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2 Timothy 1:1-7

Author: Kent Berghuis

Fan the Spirit's Flame
2 Timothy 1:1-7

I.  Rekindle the Spirit's work in your life.
	A.  The believer's heritage from others.
		1.  We have served under the loving leadership of others.
			--Paul calls Timothy a beloved son (1).
			--Paul prayed constantly for Timothy (3).
			--Paul recalled their relationship with emotional desire to see him (4).
			--Paul imparted a spiritual gift through the laying on of his hands (6).
		2.  We may have grown up with a godly family influence.
			--Timothy's grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice, had a sincere faith 
(5).
		3.  We have inherited the spiritual legacy from the ages (3).
			--Although Paul once persecuted the church to serve God, he now saw 	
		himself as serving with a clear conscience in line with the true spiritual 		
	leaders of Israel.

	B.  The believer's heritage from God.
		1.  God has a calling for our new life in Christ.
			--Paul was an apostle by the will of God (1a).
			--God's will and calling coincide with his promise of life in Christ (1b).
			--Grace, mercy, and peace are blessings to bathe our existence (2).
		2.  God has imparted his Spirit to animate our lives (6-7).
			--We have been invaded by the Holy Spirit.
			--The Spirit of Christ haunts our existence.  Let's develop this further in II.

II.  Reevaluate the Spirit's effect on your life (7).
	A.  Fear is from the flesh.
		--Timothy may have struggled with timidity.
		--God has not given us the spirit of fear.  So where does it come from?  It is a 	
	remnant of our natural, fallen human condition.  Paul often calls this the "flesh."
		--What do we fear?  In the context of Timothy, Paul speaks a great deal about 	
	boldness in leadership and suffering.  These require some risk-taking, dependence 	
	on God, and confidence in our relationship with him.

	B.  Healthy boldness comes from God.
		1.  Power--God has given us the ability to accomplish his will.  Power in the NT 	
		frequently is linked to the resurrection of Christ and the defeat of sin.  		
	Having the power of God at work results in a confident attitude and 			
	significant spiritual accomplishments.
		2.  Love--God has given us true love, the desire for what is best for others and 	
		actions that correspond to that desire.  We love God because we see how 		
	much he has loved us in giving us his Son, Jesus Christ.  We have learned 		
	how to love from him, and now love overflows to those around us and 		
	forms a basis for true ministry.
		3.  Self-discipline/sound mind--a sensible approach to life comes from God.  We 	
		are not mad to follow Christ, though some may think so.  In Christ we learn 	
		to discipline the flesh, to say no to our desires when necessary, to cultivate a 	
		passion for living for him.

Conclusion:  If the Spirit left us, how long would it be until we noticed?