2 Timothy 1.7-8 explains, God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.

A lot of Christians know the first verse but don’t understand its connected to the second verse. The purpose of the promise is to equip Christians for their mission.

The work of God is the bringing of His Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven. Step one is for every knee to bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Savior and Lord of all.

This confession is not to be solely a recognition of fact but an admittance of surrender to God through Jesus Christ in order to be reconciled to Him for all eternity. The enemies of God, the hordes of hell, acknowledge Jesus as Savior and Lord. Every time Jesus encountered one of these beasts while living with us they accurately acknowledged Who He was to which His response was to silence them lest people misconstrue whose side He belonged.

Men who acknowledge Jesus as Savior are equipped by God for communicating that knowledge to others. No longer are these followers to be man pleasers, fearful of man’s scorn, dishonor or discipline. Rather filled with God Himself in the Holy Spirit they are now empowered to boldly proclaim the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

Along with this power is a supernatural love for people that spurs them to share this message with people from all nations, tribes and tongues. No race, language or land is a barrier for God’s messengers. No title, treasure or temperament is a barrier to God’s people who love Him so love others as they love themselves therefore wanting to see no person die without confessing Jesus as their personal Savior.

Finally, the Spirit within constrains God’s people from pursuing the pleasures of the world or retaliating against the hate of the world as they make proclaiming Christ their first and highest priority. The people of God are being disciplined to love neither the things of this world nor their own lives so much that they will keep the message of God’s love in Christ from being expressed to as many people as possible.

Do you identify as one whom God’s has filled with His Spirit? A Spirit of power, love and self-discipline? Then you must be actively seeking to win people to Jesus.

This is God’s purpose for His people and He promises His Spirit for helping us to make it happen.