Fear Falls Silent

Have you ever been hit hard with a truth that you’ve known, but it feels different and truer? I had this experience a few months ago with the truth about “fear”.  I am very familiar with the verses in 2 Timothy 1:6-9. But a few months ago as I was praying to God about having confidence in Him and sharing His love, I was struck by a thought. If we are not given a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power + love—then where does the spirit of fear come from? Why do we face fear when we are out in public, wanting to share Jesus with someone?
Simple answer: The devil is fearful of what might come from the Spirit of God working through you. 

Take a moment to think about that…
I sat with this thought for a while and laughed. Why would I fear evil when I know the One that holds all power? If the devil is so concerned about me sharing Jesus, isn’t that more of a reason to share?
Now, this is not to say I just threw my fear out the window and didn’t face it. I do still face moments of fear or timidity, but I have changed my prayer. Instead of praying that I would be bold, I pray that God take over my spirit. That He would speak through me and work through me. I don’t want to speak from myself, but to speak HIS WORDS. It’s not me that turns a heart towards its Creator, but the Creator Himself. My flesh will fail if I try to depend on it to defend against the spirit of fear. But with God within me and speaking through me, the spirit will be defeated. So I proclaim surrender, not to the fear, but to the Mighty God that I love and serve. Then the fear falls silent.

Earlier this month, the world witnessed the devil and spirit of fear try to silence Godly truth from being shared in the death of Charlie Kirk. Whether you knew of Charlie or not, many Christians experienced the heaviness of his death and felt a shift in their spirits. I was among those that felt that shift, not because a mere man, but because of what God had been doing through Charlie. I saw that God had been prompting me a couple months before the incident to prepare me for the shift. I felt something swirling inside me and it came to a climax with the death of Charlie. I watched the same feeling ripple through the nation. I’ve watched God move in the midst of tragedy and darkness in our nation, waking Christians up. It’s not for a man, but for the God that man served and spoke up for. Now with our eyes even more opened as Christians, what do we do with this awakening? What are we sharing, speaking, doing, and promoting? 

I was faced with this question and reality that I needed to answer. What am I to do with this fire that has been lit within me. How do I share this passion burning within me in a Christ-centered way? I found myself reading 2 Timothy again and again, seeing how Christ intended us to live (and who said the Bible isn’t relevant to this day? His Word never fails to speak to my life.) 

“5) I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. 6) This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 8) So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9) For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10) And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 11) And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.”

2 Timothy 1:5-11

Verse six states that God has given each of us a spiritual gift, fan that into flame. In other words, see how God has gifted you with passions and talents and use them for His glory. I have a God-given passion for writing, encouragement, + evangelism. So let me feed that passion with God’s spirit and truth to use it for His glory. This blog has been one of the ways that I use God’s gift to glorify Him and share with others. I didn’t create it to get praise, look like a good person, be popular, or personal gain—I created it to be used according to God’s plan. I truly believe that if you are reading this, that God is using it in His will + timing. I pray each time I write that God’s words be seen in the post + speak exactly how and when God chooses. So, what might be your gift?

Then, how do we use our gift + resist a spirit of fear when it enviably comes to rest on you? This is something that I am continuing to learn and grow in. Verses seven through ten speaks about how we are equipped by God with a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. Something I have seen and experienced in my life, is that God never places me in a situation that He has not or will not equip me for. He never sets you up to fail for His glory, even if the fruit isn’t evident right then and there. God came and saved us, calling us to a holy life. Not because we deserved it, as each and every one of us has sinned and are all equal in that way. Verse nine says it like this: 

“9) For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 1:9

Before the beginning of time, God had this beautiful plan to save His creation and offer us the gift of redemption and everlasting life. If that right there doesn’t make you want to share Jesus and that with everyone around you, I don’t know what will! Looking at the big picture and a glimpse of God’s love always humbles me. He created this plan even before the world existed; knowing that because we are fully human and have free will, will sin, causing a gap between everlasting life and us. Even knowing that we would all fall short of holiness and have sinful hearts, He came to Earth, experienced pain, ridicule, hate, and still saved us. That is a gracious God. That is a mighty + loving God. I want everyone around me to meet this God and know really know Him. How could I not?

So we stand firm in the truth that God is ever-loving, powerful, strength-giving, and lean into His spirit of power and confidence. Letting Him speak through us to proclaim truth with love + power. We surrender our mouths and hands to be used by God to see more of His creation turn to Him. That we might see more and more people be passionate with the flame of Christ. Fan those flames into a ever-burning fire that others would see a difference in you as you walk down the street, in your workplace, at the grocery store, in your family. That others see Jesus in you and through you. That the courage is not for comfort, but for BOLDNESS in Christ. 

Now, I am not going to end this making it seem like there will be not opposition when you live like this for Christ. We live in a world full of humans and sin, there will always be opposition.  You may never experience the extreme of death for the sake of standing firm for Christ, but you will see resistance. That is seen even in the Bible with Paul. In 2 Timothy, Paul writes this encouragement to be faithful despite the opposition. He was imprisoned for the sake of sharing Christ, and still he stood firm. While we might not be imprisoned for our faith in America, there are other Christians across the globe that still encounter that to this day. We are privileged to live in America, but still face challenges when sharing Jesus. This is the handiwork of the devil in the flesh. But remember that you were NOT given the spirit of fear from God Almighty. He gave you a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. So as you face set-backs, resist the fear and lean into God’s faithfulness.
My mom always used to say “If you walk forward for Jesus and feel a push back, then you are glorifying God and discouraging the devil. Keep strong in God’s power + peace”.

I want to close out this post in a prayer over whoever may be reading this post right now. This post wasn’t for me, but for God + His glory, to speak His words.

Father God,

Thank you for designing a plan to save your creation and loving us so much to do so. Thank you that YOU have given us a spirit of power + love, that we may walk out this life in confidence in you. Let this post be glorifying to You and speak how You want it to. Let us have rooted knowledge of your power and love, that we can share your grace with those around us. May we resist a spirit of fear in our daily lives and live in the freedom, joy, and redemption. Let our flame be fanned into a fire, a light for you in this world. You have given us such great hope, let us share that with others that are craving a sustainable hope. Thank you God, for loving each and every one of us. Let all the glory be yours. May the fear fall silent.

In Your mighty name,

Amen.

Thank you for taking time to read this post!
I hope this spoke to you exactly how it was supposed to.
Know that you are loved.

Love,
Alayna Joy