You Are Not Given a Spirit of FearSample

Day 3: Overcoming Fear with God’s Power

2 Timothy says that God gave us a spirit of power, but what does that mean? Well, Ephesians 1 tells us that God’s is a power that is “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named,” and it is the same power that worked in Christ when God raised Him from the dead.

What’s so important to understand is the power that I'm talking to you about is not out there in the atmosphere somewhere. It is coming toward you right this minute, right this second!

Friend, this is something to think about! God's power—miracle working, healing, raising-from-the-dead power, power over all principalities, powers, and dominions, power over every name that's named—is the power that's coming toward you right now.

Hebrews tells us that God, through His Word, is holding all things together. Every atom that exists in this world. I am sure you know about the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb works as a bomb because it causes atoms inside it to split, and that's what creates the explosion. Well, who's holding all the atoms in all the world together? God, by the word of His power, He's holding them. He's holding your hand together, your face, your house, and your clothes together by the word of His power. He is holding every atom together so that we don't just explode into the atmosphere.

Jesus tells us that this power can even heal the sick and cast out demons. Romans 8 says,

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead, will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

I'm talking to you about the power that's coming towards you right now, the power that He's given you to pray for the sick, the power that He's given you to pray for your own self. Resurrection power. That's the power I'm talking to you about. That absolutely overcomes fear.

Power for Right Now

The most encouraging part is that God gave this salvation and power for us to experience it here, right now on the earth, not just in heaven somewhere when we die.

You may say, “Well, where do I start?” Well, God said to start right where you are. God gave you these hands, not just for you to work or clean your house or hug people or work on a computer or hold a telephone or put things in order. No! These hands that you have, the Bible says they're holy and it says to lay them on the sick and they will recover.

So, start with yourself. You can lay hands on your own self and speak to your own body. You can say, “I release this” to your own self. “I release the power of God to this part of my body.”

Look what Jesus did to get that power on the inside of you, the suffering He went through, the ridicule, the shame, the torment. It was all for you and me to get the power of God on the inside of us, not so we would just know about it, but that we would activate it, we would use it, and we would lay our hands on the sick.

You might be saying, “What if it doesn't work?” Well, what if it does work? We just have to start.

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever considered the specific power of God before? Take a moment to think of some examples of God’s power that Denise didn’t mention, big or small. How does that awareness affect your view of your own abilities?
2. Is there something that you’re struggling with—an injury, sickness, or anxiety? The Bible tells us that God’s power is for us right now, so take a moment to declare that power over yourself and see what happens with your struggle.