DO NOT BLUSH TO TESTIFY TO AND FOR OUR LORD
Monday, February 07, 2005
I am calling up memories of your sincere and unqualified faith (the leaning of your entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), [a faith] that first lived permanently in [the heart of] your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am [fully] persuaded, [dwells] in you also. 6 That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination]. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 8 Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God. 2 Timothy 1:5-8 AMP
In Romans 1:16, Paul tells us that he is not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it no matter who they are - whether Jew or Greek. Here in his second letter to Timothy, he encourages him not to be ashamed to preach the gospel or to testify about Jesus, firstly because he was anointed by the Spirit to do it and also because God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and of love and a sound mind. Fear is not from God, therefore, any time you experience fear, you know that it must come from somewhere else. The devil uses fear to intimidate you, hinder you, and stop you from accomplishing the will of God. God gives you the power to overcome fear. If you will put your trust in God and His word, you can put fear away from you and do what the Lord tells you to do.
We should never be ashamed or afraid to preach the gospel or to testify of what Jesus has done for us. If we are called by the Lord, then we are also anointed and empowered by Him to do what He has called us to do. We need to trust the Holy Spirit’s anointing on our lives and we must be bold to do and say what the Spirit tells us to do and say.
We should not ever be ashamed to preach the gospel and neither should we shrink back from persecution. A Christian is one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died and was resurrected for them, personally. Jesus was not ashamed to be physically and verbally abused, to be mocked and despised, or to suffer agonizing pain, and death on a cross, for our benefit. If we Christians want to partake in His resurrection life, we cannot afford to be ashamed to be counted as one of His. If we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us – because it means that we have not esteemed Him or His blood or His sacrifice. If we are ashamed of Him, it means that we have rejected Him and if we reject Him, how can we be a partaker of His eternal life? You cannot call Him Lord, privately and be ashamed of Him publicly. If He is not your Lord at all times, before all people, then He is not really your Lord. If you acknowledge Him privately, you must acknowledge Him publicly.
Paul encourages Timothy, and us, to take our share of the suffering to which the preaching of the Gospel may expose us. This is the same suffering that Jesus bore. The suffering that Jesus bore, was not sickness or disease, but was the suffering of intense persecution. The reason that some Christians shrink back from openly and boldly preaching the truth of the gospel, is because they are afraid that they may not be received and that people may be offended. You cannot afford to take it personally when people are offended because it is not your message, but God’s – you are just the delivery person; you are just the messenger.
If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you. 20 Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours. 21 But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the one Who sent Me. John 15:18-21 AMP
The world hated Jesus and now that you belong to Him and represent Him, they will probably hate you too. The good news is that anyone who is hungry for God will welcome you and the message of hope that you bring. They will be so thrilled to hear and receive the gospel and to miss hell and make heaven their home. For this reason, for the joy of seeing people saved and set free, and for the rewards that await us in heaven, you and I can endure the persecution that comes with the territory!
Recent:
Righteous Now
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
“Therefore if any man be in Christ…” What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” You are baptized into Christ when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The moment
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the