Today’s Encouragement is 2 Timothy 1:7 ESV for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
God gave us –
Done deal. He has already given it to us, it’s ‘past tense’. Not maybe, not if we’re good enough, not if we serve Him long enough… it’s undeserved! A Gift! Which our loving, all-powerful Father has already given – to everyone who believes!
A spirit is sometimes defined as “the sentient element in man, that by which he perceives, reflects, feels, desires”. (Vines) His Spirit dwelling within us, is what leads us in His Way, gently whispers, this is the way, God’s way.
His Spirit has the nature of Power, Love, and Self-Control. (I know, I know… this is hard to believe) … And it is already within us!
So, this verse says, as a free undeserved gift, God gave (already) us a Spirit, which (now) lives in us, which has Power (since this is from God, it has to be Godly power for Good!) and of Love – which is God’s character… He IS Love (1 John 4:8) and perhaps the hardest to conceive… Self-Control.
My friends, first we must believe in Jesus! And then we can begin to learn and believe the many blessings and promises of God, such as this one, which are now ours as His loved people. Some deny these promises and so can never blessed by them, but some accept and embrace His wonderful promises, and accept His gifts, such as this verse describes… and so begin to live spiritual lives!
It’s all in our hands, our decision, our willingness, or refusal to accept the Truth, which God’s word reveals.
Do we truly have this Spirit within us? Is this Truth? Even though we don’t understand it fully, can we accept it by Faith?
Father God, thank You for Your Word, for the Truth You have given us. And we ask for greater Faith to believe, accept, and embrace all the gifts that You have (already) given to us.
Not by Might
Leslie Phillips & Matthew Ward
Today’s Encouragement 