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"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but
of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
(2 Timothy 1:7)
Think about this verse for a minute. Paul tells us what God has not given us before telling us what He has given us. First, God has not given us a spirit of fear. (The Greek word used here is deilias, meaning timidity or cowardice.) What is the origin of this spirit of fear? If it did not come from God, then it came from Satan or from our own hearts. Either way, it is not from God, and we do not need to embrace or entertain it for a moment! Many are wrapped up in this hot blanket of fear. They have become trapped and immobilized; they are stuck like a truck in ten feet of mud. Is that you? Are you incapacitated because of fear? You do not have to be.
Second, in today's verse, 2 Timothy 1:7, note what God has given to you and me as the children of God: He has given us a spirit of power (dunamis), love (agape), and a sound mind (sophronismos). A fearful heart does not have the power to do good or the ability to show sacrificial love, and fear is just the opposite of soundness of mind. Fear is most concerned with self-preservation, whereas God has called us to self-sacrifice. You cannot give help to others when you are hanging on for dear life! Zach Williams is right, "Fear is a liar."
Take a moment and commit this verse to memory. 2 Timothy 1:7 will help you greatly during this season of Coronavirus when there is much uncertainty. In fact, whatever life throws at you that would cause you to be fearful and anxious, this wonderful promise from God will help you and empower you to overcome. Whenever you are tempted to embrace this spirit of fear and all its damaging consequences, stop and quote this amazing promise from God's Word. Next, pull up on You Tube this powerful song by Zach Williams entitled, "Fear Is a Liar". I do want to give you a heads-up: this music video deals with some heavy subjects like suicide. It is very moving and powerful.
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