BIBLE PASSAGE:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
(2 Timothy 1:7)
MEDITATION:
The scriptures (and God) provide us with many promises, however
we have to trust these promises and take appropriate actions if we
expect to enjoy the blessings of the promises we are given. We also
have to avoid the things that prevent us from enjoying the blessings
of these promises.
As an example, some of the diseases of the body are self-inflicted.
Worry and anxiety can cause ulcers to develop. Overexertion can
sometimes cause a heart attack. We can get mental stress when
we have worries, fears, hatred, anger, envy, jealousy, etc.
So what should we do? We should read, meditate, and believe the
promises of God’s Word. When He says He has not given us a spirit
of fear, then we should not be afraid. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t
be cautious and avoid putting ourselves in danger. It means that we
should have confidence that God is with us at all times.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
(Hebrews 13:5)
When He says we are given a spirit of power, we should be aware
of the power of prayer. Prayer is the venue God has given us for
communicating with Him. Just as a car engine will not crank
without the power of the battery, we can find it difficult to function
without the power of prayer. Paul says to pray continually.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks
in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for
you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
When He says we are given a spirit of love, then we should not allow
things like bitterness, hatred, envy, anger, resentment, etc. to stifle the
flow of love through us. God gives us the ‘spirit’ of love so that it can
flow out from us to others. When we allow our love to flow freely, we
brighten the days of others and we develop a better and more positive
self-esteem.
When He says we are given a sound mind, then we need to fill our mind
with good things. A sound mind could also be considered as a mind with
wisdom. In order to achieve wisdom, we must fear God (have a healthy
respect for Him), we must ask Him for wisdom, and we must read His
Word in order to develop and cultivate wisdom.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to you.
(James 1:5)
If we expect to have a sound mind, then we need to avoid the things
that contribute to an unhealthy mind; things like lust, drugs, envy,
alcohol, jealousy, hatred, anger, etc. We need to also be aware that
Satan will try to convince us to avoid asking for wisdom. How can
he do that? By creating thoughts like,
“If God gives me wisdom, then He will have
greater expectations of righteous living in
my life, and I don’t think I can measure up
to those expectations”
That’s how he attacks us, isn’t it? He can create ideas in our
mind that sound like they have a positive ‘spin’, but the truth
is, he is steering us away from our faith and trust in what God
can do in our lives. He wants us to limit ourselves by trusting
in our own abilities, and excluding the power of God in our lives.
The scriptures say we have the mind of Christ. The person with the
Spirit makes good judgments about all things, but such a person is
not subject to merely human judgments, because…
“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as
to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
(1 Corinthians 2:15-16)
When we have the mind of Christ, we will have trust instead
of worry, love instead of hatred, and faith instead of fear.
ACTION:
Are you missing out on having the spirit of power, love and a sound
mind? What are you allowing to crowd these spirits out of your mind?
Wouldn’t you like to trade negative attitudes such as fear, hatred, and
worry, for positive attitudes like faith, trust, and love?
God’s Word tells us that we can make these ‘trades’, but not if we do
nothing. Rather than allowing Satan to influence your mind to a state
of ‘laziness’, choose instead to actively pursue righteousness through
prayer and bible reading.
Ignore Satan’s attempts to make you think that you are headed toward
being a religious fanatic (or weirdo), and focus on your eternal life – a
life where you will be with others with the same mindset as you. When
we focus on becoming more righteous, we need to realize that we will
not be liked by everyone. Why? because Jesus wasn’t liked by everyone.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”
(John 15:18)
You will be hated by everyone because of me,
but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
(Matthew 10:22)
We can choose to be loved by Christ, which promises life, or to be
loved by the world, which leads to death. Which have you chosen?
Which will you choose from this day forward?
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not
be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold
you with my righteous right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10)
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, You know how fear tries to overwhelm me,
and prevent me from experiencing a life of peace and joy. But,
when I remember Your gifts of power, love and a healthy mind,
You can give me confidence to face and overcome my fears by
trusting that You will be with me at all times. As a child would
call on his parent for protection, teach me to call on You to
protect me from the evil one and guide me in my pursuit of
righteousness. Help me to keep my mind on You so that Satan
cannot gain a foothold on my mind. Thank You Lord for the
promise of removing my fears and teaching me to love as Jesus
loves.”
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