Immune to Fear Week 2Sample

 Pick Up Your Weapons! 

Where are our weapons? Paul wrote, “Stir up the gift of God which is in you” (2 Tim. 1:6). He instructed, “Stir up.” This word has to do with fire; the stirring up of a campfire to get the embers blazing. It means, “to kindle,” “to bring up to full flame.” Do not cool off, stir up that fire! Use the fan on the dying embers. The word of God and the gifts of the Spirit are our weapons against the attack of the enemy. 

These gifts are described in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” 

These gifts of the Spirit are our weapons, and the devil has done his best to stop Christians from using them. As valuable as natural gifts are, they can never take the place of Holy Spirit endued gifts; and more importantly, they must never be confused with them. For example, many churchmen and medical doctors have opposed divine healing. They have magnified the stories of those who are “disappointed” and who are not immediately healed. They have conveniently forgotten that doctors disappoint millions every day. Nearly everyone in the graveyard had been to a doctor first, yet nobody would be so foolish as to demand the closing of all hospitals! Others object to divine healing simply because some are not healed, and so they do not minister to the sick at all. This leaves everybody unhealed! Where is compassion, or obedience to the Scriptures? Some Christians have let their bow and arrows (their gifts, their spiritual weapons) gather dust in a corner because of critics. They lower their God-given weapons and accept defeat because of the fear of man. Others have been hurt, perhaps by remarks from fellow believers, and thus have dropped their gifts. They have “lost” them, though God never reclaims them, for “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29). 

The Lord has never sent a saint into battle without a weapon. That is precisely why, before His ascension to heaven, Jesus told the apostles to remain in Jerusalem until the coming of the Holy Spirit. He knew that they would need to be endued with the power of the Holy Spirit and His gifts. The power of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts must be recovered to each and every believer. Hear the word of the Lord. Go back to the day and to the place where you left those spiritual gifts, and ask the Lord to forgive you. Do not be afraid! Do not despair; the gifts are still there, albeit dormant. Dry your tears of despair and sorrow, and take up your weapons again!

Source: (Evangelism by Fire. pg. 179-181)