Title: Fiery Gifts (2 Timothy 1:6-9)
Contents
The apostle Paul experienced firsthand how precious the gifts he received from God, and the gift God gave Timothy when he placed his hands on Timothy in the past (1 Timothy 4: 14) is recalled. Paul prayed that the gifts Timothy had received from God would always rise and be used with power. In verse 6 of the text, the gift is expressed by comparing it to ‘fire’.
The character of fire illuminates all darkness. A dark place without light makes even the most courageous person feel anxious and fearful. But when there is light, there is peace of mind and courage.
And ‘gifts’ are gifts of grace that God gives to those who believe through the Holy Spirit. Please believe that the gifts of the world are temporary, but God's gifts of gifts are gifts of God that we can possess and use forever. So when will the fiery gift come?
First, it comes when you are in love.
“Seek ye the greater gift. I will also show you the best way” (1 Corinthians 12:31). The gift of God begins with longing for it.
'Desire (思慕)' is ① longing. “As a deer longs for streams, so my soul thirsts for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). ② It is a wish. As Jesus was passing through Jericho, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar who had longed for Jesus, sat by the roadside, and when he heard the news of Jesus, he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (Mark 10:47). I did. How loudly did he shout so many people would rebuke him and tell him to be quiet? Still, the blind man shouted louder and earnestly made his wish known to the Lord. ③ It is aspirational. Mark 14:3 tells us that while Jesus was eating at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany, a woman brought an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, pure nard, broke it and poured it on Jesus' head. This means a burning desire for the Lord.
Please believe that the gifts will come like fire when you yearn, desire, and yearn like this. Charles Finney longed for the Holy Spirit so earnestly that he went into the mountain and prayed alone, and then received the fire of the Holy Spirit. Please believe that if we long for the gift given to Paul and the gift given to the members of the early church, we will also receive it.
Second, it comes when we pray.
“Help ye also by praying for us. so that many may also give thanks for us because of the gift we obtained through the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1:11). Gifts are received through prayer. In hymn 482, there is a line that says, “The time I pray is the most enjoyable.” When prayer is so joyful, the gifts come. When the members of the early church worked together in prayer, the Holy Spirit came upon each person and we were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14; 2:3,4). We must pray for each other so that the gifts may be kindled not only to ourselves, but also to other believers, just as the apostle Paul prayed for Timothy and the early church members prayed for Paul.
Third, it comes when we lay hands on our hands.
“Therefore, I remind you to renew the gift of God that is in you by the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). 6). So, the servants of the Lord lay their hands on their hands to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17), lay their hands on them for installation (1 Timothy 4:14), and lay their hands on the sick to be healed (Acts 28:8). However, there are cases in which evil spirits are working when the laying on of hands is given to anyone indiscriminately.
Fourth, it comes when we suffer along with the gospel.
“Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me a prisoner for his sake, but suffer for the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8). recommended. This gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). We should not be ashamed or afraid of the gospel and suffering. Rejoice in living for the gospel and believe that the more you suffer for the gospel, the more the gift of the Holy Spirit will come upon you. If you are a Christian, you must suffer along with the gospel. There are many people today who try to follow Jesus without suffering on the cross. There are many people who want to go to heaven without suffering on the cross. The suffering of the cross directly leads to the crown of life.
Dear saints, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will always be victorious in your life of faith by longing for and praying for greater gifts, receiving your hands on your hands through the Lord's servant and suffering along with the gospel, receiving the full gift of God and experiencing the fiery gift.