Power, Love, And a Sound Mind

I was awakened tonight with this verse in mind.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

All the world has to offer is fear, yet we are not of the world. In the midst of uncertainty, the Body of Christ has nothing to fear because our hope is not in this world. Notice as well that God says fear is a "spirit".

As opposed to a spirit of fear, God's Spirit gives us power or "dynamis." This is the basis for words such as dynamite and dynamic. Just consider that for a moment. There is nothing you will encounter today over which you cannot be victorious through the power of God. Even more, you carry this power within as a testimony to others so that they too may come to know the goodness of the Lord. Don't start this day thinking any less of what God is able to do through and for you today. Neither should we take the stance of being a victim. Don't glorify in the devil by focusing on what he may be doing in your life. But give Glory to the Most High, who has already provided the way out of every situation.

Quite often in this blog, we find ourselves talking about what love truly is versus what many people believe it to be. It is the love of God that allows us to look past ourselves, our hurts, our needs, and see those of others. As God has loved us (undeserving as we are), He enables us to love others just that way.

There is a lot to be said for a sound mind. In a time when witchcraft and sorcery are at an all-time high (via the media, entertainment, politics, worldly religion/prayers...), it is by nothing other than the grace of God that we can have a "sound mind". Insanity seems to have been loosed on the world. Even common sense doesn't seem so common anymore. Apart from Jesus Christ, the anchor of our souls, our minds will be tattered by the winds of this world.

So, I post this morning only to offer the following prayer:

Lord, in the name of Jesus, I pray that those reading this blog today will grow in knowledge and faith in you. Let your Spirit touch, heal, edify, encourage, and admonish as you will. Keep our minds free from the chaos and delusions of this world. Grant us Godly wisdom and peace to handle every situation. Cast out every spirit of fear that would hinder us. Let every heart that seeks your face be renewed in purpose and strengthened for the journey at hand. Establish and equip your church to be a refuge for the lost. Place your burdens on our hearts so that we can be moved by what moves you. Birth your love within us anew, so that we can lay our lives down for others. Open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our hearts to believe, and our minds to obey. Let us go forth in joy as your witnesses in the world, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom for all who would enter in. And Lord above all, we thank you for your faithfulness. Complete the work you have started in us and continue to reveal more of yourself in us as we present our bodies to be living sacrifices unto your Glory.

Amen