THE BARNABAS STRATEGY: Fear not! (Part 2)

Lately, I’ve had a minor case of writer’s block and/or laziness (the topic for a future post). It’s a pitfall of being retired in the Texas summer. It’s simply easier to not write. Thanks to the text from a friend, I am ready to move forward. (SIDE NOTE: never underestimate the importance of simply touching base.)

As a reminder, we are looking at how God equips us to live a courageous life in Christ in a fearful world. “Paul reminds us as he reminded Timothy that we are not unarmed in the fight against our fears and the related attacks of the enemy. ‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control’ (2 Tim 1:6-7, ESV)” (Fear Not!, Part 1). Now, let’s look at the gift of POWER.

At the basic level, power is simply the ability to get something done… accomplish a task. Great power can be intoxicating, even addicting. (As witnessed by my long term love affair with muscle cars.) The lust for power is a significant reason for the unending corruption/evil in politics, which is dealing with power in groups of people. And as we know, the church isn’t immune to this phenomenon. Conversely, little or no power is also a significant issue which is the aspect of power Paul addresses in the 2 Timothy passage.

Too many Christians suffer from the spiritual disease of powerlessness. Overwhelming personal issues and societal upheaval coupled with the lies of the enemy have convinced many believers that they are victims of circumstances. I call this “Woe is Me Theology.”Sadly, many churches ignore, or worse even feed into, this tragic lie. The results can be devastating because the feeling of powerlessness can lead to hopelessness and despair. It is not to be so with those who call Jesus Lord and Savior.

Paul offers a decidedly different view of power… “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion…” (excerpt from Eph 1:15-23 ESV). (See also Romans 6:10-11 and 8:11 where Paul clearly states that resurrection power resides in the faithful.)

Therefore, the phrase powerless Christian is a complete contradiction in terms. Through Christ we have access to the power of God… the same power that effortlessly spoke the universe into being… the same power that crushed death in the resurrection… the same power that makes the Sun seem like a depleted AAA battery. My friends, if you feel powerless I suggest you talk to a trusted advisor, pray, attend worship, read the Word. ***

Do whatever it takes to “… fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power…” (2 Tim 1:6-7, ESV)

(***link to 100 related passages: https://www.openbible.info/topics/the_same_spirit_that_raise_christ_from_the_dead_is_the_same_spirit_that_will_raise_us_from_the_dead ).

Next, we will continue Fear Not! by looking at the gift of love in the context of living courageous lives in Christ.

The Barnabas Strategy is an initiative of the Holy Spirit free of institutional constraints. … Ron Bellomy