Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 2nd. Timothy 1:6
No matter how many things we do within the Kingdom of God, if we are not doing that for which we were called by the Grace of the Lord, it is equivalent to having done nothing. It sounds harsh, but this is the best way to explain the meaning of a purposeful life.
Life in the Kingdom of Heaven is not about “doing” things, but doing that for which we were attained, even so, what we have to do is only one thing in life. We have the best example in the case of Esther’s election. Mordecai makes her see that this is precisely why God placed her in the palace next to King Ahasuerus,
he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13-14 (NIV)
Esther was taken to the palace only to disrupt Amman’s satanic operation, and as soon as she succeeded, her life disappeared from the sacred records, for she had attained the purpose for which she was chosen,
Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: 4for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage. 5Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? 6And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. Esther 7:3-6
And this is precisely the point where not many can continue to advance in the development of their life of faith, because they do not know what is the purpose of their calling in the Lord, and therefore, they end up doing things that were not necessarily the reason for their calling, and they get lost behind actions that do not develop in their spirits the fullness that they fought the good fight of faith. The words that Jacob spoke to Pharaoh when he interviewed him on his arrival in Egypt come to mind at this moment; Jacob’s expression is weighed down with distaste because he knew he did not do many things that God had commissioned him to do.
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. Genesis 47:9
In the case of Timothy, from where we established the starting point for our teaching, the apostle in this second epistle exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift that is in him, showing in Paul’s instruction a concern for past actions that Timothy has neglected, and which are actually the purpose of his calling.
What actions could the apostle be referring to by stirring up the gift of God?
In the epistle there are traces of the apostle’s concern for past actions that Timothy has neglected. Let us look at their development.
- In 1:6 is the apostle’s exhortation to Timothy and the raison d’être of the second epistle: For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (NIV)
- In 4:1 is the reminder of the commission that Paul gave to Timothy at some point in his ministerial life, it is not a new commission: I give you this charge: (NIV).
- In 4:2 the commission is properly found: Preach (proclaim) the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (NIV).
- In 4:5 is the exhortation to maintain the same activity in which Timothy was formed: But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (NIV)
All these traces lead us to understand that Timothy began as an evangelist, as a true proclaimer of the Word of the Kingdom, and by contact with Paul, learned to teach the Word; this sum of activities were the duties of his ministry. However, because of his accommodation in Ephesus, he abandoned this activity which meant that the flame of the gift was extinguished in him.
There are also traces in the epistle that lead us to understand what were the causes in Timothy that led him to abandon his duties in ministry.
- In 1:7 it is discovered that Timothy came to experience fear because of the persecution Paul suffered because of the Gospel: For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (NIV)
- In 1:8 it is discovered that because of Timothy’s fear, the time came when Timothy was cut off from his old team: So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. (NIV)
- In the same verse it is discovered that Timothy has feared that persecution will overtake him; Paul exhorts him not to fear and to trust in the Power of God: Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. (NIV)
- In 2:3 Paul again emphasizes to him that he does not fear persecution, it is part of the life of the Gospel: Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (NIV)
- In 2:11-12 Paul makes Timothy see that refusing to do what God commissioned him to do can have serious spiritual consequences: Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; (NIV)
- In 3:14 Paul again exhorts Timothy to stand firm in what he has learned: But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, (NIV)
Stir up the gift that is in thee, means discovering and/or recovering the position and/or function that has been delegated to us as part of the purpose for which we were called.
The work walks according to the Will of God when the men and women of God are in the right position, and they do exactly what they have been entrusted to do.
Paul’s expression, (…by the Gospel) of which I am made preacher, and apostle, and teacher of the Gentiles, is not the apostle’s letter of introduction, it is simply the letter of duties of his ministry. The extraordinary projection that the apostle had during his entire ministerial life was due to the fact that he circumscribed himself to the assigned tasks; he never left there,
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 1st. Corinthians 1:17
What is our work within the Kingdom? The following biblical texts remind us of what God may have entrusted to us at some point,
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1st. Corinthians 12:4-12
Each one must place himself in the body and execute the function that has been delegated to him, this is to stir up the gift that is in thee. Place yourself in your position within the body.
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one member one of another. 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:4-9
However, do not forget the main work that Jesus established in his teachings and that are contained in the doctrine of the apostles; we can emphasize in the first place, the love for the evangelistic work,
pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Matthew 9:38 (Luke 10:2)
Without ceasing to consider that evangelistic work still demands to be willing to suffer and persecute,
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2nd. Timothy 2:3
confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
Above all, keep in mind that the Kingdom of Heaven is established through liberation and spiritual warfare; we must not evade this responsibility,
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8 (Luke 10:9)
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Matthew 12:28 (Luke 11:20)
and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Ephesians 1:22
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20
Therefore, being aware that it is not the many activities that are important, but doing what we were called to do, we must review and desist from what is accessory to occupy ourselves with fear and trembling of what God has commissioned us to do. Revival is the result of men and women engaged in returning to the original position, and in awakening the original function delegated by the Father.
All biblical quotations are taken from the King James Version.
Pastor Pedro Montoya
Twitter: @pastormontoya
Treasure in Earthen Vessels 