Name It and Claim It

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

I don’t know about you, but I have heard 2 Timothy 1:7 many times. It is a common verse that gets shared because it is a clear reference to ‘fear.’ As it turns out, fear is a common struggle among people. It seems that some of these popular verses can be easily embedded in our minds but far from our hearts.

There is no dull part of the bible; it is all truth that is alive and active. As Christ-followers, we must not let the Word of God become dulled in our hearts. Do not let 2 Timothy 1:7 become a verse that simply hangs in a frame on your wall or a sticky note on your mirror. Instead, let the living Word of God become active in your life. His Word is meant to separate and cut us away from our flesh. It is clear from 2 Timothy 1:7 that fear is of the flesh. God has not given fear to us, so we should not tolerate its presence in our lives!

The next time we feel fear creeping in, let us not sit in fear when God has given us the tools to cut it off from our lives. Instead, let us use our tongue, which has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21), to bring life. Let us pick up the double-edged sword that is the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12) by opening our mouths and using our tongue to speak 2 Timothy 1:7 out loud over ourselves.

Prayer 

Jesus, forgive me for not using the authority that You have given me. Help me to fully realize the holy power I have access to because the Holy Spirit dwells within me. Help me realize the power of every word in Scripture. Help me to use Your Word the way You have intended it to be used. Lord, help me take authority over fear. Help me to exchange the fear that overcomes me with the peace that You offer to me. Lord, if You did not give it to me, I don’t want it. Amen.