WEDNESDAY May 28, 2025
Power, Love, Sound Mind
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
Paul reassured Timothy that, as followers of Christ, we all need not walk in fear. Paul did not fear death at the hand of Nero which was soon approaching, and Timothy need not be fearful using his God-given spiritual gifts. His teaching and preaching were to be used with God’s ability, authority and power.
There was no need for Timothy to be intimidated by false teachers in the church of Ephesus who opposed the Gospel message. Timothy had to learn to guard his mind against the enemy’s attacks. He was to feel secure in the love of Christ and have a sound mind. Paul’s admonition to a soundness of mind literally means “saving the mind.” It was an encouragement to have self-control and discipline in this area of the mind.
We can learn so much from Paul’s exhortation to Timothy. God has given each of us spiritual gifts to be used without fear. Through the power and love of God with a disciplined mind means we can serve the Lord with an unwavering faith in full confidence of what God can do through us.
God is with us when we step up to fulfill the call God has on our lives. He calms our minds and anxieties as we do His will by faith. Yes, Satan and His adversaries will attack your mind and cause you to doubt your call and prey on your insecurities. Combat any attempts to rattle your mind with self-control––a disciplined mind grounded in God’s Word.
Know that you can depend on and trust in the surety of God’s Word and God’s love for you. He is always working on your behalf for your good (Romans 8:28) and the good of those He has called you to minister to. No matter what the circumstances, we Christians should keep our heads.
God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind. It is a dismal thing to see a son of heaven cringe in terror before the sons of earth.
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
