Are you willing to receive ?

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind"

II Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version)

The very first Bible that my Mom gave me had this verse written in the front page ... My Mom always taught me that the only fear that I need to have is the fear of God. And anything else is because either I have done something wrong or I have become slack in my life with the Lord and hence the devil has found a way in ! :) And its true...Praise the Lord for my Mom .

But thats not what we are talking about this morning.... Im sure all of us have heard this verse...Im sure we all sing songs with lyrics that contain this verse...

Here is a question for everyone ... Do you know why the Lord has given us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind ?

Its to share the testimony of our Lord ! Its to share the gospel of our Lord !

As we continue reading verses 8-10, " Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles"

The Lord has called us with a holy calling according to His purpose before time began !! And He has equipped us with His grace through our Saviour Jesus Christ

And guess what ? He has given us a spirit of power !! He has given us a spirit of love !! He has given us a spirit of a sound mind !!

We read in Ephesians 6 :12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places"
The Lord has given us a spirit of power to battle it out and overcome.

We read in 1 Corinthians 13 : 1-3 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing"
The Lord has given us a spirit of love.

We read in Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You,Because he trusts in You"
The Lord has given us a sound mind (a mind that is stayed on the Lord and on the Lord only !)

Now here is something we all need to realize...This is God's perfect plan...His perfect way... But for us to choose to walk as per His Holy plan is up to us.

Here is another example that I heard once at a fellowship that I love using.... If I took out ten dollars from my wallet and handed it out to you what would you do ? Stretch out your hand and take it from mine !

Its the same... The Lord has given us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind. Are you willing to stretch out your hand and receive ?

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind"

God Bless