6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:6–7, NKJV)
The indication is that Timothy received a miraculous spiritual gift from the apostle (see also, 1 Timothy 4:14). Whatever the specific gift was, Timothy had a duty to stir it up, to rekindle it as one would stir the embers of a dwindling fire. Being fearful would prevent Timothy from stirring up his gift – from accomplishing his work. Timothy was to be bold and courageous in the power of truth, in the love of God, and in the soundness of mind that is shaped by putting the word of Christ into one’s heart (2 Corinthians 6:3-10). Like Timothy, Christians must stir up the gifts we have and faithful fulfill the will of God. Romans 12:6-8 exhorts us to bold and courageous service as members of the body of Christ. The enemies of truth and opponents of righteousness would have you be too afraid to aggressively stand fast in the faith. But, nothing will be achieved for Christ through fear. May we develop and add virtue (moral courage) to our faith (2 Peter 1:5). Replace fear with the spirit of “power and love and of a sound mind.”
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