Your Identity In Christ: Day 8 - Pastor Josh Shook
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“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
So many today are living in fear, with anxiety and worry about tomorrow. Some people are born worriers. They even worry when they have nothing to worry about. Others may experience seasons of anxiety with panic attacks that seem beyond their ability to control. Life is filled with unknowns, perplexities, and problems that could cause us all to be filled with fear. But that was never God’s intention for His children! Do you’re kids have to worry whether you love them, will provide for them, and protect them? Of course not. Then Jesus asks, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11 (NIV) He gives us good gifts because He loves us! The apostle John was so overwhelmed by that fact that he wrote in 1 John 3:1 (NIV), “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” This is why it is so important to remember who you are in Christ! You are one of His kids! He loves you and has good gifts to give you but you must receive them.
Paul lists three gifts God has given us in Christ and one that He has not and never will give us in 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) where he writes, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” Did you catch that? God has NOT, nor ever will give you a spirit of fear. Fear is not from God! When the Bible speaks of fearing God, it is referring to a holy respect and reverence for God, revering His awesome wonder and glory as someone wholly different than us. It is not a fear of being condemned, punished, or rejected for every mess-up in our lives. The more you become convinced that God loves you the less you will fear. Oswald Chambers put it like this, “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”
As a Christ follower, you don’t have a spirit of fear. That’s your flesh. The true you in Christ has been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. It’s time to cast out that spirit of fear that has been troubling you and receive the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline that God has given you. How do you do that? I’ve found that the best way for me to receive God’s gifts is through prayer with thanksgiving. I believe this is praying in faith.
What does it mean to pray in faith? Strangely enough, sometimes, our prayers may hinder our faith more than help it grow. So, let’s examine our prayer lives for a minute. Are they filled with faith or fear? One of the greatest expressions of faith in prayer is thanksgiving. When I examine my own prayer life, I’ve discovered that I’ve often asked God for things He’s already done or promised. For example, have you ever prayed, “Oh God, be with me today”? Sometimes, I wonder if God doesn’t just shake His head and think, “Well, let me see, I don’t know, I’m really busy and not sure I can be with you today or not.” The fact is, He has already promised us more than once, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age!” Matthew 28:20b (NLT) or as in Hebrews 13:5c (NKJV) “I will never leave you nor forsake you!”
So, rather than asking God to be with you, acknowledge His presence in prayer saying, “Thank You, Father, that You are with me!” Do you feel the difference? A prayer like this can bring your soul confidence when you pray with faith, thanking God for what He has promised you! When you face pressures and problems that attempt to derail you from believing God will come through for you, meet them with prayers of faith and claim the promises of God. Today’s verse is a great one to meditate on and pray back to God in faith. Here’s a model prayer that may help you as you pray today, Thank You, Father, that You have not given me a spirit of fear or timidity. Thank You that You are with me and have given me a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.
Practice praying in faith and watch your confidence grow as you realize who you are in Christ!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.