The world may make us anxious, fearful and timid, but God has called the church to overcome that for His glory.

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” —2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” —Acts 4:31 (NKJV)

REFLECT ON THE WORD

We all have experienced opportunities to fear. Maybe you’ve been faced with seemingly impossible situations, and have had to make what feels like impossible decisions. Maybe you’ve felt paralyzed with fear and anxiety. If not for the matchless blood of Jesus, we’d be stuck in that place: overcome and overwhelmed by fear.

We can be deeply grateful for His Holy Spirit, living in us, giving us power, love and self-control. His gift of self-control is what empowers us to take all those thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ.

God has not given His people a spirit of fear; He has given us power. And with every test and every trial, we grow in power, our courage is strengthened, and our impact increases.

As His people, we have a vital assignment to boldly shine the light of Jesus. We are called to live empowered lives, emboldened by His Spirit.

A fearful church is an ineffective church. We are meant to be effective. We are made to be courageous.

PRAYER + CONTEMPLATION

In what areas have you experienced the power, love and self-discipline that His Holy Spirit brings?

Read or recite 2 Timothy 1:7 aloud. Then make it personal by saying, “The Spirit You gave me does not make me timid, but gives me power, love and self-discipline.”

Together, let’s pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to spread across the globe through the willingness of His courageous church.