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adopting a spirit of power: online devotional
Devotionals

Devotional: Adopting a Spirit of Power

September 9, 2021

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

Boy oh boy. Do you know how many times I’ve recited this scripture to myself growing up and even as an adult?

  • Every time I heard the house creak at night ✔️
  • Every time I saw a preview for a scary movie on TV ✔️
  • Every time I would have to run through a dark hallway to get to my room before I could turn on the light ✔️
  • Now at the age of 37 when my family coaxes me onto an amusement park ride ✔️

It is normal to feel afraid at times. It’s part of being human. And in facing that part of humanity we actually have the opportunity to draw closer to God. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 KJV.

But the really amazing thing to keep in mind is that God didn’t create us to live our lives in fear. He didn’t put us on this earth and send His only son to die for our sins so that we could spend our days cowering in the corner afraid to go out and live our lives.

No.

He created us in His image. Which means we cannot stand in fear. But we stand in God’s power. We stand in God’s love. We stand in God’s clarity that He has given to us.

Adopting a Spirit of Power

Here’s why this passage is so powerful.

It comes from Paul’s second letter to Timothy. Paul was nearing the end of his life; expecting execution from the Romans. He’s stressed (and who wouldn’t be), and knowing that even when he is gone, the gospel has to continue. He’s looking for someone strong enough to carry on where he leaves off, and he knows that Timothy is the guy for the job.

(Imagine the stress that Timothy must have been feeling!)

See, Timothy was like a son to Paul. Paul was his mentor. He taught Timothy about godly wisdom and how to lead others; how to build a church. Can you believe how stressful both of them must have felt? The government was on Paul’s tail, and Timothy is losing this man who had been like a father to him; who had taught him everything he knew, and Timothy had some big shoes to fill.

They could have both easily given into the fear. They both could have easily ran and tried to hide from what was coming. Saying that it was too difficult, too scary. That they were ill-equipped.

But Paul and Timothy both knew that fear was not from God. They understood that the enemy will stop at no expense to keep us from doing God’s works; to prevent us from reaching our highest potential through God. He will instill fear in us any chance he can if it means holding us back.

Fear isn’t from God. But what does come from God is the tools we need to overcome fear. The tools of power, love, and sound judgement.

You see, God doesn’t cower when He’s walking down the golden streets, afraid of what might be lurking behind Him. He doesn’t pull the covers back over His head because He’s too overwhelmed with what the day might bring. He doesn’t back down from a big situation because He’s afraid He might fail – or worried about what people might think.

He doesn’t get lost. He doesn’t buy into the lies. He doesn’t run from darkness.

He doesn’t do any of these things because He IS the way. He IS the truth. He IS the light. And He shines through us – meaning we can do the same. We can accept the big moments. We can get through the scary times. Because we have a spirit of power. A spirit of love. A sound mind.

Reflection:

What is a fear in your life you feel that is holding you back?

What is it in your life that you allow to bring you feelings of anxiety or overwhelm?

How can you stand up to those feelings today and adopt a spirit of power?

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

I ask today that you remove my spirit of fear. That you fill my heart with your love, your light, your goodness, and your clarity. I ask that you give me the strength to face the things for which I am afraid. I pray that you give me the courage to stand up and do your works, to follow through on decisions that will make you proud, and to guide everything I do in love. In your name I pray, amen.

adopting a spirit of power
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Natasha Funderburk

Natasha Funderburk is a wife, #boymom, NASM-CPT, Nutrition Coach, Behavior Change Specialist, and freelance writer. Her articles have been featured on sites such as Her View From Home, The Huffington Post, and The Today Show Parenting Team. Fueled by Jesus, coffee, and carbs, Natasha spends most of her time watching her son play baseball, writing her feelings, and searching for snacks.

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Grab your coffee and stay awhile

Welcome to Salt + Sparrow, a place where we learn about Jesus, the Bible, and find big faith in small things.

Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth #faithquotes #christ Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth 

#faithquotes #christianmoms #truth #blessed #relationshipwithgod #prayer #christianmomma #christianlifestyle #christianity #faithblogger #christianmother #faithinmotion #faithblog #christianliving #christians #momsoffaith #biblestudy #jesusalways #faith #bibleverse #pray
Every single person you meet was created by, and l Every single person you meet was created by, and loved by God. 

Even the ones who have hurt you. 

Next time you’re tempted to act out in anger, or envy, or hurt.. stop for a moment and think.. how would Jesus behave in this situation? 

Learning to respond to others for who they are rather than what they’ve done… or the emotion their actions have triggered in you, will bring you peace and freedom. 

💛
.
.
.
.
.
#faithblogger #christianblogger #christianwomen #christianlifestyle
I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: Developing Resilience and Faith When Giving Up Isn’t an Option, by Bianca Juarez Olthoff. And it couldn’t have come into my life at a better time.

I think we’ve all gone through times in our life when failure has threatened to keep us down. When getting back up after yet another fall feels seemingly impossible.

And I hate to break it to you, but we will all face failure at some point in our lives. Sometimes repeatedly. But the really amazing thing about failure is that it give us options:

We can either let failure destroy our confidence and our faith and keep us from living up to our full potential.

Or we call view failure as another chance.

Embracing failure is a concept that may be difficult to adopt at first, but when we can view failure as a learning opportunity and quickly get back up on our feet, we win. It’s also a chance to turn to God and say hey.. here’s my weakness. And it’s only through our weaknesses that we can turn to God and find His strength.

So.. are you going to change the way you view failure? Or are you going to let it hold you back?

@biancaolthoff 

I'll link a giveaway for this book in stories so go check it out there!

#gritdontquit #gritdontquitbook #bookstagram #grit #christianbooks
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

"This verse isn’t promising that bad things won’t happen. It simply reminds us nothing can touch us when we live in Christ Jesus. We might experience loss and hardship, but our ultimate destination is heavenly perfection. 

So today, if you are living consumed with fear, practice surrender.

Take a deep breath and know that no matter what, you are loved and you will be ok.

God is Big Enough to hold our biggest hurts and make them beautiful." 

@mrsheidivegh 

#christianmomma #christians #christianlifestyle #faithblogger #christianmother #faithblog #faithquotes #relationshipwithgod #faithinmotion #prayer #christianliving #christianmoms #momsoffaith #truth #christianity #blessed
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About

Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth #faithquotes #christ Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth 

#faithquotes #christianmoms #truth #blessed #relationshipwithgod #prayer #christianmomma #christianlifestyle #christianity #faithblogger #christianmother #faithinmotion #faithblog #christianliving #christians #momsoffaith #biblestudy #jesusalways #faith #bibleverse #pray
Every single person you meet was created by, and l Every single person you meet was created by, and loved by God. 

Even the ones who have hurt you. 

Next time you’re tempted to act out in anger, or envy, or hurt.. stop for a moment and think.. how would Jesus behave in this situation? 

Learning to respond to others for who they are rather than what they’ve done… or the emotion their actions have triggered in you, will bring you peace and freedom. 

💛
.
.
.
.
.
#faithblogger #christianblogger #christianwomen #christianlifestyle
I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: Developing Resilience and Faith When Giving Up Isn’t an Option, by Bianca Juarez Olthoff. And it couldn’t have come into my life at a better time.

I think we’ve all gone through times in our life when failure has threatened to keep us down. When getting back up after yet another fall feels seemingly impossible.

And I hate to break it to you, but we will all face failure at some point in our lives. Sometimes repeatedly. But the really amazing thing about failure is that it give us options:

We can either let failure destroy our confidence and our faith and keep us from living up to our full potential.

Or we call view failure as another chance.

Embracing failure is a concept that may be difficult to adopt at first, but when we can view failure as a learning opportunity and quickly get back up on our feet, we win. It’s also a chance to turn to God and say hey.. here’s my weakness. And it’s only through our weaknesses that we can turn to God and find His strength.

So.. are you going to change the way you view failure? Or are you going to let it hold you back?

@biancaolthoff 

I'll link a giveaway for this book in stories so go check it out there!

#gritdontquit #gritdontquitbook #bookstagram #grit #christianbooks
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

"This verse isn’t promising that bad things won’t happen. It simply reminds us nothing can touch us when we live in Christ Jesus. We might experience loss and hardship, but our ultimate destination is heavenly perfection. 

So today, if you are living consumed with fear, practice surrender.

Take a deep breath and know that no matter what, you are loved and you will be ok.

God is Big Enough to hold our biggest hurts and make them beautiful." 

@mrsheidivegh 

#christianmomma #christians #christianlifestyle #faithblogger #christianmother #faithblog #faithquotes #relationshipwithgod #faithinmotion #prayer #christianliving #christianmoms #momsoffaith #truth #christianity #blessed
God had already been speaking to me for some time God had already been speaking to me for some time about how my desire to control the details and direction of my life was getting in the way of my trust in Him and my submission to Him.

The fear of not being in control had stolen my contentment, joy, and peace. So many opportunities and relationships had been strangled or suffocated due to the struggle for control.

The Lord had been directing me to practice putting my full trust in Him.

While I used to spend much of my energy worrying and controlling, God began teaching me to put all of that effort into trusting Him instead.

Friends, as I look back over my life, I cannot think of one time that I regret surrendering to God and yielding control to Him. Was it difficult and painful? Indeed it was.

Did I take it back untold times, having to surrender again and again? You bet.

But this I’ve discovered: as we lean into our powerlessness and His sovereignty, we experience new levels of freedom and joy.

Once upon a time, I would have thought that losing control was the worst thing that could happen to me. Now I know that releasing it was what I needed most.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to yield this new area of control to you– I surrender myself and all of my brokenness. Guide me and remind me each day to put my full effort into trusting You.

@jamiedesilvia 

Full post on saltsparrow.com

 #pray #faith #prayer #bibleverse #biblestudy #bibleversedaily #faithinmotion #faithblogger #christianmomma #jesusalways #faithblog #faithquotes #christianmoms #christianmother #christianlife #christianlifestyle #momsoffaith #christianliving #relationshipwithgod #christians #faithbased #momswhoreadthebible
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