Tap Into the Power That Is In You

200 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 1:8, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,” (2 Tim 1:8) Another therefore! So, what is THIS therefore “there for?” It's here because God has given Timothy and all believers the indwelling Holy Spirit who casts out fear, and replaces it with power, love, and a sound mind! And because we have this indwelling Spirit of God, we are able to overcome any fear associated with being a follower of Jesus. This word “ashamed is the same word Paul used in his declaration to the Romans in Ro 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” The power in the gospel that overcomes fear of going all in with Jesus and therefore resulting in salvation, is the same power that enables us to share in the sufferings and tribulations that will come our way as we seek to continue following Jesus. These sufferings and tribulations are brought about as the devil, the world, and our flesh seek to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. The power of God keeps us through these various trials. They can be as trite as something not going the way we planned or as major as throwing someone to the lions unless they renounce Jesus. This power enables those so stressed to persevere. The power is in you in the form of the Holy Spirit! Tap into it whenever you need it lest you find yourself ashamed of what really matters. Jesus said in Lu 9:26 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels. Being ashamed of Jesus and His words means you regard Him and His words as vile. And if something is vile, you do not want anything to do with it. How ironic, that at the very moment when we need Jesus most, (during our faith testing trials and tribulations) we don't want anything to do with Him! (Ask Peter!) When those moments occur, I pray the Holy Spirit will bring these words in 2 Timothy to mind, and He will cast out our fear and fill us with power, love, and a sound mind!