Spirit Adjustment || 2 Timothy 1:7 || Manna for the Mind #22

Welcome to Day 22 of my “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series takes a passage of scripture (typically 1-3 verses) and builds its understanding through its context and connecting scripture. Doing this helps us understand what the Bible truly teaches us. 

2 Timothy 1:7

7          For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Power doesn’t refer to having a unique personality but to the boldness that comes from confidence in the gospel. Love pairs care with concern and tenderhearted treatment of those we serve. Good leaders must keep a level head and tight rein on their selfish desires. Let’s look deeper at what God has and has not given us.

Fear and timidity are the same Greek noun deilia (di-lee’-ah), which means cowardice or withdrawn. This word is only used in our focus verse. It’s related to the Greek adjective deilos (di-los’), which means cowardly and fearful. It refers to someone who has lost the fortitude (strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage) to follow the Lord. It refers to an excessive fear of losing, causing someone to be cowardly. The term is used negatively.

God doesn’t give us a spirit of cowardice. God doesn’t teach us to be a coward. God wants to be a fighter. God wants us to be the voice of the voiceless. God wants us to stand up for the rights of those who aren’t receiving them. God wants us to care for our community. God wants us to fight our inner battles through the Holy Spirit. None of that involves cowardice but power, love, and self-discipline.

Power is the Greek noun dunamis (doo’-nam-is), which means miraculous power, might, and strength. There are two usages of this word:

• Physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy, meaning.
• Plur: powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works.

It refers to the ability to perform. For believers, it’s the power to achieve by applying the Lord’s inherent abilities. Power through God’s ability is needed in every scene of life to really grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven. It comes from the Greek word dunamai (doo’-nam-ahee), which means “to be able” or “to have power.” It refers to showing ability, doing something enabled by God.

God wants us to have a spirit of power or empowerment. There is a source of power that resides inside of you that you haven’t tapped into yet. The Holy Spirit is ready to release new energy sources and abilities to bless your life and those around you. You can have the energy to go and care for your family and friends, even when you feel depleted. You can do something for your community, even if you need help figuring out what that is. Life can have new meaning through the power of the Holy Spirit. Are you ready to receive it?

Love is the Greek noun agape (ag-ah’-pay), which means love and goodwill. You’ve heard me talk about love all month long with these devotionals (must be to do with Valentine’s Day), so I don’t want to beat up a dead horse in covering the material again. I encourage you to search the blog’s main page for “agape.” You will find 3 other blogs where I go deeper into this kind of love.

This type of love centers on moral preference. It refers to divine love. It relates to the Greek word agapao, which refers to love and living through Christ. It’s embracing God’s will and obeying them through His power.

God gives us the Spirit to not love based on outside appearance. God wants us to love as he loves, but looking at the heart. God wants to look at the inside of those around us and learn how to love them as God loves us. How do we start this? Embrace God’s will, which focuses on caring for those around us and loving him above everything else. Plus, obey his commands through the power of the Holy Spirit. We learned that we have a source residing inside of us that will help us to love as God loves.

Self-discipline is the Greek noun sóphronismos (so-fron-is-mos’), which means self-control or self-discipline. It refers to being safe-minded with sensible behavior that “fits” a situation. It means aptly acting out God’s will by doing what HE calls sound reasoning. It’s related to the Greek adjective sophron (so’-frone), which means “of sound mind” or “self-controlled.” The Greek is a compound word that combines “sound” and “inner outlook that regulates outward behavior.” It refers to acting in God’s definition of balance. Biblical moderation describes someone who doesn’t command himself but is commanded by God.

God gave us the Spirit of living a balanced life. This Spirit doesn’t allow us to live in one extreme or the other. It is about living in balance that fits a situation. We may want to lash out at someone, but God wants us to be patient with them. If the anger for the situation is justified, then there’s a balance that we can live in. It’s about getting a heart check about why you want to do or react in the way that makes the most sense. The critical thing that shows up when we break down what self-discipline means is sound reasoning. Sound means something based on reasoning, sense, or judgment. God wants us to live based on his reasoning, senses, and judgment.

God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but of energy and ability, internal compassion and care, and sound reasoning.

My prayer for you today is the reading of Romans 8:15. It is connected to 2 Timothy 1:7. Still, I wasn’t sure how to incorporate it into the devotional. Then, God said to use it as your prayer. I encourage you to recite, keep it close to your heart, and see what the Spirit says. Amen.

Romans 8:15

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you have received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’”