No Fear!

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2Tim 1:7).

“No Fear!” You’ve probably seen it on the back window of a pickup truck, the back of a t-shirt, or on skateboard. It’s actually a brand focused on folks who love extreme sports like BASE jumping, rock climbing, or windsurfing. It’s all based on taking adventurous chances and hanging your life out over the edge. It’s radical. Rebellious. High risk, high reward. 

But long before anyone pulled on the first wing suit and jumped headfirst off a cliff, a man named Paul wanted us to know Jesus calls His followers to live an extreme life of no fear. “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (v7). In the final months of his own life, the apostle writes to his protege Timothy. With his own death on the doorstep, Paul encourages Tim to go for it. God has given each one of us His gifts. Don’t be shy. We’re to use them with courage, with power, with love, and with focus. 

No fear!

If you’re familiar with the little book of 2nd Timothy, you know it’s really not a book at all. It’s a letter from one friend to another. From a mentor to a student. From a spiritual father to his spiritual son. A real letter from a real person in a real place to another real person who’s dealing with real problems. This is no pie-in-the-sky-sweet-bye-and-bye, warm and fuzzy fable. 

Paul writes from prison. Specifically, from Death Row. History tells us he’s a dead man walking in Rome’s notorious Mamertine Prison. The apostle knows full well his appointment with the executioner is right around the corner (2Tim 4:6-7). His conscience is clear and he has no regrets (2Tim 1:3). He desperately hopes to stoke the fire of Tim’s faith in his own final days (2Tim 1:6). You see, the hotter our faith in Christ burns, the more our fear of failure fades.

No fear!

Paul begins by reminding Tim, “For God gave us not a spirit of fear” (v7). In other words, let’s begin by talking about what He did NOT give us. Specifically, fear. This isn’t the usual Greek word for fear (Gr. phobos). Instead, he pulls the wrapper off a shiny new term we don’t see anywhere else in the entire Bible. It’s deilia, which describes a a shameful lack of courage, cowardice, or timidity. It comes from a root word meaning dread. 

This is the kind of fear that freezes us in our tracks. Fear that freaks us out to the point that we don’t do anything. Fear that immobilizes. It’s certainly okay to do the wise thing and analyze the situation. We need to do that. But when analysis becomes paralysis, we’ve got a problem. Let’s be clear. I’m talking directly to the dude who’s hands on the keyboard right now. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve failed to act because of a lack of courage or confidence. 

The apostle reminds you, me, and Tim that anytime we have a “spirit of fear” (v7), it didn’t come from God. Don’t miss that. Not. From. God. Well, if it’s not from our wonderful Heavenly Dad who only gives good gifts (James 1:5, 17), then who’s the source? You get three guesses and the first two don’t count. I’m pretty sure we can pin this one on Satan. Yup, that’ right. The devil. Jesus Himself said our enemy’s number one mission is to “steal and kill and destroy” (Jn 10:10). I can’t think of a better way to short circuit the overflowing life Christ has for us than to freeze us in fear and doubt.

Before we move on and look at what God does give each one of Jesus’ followers, let’s not forget we worship One who is lavishly generous. He is the Great Giver. Paul drops a word here we translate as give (Gr. didomi) which means to entrust something of advantage or benefit, furnish, supply, assign, grant, bestow, or invest. It’s giving something of value, like depositing money with a banker. Let’s review just a few of His blessings. God gave us a fabulous universe to enjoy. He gave us life. The Father gave His Son for us. His Son gave His life for us. His Son gave His Spirit to us. His Spirit gave His gifts to us. The Great Giver gave and keeps on giving. And He wants us to be generous givers in His image.

Specifically, God gives us the Triple Crown of “power and love and self-control” (v7). In other words, God’s gifts are to be used with courage, with power, with love, and with focus. Don’t by shy in using them. Don’t doubt that God can use you. Don’t hesitate when you can do something good for someone else. And when you do, be focused with His gifts in order to do the most good. Power. Love. Self-control.

No fear!

“Power” (Gr. dunamis) is absolutely one of Paul’s favorite words. It seems like you’ll find it on just about every page of his letters to believers in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colossae, and Thessalonica. Interestingly, he doesn’t use it when writing his personal notes to Titus or Philemon. Only Timothy. Apparently Tim was timid. He clearly didn’t feel very powerful. I know there are plenty of times I don’t exactly feel like a tower of power myself. But remember, God didn’t give us a wimpy spirit. That’s just the enemy up to his devilish dirty tricks.

The Lord preps us for a life of fearless love. Once again, the apostle uses another one of his go-to terms: agape. This is far from a warm and fuzzy feeling. While there’s certainly an emotional side to it, God calls us to love that does. A love in action. A love with legs. Jesus tells His posse how we’re to follow His loving example of service and sacrifice. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:34-35). It takes courage to love like He does. That’s why He gives us His spirit of fearless love.

Last and certainly not least, God pours into us a spirit of “self-control” (v7). Various translations can’t really decide exactly how to express the Greek word here (Gr. sophronismos). “A sound mind” (KJV, NKJV, YLT). “Self-discipline” (NIV, NRS, NLT). “Sound judgment” (HCSB). “Sobriety” (Douay-Rheims). It describes a calling to soundness of mind, moderation, coming to your senses, or even the curbing of desires. It’s a compound word that literally means “a rescued mind.” 

When God gives me spirit of self-control, my emotions are no longer running the show. I’m not simply doing only what I FEEL like doing. I’m doing what I KNOW I should do. God’s Spirit rescues my mind and produces His fruit in my life. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23). It’s anything but reckless. This spirit focuses His love and power in my life. Instead of being an random sprinkler, He mades me a firehose of fearlessness.

There are plenty of folks who are hooked on the adrenaline rush of extreme sports. You can have hang gliding, helicopter skiing, and parkour. Listen to Paul’s advice. There’s nothing more radical than leaning into God’s spirit “of power and love and self-control” (v7). Take the leap. I dare you.

No fear!

God's Gonna Blow Your Mind

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.  (Eph 3:20-21)

Paul has just made a crazy request of God.  He's begged the Lord to give his Ephesian friends supernatural strength to do three things.  One, Jesus would make Himself at home in their hearts.  Two, they would be able to wrap their brains around the incomprehensible scope if Jesus' love.  Three, God would fill each of them to the brim with every bit of His total Godness.  This is one ridiculous request.

But the apostle knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's taken his plea to the right place.  "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen" (v20-21).  We can't out ask the Him.  We can't out imagine Him.  Not even close.

God will blow your mind.  Just ask.

After Paul makes his preposterous request, he suddenly erupts in praise to God.  He can't contain himself.  He realizes that his prayer isn't too big but too small!  That's because he worships a God who loves to show off.  He worships a God who loves to astonish us.  He worships a God who loves to drop our jaws.  The apostle explodes in worship.  He just can't hold it in.  In many ways, it's a lot like what happened back in the opening of this letter.  The apostle begins to list the amazing things God has done, is doing and will do for us in Jesus (Eph 1:3-14).  The result is a cascade of praise.  One long, run-on sentence.  Once Paul gets started, he can't stop.  A Tsunami of Praise.  And it happens again here at the end of his powerful prayer for power.

God will blow your mind.  Just ask.

From his cell in a Roman slammer, the apostle pleads with these Ephesian believers to understand who Jesus is, what He's done and who they are in Him.  He knows that identity is the key.  His identity.  Our identity in Him.  Once we understand that, no counterfeit gospel, no false teaching, no demonic deception can touch us.  Once we realize that we already possess everything we need in Jesus, we won't fall for anything less.  That's entire purpose for this letter.

Paul knows that God is "able" (v20).  I'm sorry, but I don't think this word carries the oomph of the original text.  The Greek verb here is dunamai.  It means to be strong, possess great power and endowed with incredible might.  "Able" seems kind of, well, wimpy.  The apostle is blown away at the God who ripples with energy.  The word he uses is the source for such English words as dynamo.  God is powerful.  God is mighty.  God is forceful.  

Paul's explosion of praise rips apart this prayer when he realizes that God has the supernatural power "to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think" (v20).  Literally, "exceedingly abundantly."  The apostle is so blown away by God's unlimited might that he actually makes up a word.  The Lord's strength and ability is so stunning that there isn't a word that exists to describe it.  He mashes up three different terms to try and get his idea across.  The result is huperekperissou.  The only place you'll ever find this word in ancient writings is from the pen of Paul.  It means super abundantly.  Beyond extreme.  Immeasurably more.  

OK.  Sit back and try to think of the the wildest, craziest request you can ever ask God to do.  He can do it.  He can do SO much more than that.  Take another shot at it.  What did you come up with?  He'll blow that request out of the water.  As a matter of fact, that's just a sliver of His strength and ability.  Get the idea?  I can't begin to wrap my brain around His power.  God surges with strength.  And He can do super abundantly more that the chunk of gray matter can comprehend.  

God will blow your mind.  Just ask.

And He'll do that through "the power at work within us" (v20).  In other words, the strength of God's Spirit that's living inside every follower of Jesus.  Over and over and over again, Paul writes of the mind-bending idea of the energy of the Trinity in each of us.  "According to the riches of His glory, He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being" (Eph 3:16).  "The immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might" (Eph 1:19).  "You were also raised with Him through the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Col 2:12).  "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27).  "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Rom 8:11).  That's the power IN YOU that can do things that will blow your socks off!!

Take that all in for just a minute.  What's life thrown at you?  What are you facing?  A broken marriage.  Loss of a job.  A knee-buckling diagnosis.  In the face of the insurmountable, ask God to do the impossible.  Let your mind run rampant with the craziest and wildest ideas.  He'll shock you with His power.  He'll stun you with His love.  He'll astonish you with His grace. 

God will blow your mind.  Just ask.