Timothy wrote this truth so long ago, but it is incredibly relevant today when anxiety and fear are on the rise.
I confess, too often I let fear and timidity masked as perfectionism rule my day. I need to realize that doesn’t come from God and it certainly doesn’t glorify Him.
What would happen if we who are believers understood these words in their fullness? What would change for you?
Let’s look at a couple other translations.
King James’ version says it this way:
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
A sound mind? Have you ever experienced anxiety?
You feel like you’re losing your mind!
Have you lived under a narcissist’s verbal onslaughts? You feel like you’re losing your mind!
God gives you a sound mind
instead of fear.
Here is the Amplified Bible’s translation of the Greek:
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but He
has given us a spirit of power and of love and of sound judgment and
personal discipline – abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind
and self-control.”
The Classic version of the AMP has it as:
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear, but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”
Any way you translate it, God is saying He did not pour fear of any kind into us. Instead, He gave us the opposite and we need to start plugging into the truth instead of believing the enemy’s lies.
When we feel that fear – no matter what it is masked as – we need to remind ourselves that it isn’t from God and that fear MUST bow down to the miraculous power that lives in us.
Instead of our minds running amok with what-ifs and what-might-bes, we need to capture those thoughts and show them the truth of our calm and sound judgment.
When our perfectionism and compulsive ways rear their ugly heads, we need to remind them and us that we have all the self-discipline we need to deal with all the situations in our lives.
Let’s start today. Say it out loud with me:
God did not give me a spirit of fear! I have the spirit of power and love and a sound mind. I will not let fear rule me… EVER!
Learn these words. Say them aloud and often. Speak truth into your own life. Bury these deep in your heart and mind where the enemy likes to whisper lies. Let these words of truth be the first thing his lies meet.
Coffee, Bible, Journal.