Waited in the Upper-Room filled with gifts and fruit already given to them.”
5. Paul told Timothy to refuse to cave into fear.
2 Timothy 1:7AMP For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].
1 John 4:18-19NKJV There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.
So the Holy Spirit living in me-builds me up, encourages me, prays for me, teaches me, comforts me, The Holy Spirit is my battle ax.
Jeremiah 51:20NKJV “You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: For with you I will break the nation in pieces; With you I will destroy kingdoms;
“I don’t think we have to break nations into pieces, but we do need to take authority, knowing God is our battle ax over mountains and molehills that develop in our lives!” P.H
Benediction. Proclaim: According to Jeremiah 51:20,God is my battle ax.
