 This morning, let's open up our Bibles to 2 Timothy and we're going to be looking at chapter 1 and I titled this study You know sometimes I'm asked you know before I come somewhere to speak You know, what's the title of your message and quite frankly sometimes I don't get the title till like I'm there Or I walk right up and all of a sudden it's like something stands out That's it and that's what I'll call it and so you know I think I changed the title two or three times before we got to this one And so the title is fear not and the reason why I kind of use that is this is something that really Paul reminded Timothy of and we use this passage a lot in verse 7 of chapter 1 and So we're just going to kind of get the backdrop of all of this as I began to develop and build just the encouragement that Paul gave To his young protege Timothy his son in the faith So father we do come before you this morning and we ask God that you would just Minister to us and Lord we do come before you and we empty ourselves of us The cry of our heart is more of you and less of me and so Lord as we open up your word I pray that we would open up our hearts We want to hear from you We want to learn more of you We want to be changed and transformed. We want to be encouraged But also Lord we invite challenge and conviction Speak Lord your servants are listening in Jesus name. We pray amen Look at what it goes on to say here, and I kind of like this and I'm one that tries to get the whole text in there But just great encouragement that Paul gives Timothy here, and I want to remind you of the backdrop of what's taking place It's believed that this is the last and final letter that Paul writes before His execution for the believer we would say before his martyrdom Paul was a great man of God. We know that an apostle many that come from a lifestyle that is pretty rough We always look at Paul as an example that if God can change a man like Saul of Tarsus and and there Call him into the ministry and him become one of the greatest apostles of the Bible and then he can change a man Like me or a man like us And we look at the backdrop of what's taking place here Even though we look at Paul in that degree Paul was also a man who loved and a man who cared dearly for many and Clearly when we look at Paul's list of things that he gone through as he's writing to the Corinthians He gives this list of all these things shipwrecked and beaten and left cold and all this stuff in Hungary And then he says but above all of that What affected him more than anything was his concern for the church Here's the love that Paul had for the gospel for souls to be saved for people to be transformed for men to be changed And the backdrop of this very letter here is the same backdrop that you find in 1st Peter and Here when we look at 1st and 2nd Peter you can kind of put the two together and see Kind of the same thing here. You have Paul at the end. We would call it his departure Peter would go on to say that he's about to lay down his tent and The backdrop is pretty much the same. The timing is the same If we can kind of look maybe without trying to be very specific with dates The tragedy has happened in this city called Rome There was a great fire according to historians. It's believed around the time of July 19 64 AD that this great fire ripped through this city and it was believed to be started by Emperor Nero it was believed that he was the one behind it yet. No one can really pinpoint him So in your mind try to take yourself there to get the understanding of this very letter written to Timothy What happened was it was blamed on a group of individuals Who were viewed as the ones who were causing problems? There was a lot of weird things believed about them They have these love feasts. They eat flesh. They drink blood Something wrong with these individuals They're serving a false Messiah. They're serving a false God a false deity. They're regarded as the outcast They're regarded as the ones that really are the ones who could have possibly started this fire So a great wave of persecution about ten months after that transpired where it is believed that millions of Christians were persecuted and wiped out and perhaps maybe With that as a backdrop and knowing that this is the period of time where we know that Paul did come out of custody and Then it's believed That he was later Re-arrested and then taken up to Rome and now no longer appealing to Caesar now. He's a criminal of Rome And so now we have here where Paul is very well aware that his end is close And here's what blows me away about this entire passage that really encourages me as a as a man of God Not as a pastor, but as a man of God is that Paul had the church And his son in the faith on his mind while he was in prison While he was in a cell knowing that The day that he would leave that he would not come back Pretty mind-blowing for me, but very encouraging. I Was thinking about this this morning every time I come to Chino Valley I'm often greeted by old friends of mine that I used to run around with Guys that I was in prison with And so for some of you that come with that same dynamic I guess the best way we can look at Paul's letter to Timothy is that this was his willa To his young man Timothy and here's the encouragement of the things that he left and this is what I think is important When you look at verse one Paul here really kind of gives an understanding to Who he is he says Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God Notice that Paul here. I love the term here apostle Which literally means he that is sent out Paul understood that he was sent out But also speaking with this apostolic authority the apostles were the ones that had the authority to speak these things to the church to bring Correction to give direction and here is Paul is writing. It's not that Paul is saying here I'm an apostle listen to me but Paul is saying here really is an apostle of Jesus Christ that he was sent out of Jesus Christ by the will of God not by his will but by the will of God Knowing that all that he does is for the purpose and the glory and the will of God a great mark to be Pointed out here is that and so he's called by God's purpose in God's plan It's the way that Paul would address a lot of his letters to the Corinthians in first and second Corinthians both in chapter one and Ephesians chapter one Colossians chapter one and in first Timothy chapter one Goes on to say here according to the promise of the life, which is in Christ Jesus You see the whole purpose is the promises of God That there are promises that are given that there are things that God has given us and all of us have experienced that today We've come to understand a promise that God gave his son and all those who believe in him would have life Eternal and for most of us here this morning. We've done that we've professed that we confess that and Perhaps there are some here that have not and I do believe that there'll be opportunity today for you to do so But notice what he goes on to say here To Timothy a beloved son. I love this here I'm often reminded of men who the Lord has placed in my life brothers and pastors Pastor David Rosales is one that I believe the Lord has put in my life to come alongside and encourage Remind but also to challenge and disturb and here This is what Paul is doing with Timothy as he looks at Timothy here And he noticed what he says here to Timothy a beloved son grace mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord Because the Lord is the only one that can give these things grace mercy and peace But it's interesting as he's speaking to Timothy he reminds Timothy here in Paul's pastoral epistles He always adds the term here mercy and why because the reminder is very important. Yes pastors need mercy But look at what he goes on to say here as he has Timothy in mind remember. He's in a cell He's in prison He knows that his execution is at hand and here he's Thinking about Timothy He's thinking about notice what he goes on to say I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience As my forefathers did as without ceasing. I remember you and my prayers night and day Paul here is reminded And he's encouraged by the family of faith The very thing that he looks to is the church and he says my forefathers those Believers before him those that he looked and that have kept the faith He's encouraged by that and that's an encouragement that we all can receive all of us men come from various Walks of life different backgrounds all of you do but yet God has placed men in our lives so that we can be encouraged by one another We can be challenged and stirred by one another and he goes on to say this and I love this he says That's without ceasing. I remember you in my prayers night and day I'm praying for you Not praying for myself I'm praying for you And so he goes on to say this greatly desiring to see you Being mindful of your tears that I may be filled with joy when I call to rememberance the genuine faith that is in you Which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded is in you also You see Paul is writing Timothy and he's not saying hey man do whatever you can to get me out He's not saying amen. You know shoot me a care package. You know what I mean put some money on my books Some of you know what I'm talking about some of you will get it later. Anyways Hopefully you get it by remembrance not get it by experience Let's see the point that is being made here here Timothy receives this letter and This letter here is going to encourage Timothy in the time that he's living in remember the backdrop So Paul is building this up as he's reminding Timothy. I'm thinking about you Yes, we know the end of the story Paul will die Timothy here receives this letter Paul's in prison and he's saying son. I'm thinking about you. I'm praying for you I'm praying for the church. I'm praying for the body I'm reminded of the very tears and perhaps this could be that the last time they were together as Paul departed There were tears there. I mean we see that very clearly in the book of Acts there when he departed from the elders of Ephesus There were tears there This was the real deal man and For men listen some say men don't cry. That's what my dad used to tell me men don't cry I'll tell you I became the biggest crybaby when I became a Christian Because God changes your heart. He transforms you You see the point that I think is Noticable for us to take note of listen when Paul writes his letter to Timothy first Timothy He's telling him to be faithful and to endure in his second letter here is we're going to see as the day develops the studies and the Messages you're going to see here what Paul begins to tell Timothy is to be fearless and bold And some people think that tears is not bold. Oh, yes, it is bold You know what? I love to see Men who people have written off and regarded as nothing men who could never accomplish anything All of a sudden hear the gospel and I've seen it many times and even in my own life You hear the message of the cross something stirs your heart and you realize that from that point on your life Will never be the same again and the things that held you back that you were bound by because of shame because of fear You know those sins that God has forgiven you of that only you and him know about You are moved to tears because you know You're no longer condemned Jesus has set you free He set you free There should be a joy and an excitement And I love this when I come here and I see all these men this early in the morning One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Proverbs 8 17 I love those who love me and they that seek me early shall find me Well, I'll tell you man We're seeking the Lord this morning amen and some of you are going to be found in him and Stirred and challenged to walk boldly in these last days You know one of the greatest things that I see within the body of Christ of being a pastor is Men Who are not being the men that God has called them to be as if God has not equipped them When we look at Paul and we look at Timothy and we look at all these men in Scripture I remember when I first used to read I used to always be like God. I just I want to be like this guy I want to be like this prophet. I want to call fire down from heaven Tear some people up, you know But I'll tell you what when I started to really study these men in Scripture I begin to realize these men have the same flaws that I have I Like what James says about Elijah Elijah 5 or James chapter 5 he says about Elijah He says that Elijah was just a man with a nature like yours in mind Think about that and yet God used him tremendously And one of the greatest things that hinders a man to be used by God is a fear What is fear a lot of times we look at this and I'm going to develop this a little bit here in a bit because I want you guys to be encouraged and reminded That fear is the very thing that hinders us to do what God's called us to do fear is the very thing that will hinder you to be the Husband and the priest of your home to be the godly example the father that he's called you to be the leader in Ministry the one who can go out and do what God has called him to do listen We have been given everything that every apostle every man of God that has been given in Scripture to be able to fulfill the will of God Been given to you. Oh, but I was in a position where I was afraid to take a step forward I've been there before anybody here know what I'm talking about. God bless you. I'll pray for you later It's the truth. We've been there Look at what he goes on to say here as we read he says when I call to remembrance the genuine faith I love that term there the genuine faith Paul is reminded He's encouraging Timothy of his very faith Genuine literally means without hypocrisy. You see the word hypocrisy in the original language Literally means this an actor under an assumed character That's what it is and Here what Paul is saying to Timothy is that your faith is genuine many men We have this genuine faith and notice what he says here that is in you which Dwelled first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded is in you also We know that Paul had two trips to the very Region in city of where Timothy and his family was from here Lystra acts 14 first time he went And the people came against him and Paul left and he came back in chapter 16 And there he met up with this young man Timothy and that's where we begin to see this whole Relationship develop and we see how God ministered and encouraged or that Paul ministered and encouraged this young man Timothy and built him up in his faith We pray that this is the very thing that will The Lord will do in you and even in us today And notice what he says here. He says looking at the faith of your grandmother and your mother You see Timothy came from a godly home a home that was built on biblical principles You see the importance here is that Paul says here your grandmother and your mother They ministered they taught him the word how important it is for us as parents as fathers To be able to be that example to our children to be able to be that very Pattern that they can follow remember there in 1st Timothy chapter 4 when Paul is speaking to Timothy and in verse 12 He says but be an example to the believer the word their example in the original language Literally means a pattern that someone can follow Be that Timothy and we see that Paul really pointed out some things in his first letter to Timothy that Belief brings us to the place to believe that Timothy probably had some issues with being a little bit timid And maybe some of us men have been in that place at one point in time or another When we know we should have said something when we know we should have prayed for someone when we know we could have done Things differently when we know we could have maybe allowed God to use us But something held us back and I'll tell you what a lot of times that's what I get with a lot of men They're saying I don't think God can use me. I don't think my prayers are good enough. Let me tell you guys I don't know how to pray. I didn't know how to pray half of the time. I still think I don't know how to teach the Bible I Just let the Lord do what he does Because it's about him anyways. Amen, and hey, I live like a fool in the world And I'll tell you what I don't have a problem being a fool for Jesus, man and so He encourages Timothy and look at what he goes on to say here reminding him of his biblical Godly heritage that started in his very home men. Can I tell you that your first ministry is your home? What I tell men at our fellowship that step into ministry I tell them this men that are married This is what I say to them your ministry will only be as strong as your marriage You need to learn how to minister to your wife You need to learn how to minister to your children and I'll tell you what if you can't pray with your wife You're a coward If you can't lead them in Bible studies. Oh, man, you're a coward No, I say that with all sincerity of heart because I'll tell you guys what Most men we look at You know our machismo Oh I'm a man, you know God says, you know turn the other cheek. He doesn't say how many times You guys will get that later. I'll tell you what a True man can lead his wife in Bible study Not only leader in study, but give her an example to follow You know one of my greatest fears is hearing a pastor one time explained to me a Circumstance that him and his wife were going through and he said the thing that devastated him the most was this that his wife said After he got done teaching the word. I wish I can take that man home with me I said Lord, I pray that remove me from ministry or anything if I ever get to that place My wife has to have something to follow. I Have to be able to lead my children. I'm not saying my home is you know, it's not the this this heavenly home You feel like you're walking on clouds, you know and everybody's just like love all around, you know And you know, it's just like come to the Zamora household, but let me tell you something It starts in the home It does start there men and you might say well, I'm not married But whatever is your home prepare For the woman that the Lord is going to bring into your life now if that is the Lord's will start now You know some of you're so worried single man, how many single men do we have in here raise your hand? Oh, there's quite a bit. I know what you guys been praying for your rib your rib if the Lord wills it in that opportunity comes man I'll tell you start even now, but great encouragement. We see here great reminder to Timothy Timothy This is where you come from Timothy This is your heritage And then he goes on to say this Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God. I Like this here. You see the word here to stir up The word actually has kind of three meanings just within the one word and you can kind of build what he's saying here Just in this one word alone stir the original language the word is on a zoom who rail and The word literally means if you kind of break it up into its three stages if you will The term on a means to keep up to keep up with zoom needs to live Like an animal was alive. It's really what the meaning is behind it and the word here Purae or pur means fire So really what he's saying is This in regards to Timothy stirring up the gift of God is to keep the fire alive He's not saying Timothy you've lost it He's saying Timothy you have it but what I'm reminding you to do is to keep it alive fan and deflane stir up this gift It's already in you and Perhaps maybe the things that crippled Timothy in the past his timidity and his fear maybe perhaps of speaking in front of people or Those respecting or having to go and challenge the opposing teachings of the day all these things that come against a man When he begins to leave let me tell you something man Most men fear to step into ministry one of the things they tell me is this And I already know I'm gonna go through all kinds of stuff I've seen people in ministry. I've seen what they go through. I don't want any of that I just want to sit in the pew warm the pew for the next service and I'm fine with that but in reality God has given us his spirit and the spirit of God is constantly at work. He gifts us various gifts that we see in scripture And God has given us the ability to fulfill his purpose and advance his kingdom and men the time is now It's now And you might say well, I'm waiting for the next men's conference. Listen. Don't wait Start now Notice what he goes on to say here stir up the gift of God God gifts us Some matter of fact the scripture goes on to say in Romans chapter 11 verse 29 that the gifts of God are without repentance And God has gifted you and some of you might feel At certain Circumstances in your life, maybe because of things happening you ever been discouraged in ministry and just said you know what forget it God will never use me anybody ever believed that lie that God will never use you raise your hand. Amen. I believed it I believed it and the awesome thing About our Christian faith is it doesn't matter what we think What matters is who God is He restores he transforms he takes a man who really even if he doesn't think he's anything as Paul would say to the Corinthians in 1st Corinthians chapter 1. He takes the foolish things of the world Takes the one that believes that he can't be used or others say oh, he'll never amount to anything Those are the men that God uses Which is in you through the laying on of hands See the whole term here the laying on of hands really was something that the apostles did And they did that because remember as I said in the beginning this authority that they had they were the ones who brought Direction they were the ones who brought correction They were the ones who literally laid the foundation for the early church and we read that a little bit later as he begins To talk about the faith that the apostles have laid out and really what it is is they built off of the very gospel message Jesus lived out in front of them and yet we see here that he says this laying on of hands Well there came a time that perhaps when Paul laid his hands on Timothy as an apostle and they're commissioned him for the work of the ministry and In that there would be this transferring if you will and these gifts were given to do the work of them And now today when we lay hands on individuals, it's not the same thing, but we can I Guess the point that we can make here very clearly is that prayer Is one of the key things To a man fulfilling his work and his role as a man of God prayer That's the thing You'll never reach The potential that God has for you You'll never step into the very things that God has for you if you're not a man of prayer prayer is very important Not these little jackrabbit prayers, you know these little five-minute prayer Oh, I prayed today, bro Or you generalize these prayers, you know God I pray for everybody. I know So then when somebody hits you up and they say have you prayed I prayed for you, bro I pray for you pray for you. I pray for your family. I pray, you know how we do it I've done that before pastor pray for me. I will God bless you I will then I forget and then I see them again And they're like hey you prayed for me Taking in my mind. I pray for everybody. Yeah, I did I prayed for you. Oh, thank you. Oh, thank you You know, well, I just want to tell you here's the praise report Then they give me this big old praise report and they're just like man Thank you for your prayers so much. I don't walk away so convicted Like man, Lord, you got me out of that one really good. You looked out for me, but prayer is important It's for important for you as a man of God It's your ability and your opportunity to speak to God and you might say I don't know what to say The Bible says that's fine. That happens to a lot of us. Guess what the Holy Spirit takes over Well, some of you are afraid of the Holy Spirit. You're like, oh, no I'm gonna start saying things out of my mouth that I don't understand. Well, that's a good thing Don't be afraid of the leading of the Holy Spirit Don't buck against the spirit Surrender men Open up your heart Some of you say well my time has passed it hasn't passed Look at what the Lord did with the Apostle Peter in the book of Acts How many times was he filled with the spirit more than once I can tell you that and some of you Today will without a doubt have the opportunity to stand here and say Lord baptize me in your Holy Spirit Fill me afresh and anew so that I can be what you've called me to be an adventure kingdom You guys know we don't have to give a prophecy update. We know where we are biblically. Can I get a witness? Time is short Look at what he reminds him as he goes on to say here for God Listen what he goes on to say here for God has not given us a spirit of fear But of power and of love and of a sound mind Fear we know is a spirit, right? We know that Perhaps this is the very thing that Paul is encouraging and reminding Timothy of in first Timothy chapter 4 verse 14 What does he tell Timothy in regards to the gift here? He tells him to stir it up, but there he tells him do not neglect the gift. What does that mean to neglect it? That literally means to be careless With it that's a way of neglecting it being careless with it what else make light of it That's another way to neglect it another way to neglect it is not to regard it Or to be negligent with it these are the very things that I Think a lot of times we struggle with and really what this boils down to when he says that in first Timothy chapter 4 verse 14 In regards to neglecting the very gift that God has given him could literally mean That he should not let it fall into disuse Perhaps there's some men here this morning that your gift has come to a place of disuse You might say that's why I blew it Well Romans chapter 11 verse 29 says no you haven't As a matter of fact let Zachariah 4 6 be the very thing that encouraged you and reminds you that it's not about you It's about the Lord. It's about his work and it's not by might nor by power But by my spirit thus say at the Lord you guys have the greatest weapon the greatest tool and it's freely given if you are willing to receive it and Say Lord here it is. You know I pray I say Lord let your spirit fall on my marriage Let your spirit fall on my parenting let your spirit fall in the ministry Let it fall in my life because apart from you Lord. I can do nothing. I am nobody, but you are everything and My encouragement doesn't come from things that I've achieved or accomplished my encouragement comes from the word of God because I'm Reminded that it's only by his spirit that I can do this very thing Some of you men here know exactly what I'm talking about when the spirit of God stirs your heart and Grips your heart and empowers you You know what I pray every time I pray to before I came up here Lord. I will not speak if your spirit is not with me What profit would it be to you if I came here just with knowledge? It has to be led by the spirit Then I encourage you be reminded like men Paul What he was prior Men like myself some of you here know my testimony very well, and I'll tell you what? Lord desires to do the same in you men Some of you men that are married your wife is praying as we speak right now for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on you She wants to see Jesus in you What's hindering you? Could it be this very thing fear that we see? That could possibly potentially Paul is reminding Timothy listen fear It's not from the Lord Don't be timid Timothy. There are two types of fear that we read about a lot of times in scripture in One fear is this Fear of timidity that we see here in second Timothy chapter 1 verse 7 But another type of fear in scripture is the fear of the Lord That term doesn't have the same Understanding of timidity it literally means in awe of the Lord as a matter of fact when you read throughout the scriptures Over a 720 times we see the word fearful feared Fearfulness fearing and afraid and 300 of those references a little bit over 300 of them are in regard to the fear of the Lord Now that's the type of fear that one is to have the fear of the Lord Because listen things happen when one fears the Lord Let me read to you a passage that it always encourages me when it comes of any if there's gonna be any fear It better be the fear of the Lord Notice when it goes on to say in Acts chapter 9 verse 31 Then the churches throughout all Judea Galilee and Samaria had peace and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit And I love the last three words they were multiplied The church was multiplied I can say without stretching the text too far their faith was multiplied They were encouraged they were built up why because it wasn't the fear of timidity that they were walking in But it was the fear of the Lord the awe the reverence of God Knowing listen that the spirit of the Lord is the very one who will empower them and equip them and clearly This is the view that Paul had in mind when he says God is not giving us a spirit of fear But of power the very power of the Holy Spirit and some of you men need that power to overcome fear takes you to places that Perhaps maybe some men even hear this morning regret going to one of the greatest things that I've dealt with with men is pornography and you know what led to that a Fear of not being able to go to another brother and say this is what I'm struggling with You see what fear does you know what pornography does to a marriage? You know what pornography does to your mind there are images that will never be erased from your mind. Don't do it Your wife will never be that woman And I'll tell you what People like to call it the secret sin. I don't call it a secret sin I call it for what it is. It's sin and it will ruin you run from it I know a lot of times men don't like to in a group of men say that that's their thing. Listen guys Don't let that be the very thing That hinders you Because I know I'm just a man like you guys You don't think I struggle within pure thoughts. You don't think these things bombard my mind You don't think and let me tell you something. Well, how does that work past your day? How are you able to do it? It's not anything different than what the scriptures say for us to do it Pray seek the Lord trust God Now I probably did something a little bit different than some men would and some of you guys probably think you know Man, you're dumb, bro. But when I struggle with lust real bad, I went to my bride. I went to my wife. I Says I struggle with lust a year into our marriage I start you know what lust is and I told her what it was and I says I struggle with that And I lost after this woman and after that woman I laid it all out to her and my wife cried And I seen the hurt that I brought to my wife Without even doing anything She hurt because of what was going on in here and in here and when she raised her hand up I thought I was gonna get smacked, but she put her hand on my shoulder and Prayed a prayer today that still brings me to my knees and humbles me and she said Lord You gave me this man. I can't help him Lord only you can and she prayed and I remember I'll never forget. She says Lord feel him with your holy spirit That there will be warnings That there would be fear as the enemy tries to bring him to this very place and She's the one that I'm accountable to now my bride my wife Tell you what if I would have feared telling her who knows where my marriage would be today God has given you everything you need man be encouraged this morning I tell you these things and I use my life as a testimony to be transparent with you that listen God is able The next couple of verses as I just close I want to just kind of give you guys these notes and jot this down He reminds Timothy listen. Don't be ashamed. We have nothing to be ashamed of Jesus overcame He's the one we look to don't be ashamed this morning men to say you want to know what I need this I needed in my marriage. I needed my parenting. I needed in my singleness. I needed in ministry. I need this don't be ashamed and Then he goes on to tell him this and these words are very important to men in verses 13 and on down He tells him to be loyal. You know, these are the things that really challenge men fear shame and loyalty He tells him be loyal to the word be loyal to the example be loyal to the very thing That was given to you and minister to you Timothy be loyal You men know what do we always say our word? Right our word is the only thing we got we use that a lot Because that's the thing that's in man is are we loyal are we trustworthy? Are we faithful here? He's telling Timothy here are the very things that will help you and I encourage you and I remind you Timothy Don't be timid God has not given you a spirit of fear but a power of Love because of his son Jesus. He's demonstrated his love to you and has given his love to you so that you can impart it to others In a sound mind a clear mind And I'll tell you guys what those are the things at times That are misused because of fear your power your love and Your mind your conscience Don't let that be the thing that hinders you I'll tell you what men What we need today in the body of Christ in every church what we need is men that'll say Lord use me For your honor and for your glory empty me of myself So that when others see me they see Jesus, I'll tell you guys what May we go back to our home? our families our roommates our loved ones Our co-workers whoever you're going back to after this conference and my only thing I'll say to you is this is what I pray over you May they see Jesus