Fan the Flame

Published 2/20/20

Read 2 Timothy 1:6-7

"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."

Reflect

How does the Holy Spirit help you resist temptation?

Whenever I examine my own behavior, I quickly realize that I, too, fight a win-lose battle with temptation. While I strive to live by the Spirit, there are moments when sin and self get the best of me. Sometimes I experience the same torment that Dr. Larry Crabb describes in his book 66 Love Letters: "Standing in your grace seems more resistible than falling into my selfishness. It feels as if a compulsive force within me takes over my mind with lies, my heart with self-serving affections, and my will with unrelenting strength. Yielding becomes inevitable. And--I hate to admit this--part of me yields gladly with a smug sense of freedom. Father, what's happening to me?"[1]

The question is what's happening to us all?

Whenever I find myself thinking this way, my mind flashes to some difficult words in the Bible: "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it" (Genesis 4:7, NIV).

Yes ... we know that everyone is born a sinner and that temptation entices us all ... but how do we survive its destructive grip?

Yes ... we know that the Bible has some keys ... but how do we live them out?

Yes ... we know that Christ is the answer ... but exactly what does this mean?

God's Word guides our steps: "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).

Pray

Lord, thank You for giving me the spirit of "power and love and self-control." Amen.

[1]Dr. Larry Crabb, 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God that Invites You into His Story (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, © 2009), 254-255.