Beth Moore "Entrusted" - Session 3 "Strong in the Grace"

Welcome to session 3 of the Beth Moore "Entrusted" series.  Session 3 was called "Strong in the Grace."

We're halfway through this series with only 3 more sessions to view.

A question was posed to Beth Moore: How do we know what the will of God is for us to do?  Her answer was this: when we're exhausted but energized by what we do.

She encouraged us to stay the course and live lives of faithfulness.  She also discussed in the pre session that we need to have portions of people poured into our lives - teachers, mentors.

Part One
Beth dissected our theme scripture for this session in 2 Timothy 1:6-7:

"Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment."

"Fan into Flame" - this is something that is active and requires motivation from us to rev up the flames in our life.

"The gift of God" - it's supernatural. He gives the unction. To do what exactly? To fulfill the divine purpose we have during our earthly stay. 

"You've got to have God to serve God."

Beth described some things that help her to "fan into flame" her gift and spiritual fervor:

• Getting trained
• Scripture
• Prayer
• Music
• Exposing herself to people who are on fire

We are enormously gifted.  Start praying for what that gift is.  Scriptures used:

• I Corinthians 12
• Romans 12
• I Peter 4
• I Corinthians 14:1 - earnestly desire

In using scripture to "fan the flame" or be quickened by the Holy Spirit, we turned to:

• Jeremiah 23:29
• Jeremiah 20:9

Some ways to "fan the flame" in prayer:

• Colossians 4:2
• I Kings 18:44

Expect it.  Watch for it to come.  

Listen to and read the teaching of people "who are a lot of fire" - Hebrews 10:24-25:

"And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works - not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near." - HCSB

Timothy had prophecies made over him about his gifts for ministry.  He was officially publicly recognized when Paul and the elders laid hands on him - I Timothy 4:14.

But in 2 Timothy, this is a private letter, and Paul's personal role in Timothy's commissioning is appropriately mentioned here.  He was officially ordained.

Part Two

Dissecting 2 Timothy 1:7

"For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment."

In this context, "a spirit of fear" means cowardice.

It also can produce a perversion of all three of the components mentioned above in verse 7.

• Perversion of power = powerlessness or abuse of power
• Perversion of love = lust or hate
• Perversion of self-control = a drive to control others

Beth discussed also with us the word "power" in verse 7 as well.  Greek word used is dunamis meaning power, especially achieving power.  

She discussed the word meaning from duna meaning able or capable.  What's the difference?

Able meaning you possibly could do it if you wanted to.

Capable meaning you sieze the power and use it.  It. Is. Mine.

Moving on, Beth gave us different versions of the last word in verse 7:

• ESV - self control
• NIV - self-discipline
• NKJV - sound mind
• HCSB - sound judgment

Self-control used here in the Greek sophronismos - to discipline, correct; sound mind, sober judgment.

We were reminded that we're in a war and we need to have a lot of backbone.  We've not been given a spirit of fear.....

Next: Session 4 "Difficult Times, Difficult People"