Paul isn’t just telling Timothy not to be afraid, he’s telling him the Spirit who lives in him, and in all of us, is not timid or afraid. He’s telling him that the Spirit will embolden us to speak if we let Him. This is significant. Paul isn’t saying, “Try harder!” or “Dig deep and muster the strength.” He’s saying Timothy may be afraid, but God’s Spirit isn’t. Rely on the Spirit and get all hindrances out of the way.
Hindrances prevent us from acting according to the Holy Spirit. These hindrances may be…
- Fear
- Busy-ness
- Sin
- Laziness
- and more.
What hinders you?
Take a few minutes to pray and reflect on your life. What do you think is hindering you from speaking boldly about Jesus? What can you do to remove those hindrances from your life?
Pray that God would give you opportunities to tell others about Jesus and pray that He would make you bold in those moments, not of your own strength, but through the power of the Spirit.
Dear Jesus,
Before You ascended, You said that it was good that You would leave because You would then send your Spirit. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Transform me by Your Spirit, especially in regards to sharing the Gospel. Prepare opportunities for me to speak to others about You and then make me bold in those moments by the power of Your Spirit so that I may speak about You boldly and without hindrance.
Amen.