This verse tells us that timidity, which is the same as fear, is not from God and that God gives us power, love, a calm and well-balanced mind, discipline and self-control. Fear will never stop coming against us. We must learn to do what God tells us to do whether we feel fear or not. We must "do it afraid" if neccassry, but that is what courage does. Courage feels the fear and does what it should anyway.
We are not cowards because we feel fear. We are cowards only if we let fear rule our dicisions.Fear is a spirit that produces physical and emotional symptons. When fear attacks us, we may feel shaky and weak and find ourselves sweating. It may take everything we can muster just to speak or move. None of that means we are cowards. The Word of God does not say "sweat not, shake not, tremble not." The Word says, many times, "fear not." The way to conquer fear is to press on through it and get to the other side of it...the side of freedom, which is the side of power.
II Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
It’s fascinating to see how Paul ends the chapter of II Timothy 2. It’s not only a great reminder to see that they are blind and need to come to their senses. It’s not only a great reminder that we need to be gentle, patient, able to teach and be kind. But, I think a reminder that we need today is that knowledge of the truth comes after God grants someone repentance. We always try to invert the two. God needs to grant repentance and then someone will be saved and start believing rightly about life matters–not the other way around.
God has ordained to save people through the hearing of the Gospel, so let’s boldly approach people in face to face conversation and give them the only information that can save them from not only demonic worldviews, but more importantly from an eternity in Hell.
And above all, do it with courage and no fear!
