2 Timothy 1:7

‘For God did not give us a spirit of fearfulness, but of power and love and discipline.’

And the stirring up of that gift will produce powerful, loving activity, the activity of the Spirit. For the Spirit Whom God has given us is not a cowering, timid spirit, but is the Spirit of power, love and sound judgment. He will manifest Himself in power, power in ministry (Acts 1:8; Acts 6:10; Ephesians 3:7), power in living (2 Timothy 3:5; Romans 1:16; Rom 16:25 ; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 4:20; Colossians 1:11) power in word (Luke 4:14 with 32), power in overcoming (Ephesians 6:10), power in lifting us out of sin (Ephesians 1:19 to Ephesians 2:6). He will manifest himself in a love shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5), so that we love as He loved us. He will manifest himself in sound judgment towards the world, and in self-control with regard to ourselves. This self-control and self-discipline were what Timothy was going to need at this difficult time, and he must recognise that it is there for him in the Holy Spirit. For He produces the all-round believer.

The contrast is not a criticism of Timothy, but is rather in order to bring out the positive aspects more effectively. Not for us fear and timidity, but strength and boldness as we recognise the power that is ours in the Holy Spirit, bask in Christ’s love for us so that we reveal it to the world in our lives, and face up to life wisely and with divinely given discipline. But we must continually remember to stir it up by prayer, the reading of the word, meditation and positive commitment or else that power will dry up, as it did with the other Saul (1 Samuel 16:14).