2019 Saint James Sermon,

Be Strong And Courageous 

2Timothy 1:6,7,8, Outline

Subject: “Be Strong and Courageous”

Points: Paul instructs us that we can be strong and courageous because:

Point 1: First, we have genuine faith in God and the Holy Spirit has given us gifts. (v. 6)

-Paul knew that Timothy had genuine and sincere faith in God. Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice poured the gospel into Timothy.

-Paul tells Timothy to stir up the gift that the Holy Spirit had given him.

-The gift is already in you.

-God sent us the Holy Spirit to help us to endure any challenge and to transform us through the challenge. 

-The Holy Spirit gives us gifts and works in our lives to help us be more like Jesus, spread the gospel, disciple others, edify believers, and to help us endure the race.

-The Holy Spirit gives us gifts freely and generously; we likewise should use our gifts generously.

Point 2: Second, the Holy Spirit does not make us timid but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (v.7)

-Paul is saying that we do not have to be timid! We do not have to be afraid with the challenges we face in this life. 

-So many times in the Bible, God tells us not to fear.

-No matter what we are facing, we can choose to have faith in God!  We can choose to believe that Our God is greater! 

-We know that nothing is too hard for our God! 

-Nothing is impossible for our God!

-Faith in God or being courageous is not always the complete absence of fear!

-Sometimes it is obeying God even while we are feeling fear!

-We do not have to let fear stop us from doing what God calls us to do. 

-The Holy Spirit gives us power to obey God, pray, to be a good witness, fight the good fight of faith and to endure this Christian race.

-The Holy Spirit pours love into us. God lavishes us with God’s love.

-Agape love, the highest kind of love!

-God is love.

-We are the children of God!

-We are a royal priesthood and a holy nation!

-Knowing our identity in Jesus builds our faith in Jesus!

-The Holy Spirit helps us to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls and to love others even if they hate us. 

-Yes, God can help us love even our enemies.

-The Holy Spirit helps us to love ourselves.

-Then, the Holy Spirit gives us self-discipline meaning a sound mind or self-control.

-We must be disciplined to read, study, and meditate on the word of God in order to know God better.

The Holy Spirit gives us discipline! Be Strong and Courageous!

Point 3: Finally, the Holy Spirit empowers us not to beashamed of the gospel. (v.8)

-Paul tells Timothy to not be ashamed of Jesus or of Paul who is suffering in prison for the gospel.

-Some of the Christians during Paul’s time fell away from the faith and others got involved in false doctrine

-Some of us are scared to the mention the name of Jesus in the public square, the marketplace or outside the four walls of the church because we do not want to offend others or to be known as a fanatic or because of our prestigious positions or degrees.

We must be willing to reach out to the community and be the voice and presence of God.

-Jesus said, if you deny him here, he would deny you before Almighty God!

-Saints, we must know that we know that we know that Jesus is alive!

-Jesus is our resurrected Savior! Jesus is the Son of God!

-Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cross and on the third day arose with all power in his hands.

-Jesus suffered and died to set us free! Who the Son sets free is free indeed! We have been redeemed with a great price!

Almighty God and Jesus have sent us the Holy Spirit to help us to be Strong and Courageous!  Jesus and the Holy Spirit intercede for us. Saints, Be strong and courageous!