Fan the Flame! (2)
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Fire is powerful.
Fire can destroy—but it can also refine.
Fire can consume—but it can also illuminate.
A flame can burn out of control, but it can also warm a cold house.
Fire, when it’s harnessed and fed properly, becomes a source of strength, energy, and power.
I remember being a kid and watching my dad feed the fire to keep it going in the wood stove in the basement.
Every so often, he would get up, grab some wood, and put it in the stove—even though there was already wood in there. I asked him why—why would he add more wood when the fire was already burning? And he said,
"So the fire doesn’t go out. You want to stay warm, don’t you?"
And that’s the thing about fire—if you don’t feed it, it will eventually burn out. If you don’t stir it, the embers will die down.
It’s not enough to just start the fire—you’ve got to maintain it.
Even though my dad never let me mess with the wood stove, I watched him fan the flame. I watched him open the door, poke at the logs, and add more wood to keep the fire burning.
I watched my grandmother stir the embers when the fire started to die down.
They knew that if they left the fire alone, it would eventually go out.
They didn’t wait until the fire was completely gone—they tended to it while there was still a spark left.
I watched them keep that fire going!
And the same is true for the fire God has placed inside of you.
God ignited something in you when you first came to Him—faith, purpose, calling—but you’ve got to keep it going.
But let’s be honest—some of us have grown cold on the inside.
Life has a way of chilling your spirit. Disappointment, unanswered prayers, and constant battles can make you feel like the fire is gone.
You still show up, you still go through the motions, but inside—you feel cold.
Am I talking to anybody today? Have you been feeling cold on the inside? Have you been showing up in church, lifting your hands, saying "Amen," but deep down, you know the fire isn’t burning like it used to?
Have you been praying, but it feels like your prayers are hitting the ceiling?
Have you been wondering why the passion you once had seems to be slipping away?
Maybe it’s anxiety that’s been weighing you down. You wake up with that tightness in your chest, and it feels like you can’t breathe. You walk into the room and feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world. Or maybe it’s depression—the heaviness that makes it hard to get out of bed, that makes you feel like you have nothing left to give. You’ve smiled through it, you’ve pushed through it, but inside—you feel cold and empty.
If that’s you—if you’ve been feeling spiritually cold, weighed down by fear, anxiety, and depression—I’ve got good news for you. The fire isn’t gone; it’s just waiting to be stirred up!
FAN THE FLAME!!
And that’s exactly where Timothy was when Paul wrote this letter.
Timothy wasn’t a stranger to the fire—he had experienced it before. He had been stirred, anointed, and empowered for ministry when Paul laid hands on him.
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
Paul is telling Timothy to actively stir up what God has already placed in him.
The gift of God refers to the spiritual calling and empowerment Timothy received when Paul laid hands on him.
Timothy was already called, already anointed—but he was letting fear and discouragement smother the gift.
But now, Timothy was feeling the weight of his calling.
He was young and leading a difficult church in Ephesus, surrounded by false teachers, opposition, and pressure.
Fear and insecurity were creeping in, and the fire that once burned bright in Timothy was beginning to dim under the weight of discouragement.
He
Paul, sitting in a Roman prison, knowing that his time was running out, writes to Timothy not to give him something new—but to remind him of what was already inside of him.
And that’s how God works with us too.
God doesn’t ask us to go out and find something we don’t have and make it work.
He’s not expecting you to create strength out of thin air or find courage from someplace else.
No—God equips us to stir up what’s already inside of us!
The gift, the power, the authority—it’s already there because He put it there.
You don’t have to chase it down or go looking for it—it’s in you!
God didn’t make a mistake when He called you. He didn’t leave you unequipped.
Everything you need to overcome fear, depression, and anxiety is already inside of you—it just needs to be stirred up
Paul tells Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God—
Anazōpyreō
IN GREEK THIS WORD MEANS TO : REKINDLE : TO STIR UP: to bring back to life a fire that is dying down.
It is nothing to start a fire. Fan into flame: how do you keep a fire from going out?
You breathe on it
You fan it
You stir it
You feed it with fuel
You protect it from wind and rain
You stay close to it and tend to it
the gift in this context- is a grace gift… spiritual gift that comes from God and not earned by effort by imparted through divine favor.
IT is the gifts given by the Holy Spirit for ministry, edification and service in the body of Christ
Each one of you have been called to service in the body of Christ! Each one of you have grace gifts imparted to you through divine favor.
The gift God has placed inside of you doesn’t burn out because God takes it away—it burns out when you stop feeding it.
You’ve got to breathe on it through prayer.
Constant communion with God
What would it look like if I didn’t talk to my husband.
You’ve got to stir it up through worship.
Praising God in the good and the bad
In the good and the chaotic season
You’ve got to feed it with the Word of God.
You’ve got to protect it from the distractions, the doubt, and the discouragement of life.
And you’ve got to stay close to the presence of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to fan that flame again and again.
The truth of the matter is
The Holy Spirit is still present in your lives.
Even though we have allowed the trials of life, the disappointments and the setbacks to smother the flames....
I am here to remind you the gift is still there!
The calling is still alive!
And how do I know that?
Because Romans 11:29 declares, "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable."
That means God hasn’t taken it back.
That means the anointing is still there.
That means the assignment is still active.
God’s not looking at you and saying, “You’ve failed too many times. You’ve messed up too much.”
No—He’s saying, “What I’ve placed inside of you is STILL YOURS.”
The fire may have dimmed, but the gift hasn’t left you. The calling hasn’t expired.
God’s grace is still working. His Spirit is still moving. His purpose for you is still alive!
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
The fire of the Holy Spirit symbolizes empowerment and spiritual ACTIVATION!
YOU GOTTA BE LIKE: ( Sing)
Holy Spirit Activate, Holy Spirit Activate, Holy Spirt Activate, Activate Activate,
fanning the flame is a decision that we have to make as believers.
God has already placed the gift inside of you—but it’s your responsibility to stir it up.
YOU have to decide to walk in that authority.
YOU have to decide to reject fear and step into faith.
YOU have to decide to lean into the power of the Holy Spirit and trust that what God has placed in you is ENOUGH.
When you fan the flame, you’re not just stirring up the gift—you’re stepping into the authority of Christ.
You’re walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.
You’re declaring that the fire God has placed inside of you is greater than the fear, greater than the doubt, and greater than the opposition.
greater than the anxiety, greater than the depression
We know this because Paul says in verse 7
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Paul is reminding Timothy—and us—that the Spirit we’ve been given isn’t a spirit of fear, weakness, or defeat.
It’s a Spirit of power—the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
It’s a Spirit of love—the kind of love that casts out fear
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
And it’s a Spirit of self-discipline—the strength to stand firm, to reject doubt, and to walk in faith even when the circumstances haven’t changed.
When we talk about fear we are talking about paralyzing fear—a sense of intimidation or shrinking back in the face of opposition.
It’s the kind of fear that causes you to hesitate when God has called you to move forward.
Paul was telling Timothy, “God didn’t give you that spirit of fear.”
That fear that’s making you doubt yourself—that’s not from God.
That fear that’s making you feel like you’re not enough—that’s not from God.
That fear that’s making you question your calling—that’s not from God.
Jesus said in
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
The enemy’s goal is to steal your peace, kill your joy, and destroy your purpose.
But Jesus came so that you could experience life—true life—not just surviving, but thriving.
Not just getting by, but walking in overflow.
Not just existing, but living with purpose, passion, and peace.
Abundant life isn’t about having perfect circumstances—it’s about having a heart that’s fully alive in Christ.
It’s about knowing that even in the storm, you have peace.
It’s about knowing that even when things aren’t going your way, you have joy.
It’s about knowing that even when you don’t have all the answers, you have purpose because God is working all things together for your good
So replace that fear!!
Replace fear with POWER – The Greek word here is dynamis, which means miraculous strength, ability, and might.
This is the same power the raise Jesus from the dead!
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
IF the Spirit of God is in you then he will give you life in your physical bodies through the Holy Spirit!
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
When fear says, “You can’t handle this,” God's power says, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you”
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
When fear says, “You’re not strong enough,” God's power says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness”
You are not powerless—God has equipped you with supernatural strength through the Holy Spirit!
Replace fear with LOVE – The word here is agape—God’s perfect, unconditional love
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
When fear says, “You’re not enough,” God’s love says, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made”
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
When fear says, “You’re alone,” God’s love says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”
God’s love wraps around you, giving you the confidence to face whatever comes your way.
➡️ Replace fear with SELF-DISCIPLINE –
meaning a sound mind, self-control, and wise judgment.
This means you have the ability to remain steady even when life feels chaotic.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
When fear says, “Everything is falling apart,” God’s peace says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)
When fear says, “You can’t handle this,” God’s Spirit gives you the wisdom to stand firm and make sound decisions.
When anxiety clouds your mind, God's Spirit brings clarity and focus.
You don’t have to live in fear because God has already given you the tools to overcome it.
You have POWER to stand strong.
You have LOVE that anchors you.
You have a SOUND MIND that steadies you.
So when fear comes knocking—replace it with God’s power, love, and peace.
That life isn’t just for eternity—it’s for right now.
God’s Spirit doesn’t just give you hope for heaven—it gives you strength for today!
It gives you peace for the storm.
It gives you courage for the battle.
It gives you joy even when the situation hasn’t changed.
The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave is alive and working in you right now.
The fire is still there.
Fan the Flame!
The gift is still there.
Fan the Flame
The power is still there.
Fan the Flame
Now it’s time to fan the flame, stir up the gift, and walk in the abundant life that the Spirit of God has already placed inside of you!
But listen to me—
The enemy may have knocked you down—but you’re still gifted.
He may have robbed you of peace—but you’re still anointed.
He may have tried to silence you with fear—but you’ve still got a word in your mouth!
Depression may have made you feel like you’re too broken to be used—but the gift is still there!
Anxiety may have made you feel like you’re not strong enough—but the gift is still there!
The enemy may have told you that you’ve lost your purpose—but the devil is a liar—the gift is still there!
What God has put inside of you is eternal.
The enemy can’t steal it because the enemy didn’t give it.
The fire is still there.
The power is still there.
The calling is still there.
The anointing is still there.
Now it’s time to stir it up!
Fan the flame!
And isn’t that exactly what Jesus did?
When Jesus stepped into His earthly ministry, He came anointed and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18).
He walked in authority—healing the sick, casting out demons, and declaring the kingdom of God.
He stirred up the fire everywhere He went—setting captives free, opening blind eyes, and calling people out of darkness into light.
But the greatest moment of His ministry wasn’t in the miracles—it was on the cross.
When Jesus laid down His life, it looked like the fire had gone out.
It looked like the enemy had won.
It looked like death had stolen the victory.
But early on that third day—the fire reignited!
The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead breathed life into Him, and He got up with all power in His hands (Romans 8:11).
The flame that the enemy thought he had extinguished was burning brighter than ever.
And because Jesus got up—
You can get up too!
Because Jesus conquered death—
You can walk in victory!
Because Jesus rose in power—
You have access to that same resurrection power!
And here’s the blessing: Jesus didn’t just rise for Himself—
He fanned the flame so that YOU could walk in that same power.
That’s why He said in John 14:12 (NIV):
"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
Jesus passed the flame to you!
The same fire that burned in Him now burns in you through the Holy Spirit!
The same power that raised Him from the grave is alive in YOU!
The same authority He walked in—He gave to YOU!
So don’t let the fire die down.
Don’t let fear, anxiety, or depression rob you of your calling.
The fire is still there!
Now it’s time to stir it up and fan the flame!
