10-02-2022 - Stir It Up

OPENING

We are continuing this morning with our series “Souls on Fire.” We’ve looked at what it means to be “Between Bethel and Ai.” We’ve also talked about it means to be lukewarm and what it means to have “White Hot Holy Fire.” This week I’m going to encourage you to “Stir it up.” Some of us may need to stir up the gifts of God in our lives. Paul had to encourage Timothy to stir it up. Let’s take a look at 2 Timothy 1.

SCRIPTURE

2 Timothy 1:1–7 NKJV

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

MESSAGE

Background

The book of 2 Timothy

2 Timothy would be the final letter that Paul would write. When Paul penned this letter, the Emperor Nero was severely persecuting Christians in Rome in an attempt to stop the spread of Christianity. Paul was imprisoned in Rome and he was fully aware that his ministry and his life was soon coming to an end.

Relationship between Paul and Timothy

Paul writes his final letter to Timothy, who he refers to as a “dearly beloved son” and a “faithful co-worker.” Timothy was a young pastor in the city of Ephesus. Paul, knowing his time was short, requested two times for Timothy to join him in Rome. Paul loved Timothy and longed to see him one more time before his death.

Paul’s Message to Timothy

Knowing that it was unlikely he would see Timothy in person again, Paul pens his second letter to Timothy as a last will and testament to share his final words of wisdom, pass on the torch of leadership, and encourage him to persevere in the faith and in the ministry.

Knowing that Timothy was timid and was facing hardship, and realizing that Timothy would have to face persecution from outside the church and false teachers from within, Paul exhorts Timothy to guard the gospel, preach the Word of God, endure hardship, and fulfill his calling in the ministry.

Stir up the gift of God

The Gift of Saving Faith

In our text we read this morning from Chapter 1, Paul encourages Timothy to stir up the gift of God in him. Timothy obviously had the gift of saving faith. He was a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ. The teachings of Jesus had been instilled in him from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice.

But Paul says that Timothy had something else. Paul tells Timothy to “stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” Paul had laid his hands on Timothy and prayed for him and the Holy Spirit had bestowed a special gift on Timothy’s life.

The Charisma

The Greek word translated “gift” here is the word “charisma.” The charisma is the gift of divine grace. For Timothy, the charisma, the divine grace, bestowed upon him was the gift of pastoring and teaching. God called him to shepherd and lead the congregation in Ephesus and to teach and preach the truth of God’s Word.

Like Timothy, all believers have recieved the gift of salvation through the measure of faith given to everyone. But God also bestows charisma, spiritual gifts, on each believer. You may not be called to be a pastor or teacher like Timothy, but God has at least one gift for you.

God has gifts available for all of us

1 Peter 4:10 NKJV

10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Notice it does not say, “only those who have recieved a gift.” It says, “as each one has recieved a gift.” That means God has at least one gift for every person. But what are these gifts? We can all name pastor, teacher, singer, etc. But there are so many more gifts that God gives out.

Examples of the Gifts of God

We find a list of spiritual gifts, charisma, in Romans 12.

General Gifts

Romans 12:6–8 NKJV

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Paul lists gifts we expect like prophecy, ministry, and teaching. However, he also lists some that some may not expect: exhorting (encouraging), giving, leading, and showing mercy (love). You may not think of some of those things as special charisma, gifts of divine grace, but they are and they are given by supernatural empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:8–10 NKJV

8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

This list in 1 Corinthians 12 is referred to as the 9 Gifts of the Spirit. Some people think this is the only list of spiritual gifts and that this is exhaustive. But as we’ve seen already in Romans 12, that is simply not the case.

But this list of spiritual gifts is very important for the operation of the body of Christ. Paul says in this chapter that the gifts of the spirit are given by God is given to one for the profit of all.

Ministry Gifts

Ephesians 4:11–12 NKJV

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Even with the ministry gifts, notice that the purpose of this special diving grace of God is for the edifying of the body of Christ.

We are to seek for the Gifts of God

1 Corinthians 14:1 NKJV

1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

You might say, “well if God just gives everyone at least one spiritual gift, then I’ll just wait until it shows up.” But that’s not how it works. It is not coming to your door in an Amazon box. Paul says we must desire, or seek for, spiritual gifts. There should be a fire burning in our soul that drives us to desire for the spiritual gifts that God has available to us.

If you don’t know what your gift or gifts are, seek for them. If you know what your gift or gifts are, are you operating in them? If not, maybe it is time to stir it up.

Chocolate Milk

Every so often I like to enjoy a tall glass of chocolate milk. And I want the real thing. You can have the Yoohoos. You can have the choco milk that is already made up. And I’ll drink the if that’s what we’ve got. But if I have a choice, I like to take a carton of good old milk. Then I like to take a bottle of Hershey’s syrup and squeeze that yummy goodness into the glass of milk. But you can stop right there and turn that glass up and start to drink and you don’t have chocolate milk. Not yet. In order to make chocolate milk, you’ve got to stir it up.

God has given some of us some gifts. But we’ve allowed those gifts to go unused. Like the chocolate, they’ve settled to the bottom of our heart. They are still there, but we are not operating in them. We are not using them. We are not growing in them. Well it’s time to stir it up!

How do we stir up the Gifts of God?

Don’t Neglect Them

1 Timothy 4:14 NKJV

14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

Meditate on Them

1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV

15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

Continue in Them

1 Timothy 4:16 NKJV

16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Why should we stir up the Gifts of God?

Because we should desire to offer our lives in service to God

It is our reasonable service to the Lord. God doesn’t give us gifts to hoard them up. He has given us our gifts to use them to further His Kingdom and bring glory to His name.

Because the body of Christ needs them

God designed the gifts of the Spirit because He knew His church was going to need them. When the gifts of the Spirit are not functioning and operating the way God designed them, the body of Christ can become weak and sick. But when everyone is functioning in their gifts, the body of Christ is strengthened and healthy.

Because great things will happen

Great things happen when the body of Christ operates in the gifts of the Spirit. Those who are depressed are encouraged. Those who are sick are healed. Those who are in need are helped. Those who are lost are saved. Those who are lukewarm are set on fire for God.

CLOSING

What stops us from seeking for and operating in the gifts that God has given to us? It’s probably summed up in one word: fear. That’s why Paul encourage Timothy to not fear. “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” If there is something holding you back today, it is probably fear. But you need to realize fear does not come from God. Fear will paralyze you. Fear will cool the fire in your soul.

Don’t let fear hold you back. You have been given gifts from God. Stir it up!

ALTAR CALL