Don’t Drift, Dig In

Introduction

Illustration on the power of drifting. The Word has to be our anchor.

The only way to defeat Satan’s lies is with God’s truth.

We never outgrow the Word of God.

Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Highlight “Continue” - Remain in, keep on going, ultimately “Hold tightly”

Why should we hold so tightly to the Word of God?

Paul had just warned Timothy that following Jesus would bring challenges—persecution and people twisting the truth. But he wanted Timothy to be ready to keep going and not give up. In these last verses, Paul reminds him that the strength he needs to stand firm comes from the Bible. Timothy had seen how God’s Word was trustworthy in the lives of his teachers, and Paul points him back to Scripture as the reliable, God-inspired foundation he can always depend on.

The Character of people who taught you

Do not underestimate the power of your testimony and the life that you live. Because the reality of a changed life brings power to the message that you speak.

Paul points to the validity of the witness, authenticity of character, the transformation of the persons that taught it to Timothy.

Timothy’s mom and grandma and eventually Paul too.

Reliable testimonies = Reliable truth to so many people.

The Uniqueness of the Scripture

Holy - means “consecrated for sacred use”

The power of Scripture to save sinners

The unified story of the Scripture: God’s plan to save through Jesus

The Bible isn’t ABOUT you but it’s FOR you.

We are not saved by believing the Bible, but by trusting the Christ who is revealed in the Bible.

Satan knows the Bible, but he isn’t saved.

The Scripture is God’s very words

God breathed - The Holy Spirit of God used men of God to write the Word of God.

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

Do you treasure, love, read, meditate, memorize, & study this book like it’s God’s own words to us?

The Scripture is supposed to change us.

One of the ways we come to trust a message is by the power it has to change people.

The Scriptures are PROFITABLE for:

doctrine - what IS right

reproof - what is NOT right

correction - how to GET right

righteousness - how to STAY right

All of this equals GROWTH.

How we treat the Bible shows how much or how little we respect it.

Land the Plane

Perfect in this context - means in fit condition. it implies being fit for use, not sinless perfection. “Equipped for service”

God’s word, through it’s uses (teaching, reproof, correction, righteousness), equips God’s people to do the God’s work.

It has the transformative power to change sinners to saints through the message of the eternal Son of God who died to rescue, redeem, reconcile, and release back into this world to be lights in darkness, messengers of good news,