God's love is an awesome thing. It replaces feelings of helplessness with supernatural power. Only His love can vanquish the spirit of fear and heal a mind that is consumed by anxiety and doubt. This is the kind of love that Paul writes about to his son in the faith,young Timothy.
Paul begins his letter to this young man whom he loves so deeply by offering sincere praise for Timothy's faith and reminding him that his mentor has not forgotten him and is praying for him regularly. Then he writes these words:
"God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (II Timothy 1:7 KJV).
We can assume, from Paul's reference to Timothy's tears, that Timothy is perhaps experiencing a trial of his own faith at the time that Paul's letter is written. It is important to remember that while Paul is a spiritual veteran, Timothy is a young man who still needs the spiritual oversight and encouragement that his mentor has to offer. Knowing of Paul's imprisonment, he may be struggling with his own fear of the uncertainty of what lies ahead for him as he carries on the work without Paul's support. Later in this letter, Paul confirms the reality of what is potentially one of Timothy's greatest causes for anxiety; that Paul expects to die soon (II Timothy 4:6-8).
Paul writes to encourage Timothy to put his trust in the Lord and remember that God has fully equipped him to boldly proclaim Jesus Christ. When Paul tells his young charge, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear," he is speaking of Timothy as well as himself. There's urgency to his message in that he is trusting in God's provision even though he recognizes that he is probably facing execution. Paul is certain that his death will only mean the ultimate victory; that his martyrdom will usher him into the presence of His Savior (Philippians 1:21). Paul is not afraid and he does not want Timothy to give in to fear. The word that is translated "fear" is better understood as "timid." Paul wants Timothy to boldly proclaim the Gospel and to trust God's Holy Spirit to empower him and be with him even after his mentor is gone.
Some scholars believe that Paul is referring to a demon or evil spirit when he speaks of the "spirit of fear." The word for "spirit" in this passage however, is simply "pneuma" or breath. What Paul is trying communicate to Timothy is that God's Spirit is not timid and that fear does not come from God. The "spirit" referred to here is probably the Holy Spirit because Paul goes on to say that God's Spirit empowers, imparts wisdom, and demonstrates love to those who have trusted in him.
If II Timothy 1:7 were to be expanded in light of its context and with its full meaning, is might read like this:
"Timothy, don't be fearful of what is ahead of you. I am probably going to die soon, but I am not afraid. I have full faith that God will be with me to the end and receive me into His presence at the moment of my death. Do not pull back from your calling or be timid because of what is happening to me. Do not be afraid of your future. God has given you His Spirit. Through the Spirit you have boldness and power and the knowledge that God loves you. Let these gifts bring balance to your thoughts and peace to your heart and mind."
You and I live in an age that is increasingly characterized by apostasy and humanism. Many believe that we may be moving rapidly toward the end of the age and Christ's return. As you and I face the uncertain days ahead and even become fearful and rattled about events that we see unfolding around us and in front us, Paul's words are for us as well. God wants us to remember that we have the same boldness through his Spirit and the same access to God's unconditional love and unlimited wisdom that Paul and Timothy had. Through faith, we can affirm that God has not given us a spirit that is fearful or inadequate to meet our needs. Instead, He has given us The Holy Spirit who offers us the power of Almighty God and the mind of Christ.
"Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16).